"You should never have to link to an SEO."

[writergrrrl48]

I read this in a recent SEO News article and thought, "Why the heck not?"

The author states," be careful they do not insist on linking your site to theirs. " meaning the SEO company is doing something bad by putting their link on the client's page.

I don't understand why this would be a bad practice, and why I might be doing a disservice to my clients by putting my link on their sites? Doesn't make sense to me. Am I missing something?

I'd be interested in comments.

[weslinda]

Well, in actuallity for your client, your link on their page means nothing. The only reason you are adding your link is kind of like the signature on a painting. It states you are the artist, but doesn't add to the painting in the least.

While it may not "harm" their site, it can look unprofessional in some eyes, depending on who see's the site.

Some of my clients are okay with it, others would prefer that there not be a link. They paid for the content, and not my signature on the painting.

Even if the web site is the "mona lisa" is a signature of the artists really needed?

Now, from a value standpoint, your link doesn't help the site, and a good SEO won't need to put a link on someone else's page that they worked on to get traffic to their own site.

If you are an SEO, what value does a link on a hair salon's web site you just created or worked on do for your site?

[dburdon]

In many cases such a link would have little value. However, if you're the SEO you could always rel nofollow.

[obiztek]

It is suggested that either to use "nofollow" tag or do not use it.Putting it on every page of the website does not help really rather it attracts negative points.

[thrashmangler]

Hm, this used to be more advantagous to the SEO were the IBLs were pointing but it would be of little impact unless the text link was something like Search recogintion or First page placement, your helping them get placement to get more business.

[Beatle]

You could put your name in the source, hidden from human and SE view.

[bhartzer]

You could put your name in the source, hidden from human and SE view.

Putting the link in your source code may hide it from the humans (unless they view the source) but it certainly wouldn't hide it from the search engines unless you're cloaking the page.

You should not have to link to your SEO or even your web designer because you're only benefiting them by linking to them and you, as a client, get no benefit from linking to them. Furthermore, your link to them is actually off-topic so it wouldn't really "count" anyway.

The "article" brings up this point because it's mentioned in Google's SEO/Webmaster guidelines.

[jeffposaka]

As the web design or seo business owner, wouldn't you prefer the recongnition or branding...regardless of what the search engines think?

I know I get human traffic from clients' sites to mine. Isn't that one of the goals of the "site information" signiture?

[A. Smith]

Actually, from a shopper's point of view, showing the webmaster's company name might be a good thing. It shows that the site was done professionally, which tells me that the company is real, has the budget to pay for professional services, and will probably send me whatever I order.

[caromero1965]

Call me paranoid, but my first thought was that linking to my SEO company could tell the engines that I'm associated with them... and if the SEO wound up doing blackhat work for another client, now or in the future, all those who link to the SEO could be penalized someday...

I'd be careful whose sites I linked to.

[Tim Haas]

I think this whole idea is being over thought. It doesn't help or hurt anyone either way as far as SEO.

I always put something on the pages I work on. If I developed the website it reads "Website developed by ..." if I didn't develop the site but host the website, "Website hosted by ...", and so on.

It is just plain old good fashioned marketing to get your name out there. I carefully track where my business comes from, and a respectable portion comes from people following my link at the bottom of other people's pages.

I have never had a client question this practice, it is reassuring to them that I am proud of my work and am willing to lay claim to it.

It seems to me in the pursuit of SEO we sometimes forget that there are other important aspects to successful marketing.

[jeffposaka]

Tim,

I totally agree with you. If the client agrees, I think it a great way to market services.

[Paul B]

At:
http://www.google.com/support/webmas...topic=0&type=f
Google states:

You should never have to link to an SEO.
Avoid SEOs that talk about the power of "free-for-all" links, link popularity schemes, or submitting your site to thousands of search engines. These are typically useless exercises that don't affect your ranking in the results of the major search engines -- at least, not in a way you would likely consider to be positive

But I would say that although the headline is bold and clear, the paragraph then goes on to refer to only certain kinds of SEOs. Perhaps G thinks that siteowners will not know what tricks SEO companies get up to and so tars them all with the same brush...

[mantawebsolutions]

I too have read it and have wondered what kind of impact it has on any of my clients.

Yes, I agree that it does not add any benefit to my client's website, and Yes, I agree that my SEO website or business should not benefit from adding such a link from my client site and Yes, I should add the "rel nofollow" to the link.

However, If my client has no objections, I would like a link, especially from the homepage, back to my site. Why, because I am proud of my work and I would like to use this particular link as part of my marketing strategy to market my business and products.

[writergrrrl48]

The quote from G. does not substantiate why linking to an SEO is bad.

I'm NOT running a link farm, I'm NOT trying to do some dastardly deed. Just as the mechanic who changes the oil in my car puts a sticker with HIS company name on my windshield telling me when to change the oil next, I put my name on my clients' sites for visibility and potential referrals. What's "black hat" about that?

[quote="Tim Haas"]It is just plain old good fashioned marketing to get your name out there. "

Thank you, that's the outlook that makes sense to me. Isn't that why every article of clothing now has a brand name on the outside, instead of the inside?

I really appreciate the diverse comments.

[Gary Golden]

Personally I think everyone must be pretty bored to have a topic on this.

If a client does not want it there all they have to do is ask!

Additionally if you feel a need to put it there do by all means do so and visa-versa.

I am not trying to be sarcastic or anything but where I come from you "Take care of your own business"

Good Luck!

[khurramali]

putting your website link at the bottom of all (client website) pages are a good way to increase your page rank.

Think of it as FREE PR.

[kgun]

Where has the moderator on ForumNorway gone? There you got three new links, even if you break the rules at WPW. I am linking to content and not to IP'addresses.