FreeLance Question - Site credits or Not?

[jan111]

I put a discrete "designed by" link right at the bottom of every site I do for customers. I believe this helps my site in the serps and I have certainly received business from it - people see one of their competitors with a website they like, and they phone me to see if they can have one of similar quality. (I do unique designs for each customer and give each site its own look and feel so don't feel there is an ethical issue in doing designs for people in the same area.)

So far, no customer has ever complained.

[deepsand]

I do unique designs for each customer and give each site its own look and feel so don't feel there is an ethical issue in doing designs for people in the same area.

What has uniqueness to do with the issue of whose property the site is, and by what right you presume to use such property for your own gain?

[Capere Spiritum]

Lots of good comments. Permission form the client? Yes of course.

Link to your site also proves it's part of your portfolio which assists in obtaining future orders.

Thus far, nonoe of my clients have objected to a link which is usually a key-worded back link.

[HTMLBasicTutor]

What has uniqueness to do with the issue of whose property the site is, and by what right you presume to use such property for your own gain?

Read the response again instead of picking on the clarification.

I put a discrete "designed by" link right at the bottom of every site I do for customers. I believe this helps my site in the serps and I have certainly received business from it - people see one of their competitors with a website they like, and they phone me to see if they can have one of similar quality. (I do unique designs for each customer and give each site its own look and feel so don't feel there is an ethical issue in doing designs for people in the same area.)

So far, no customer has ever complained.

Why pick on this response which is basically the same thing others have said in their own way? They said "same quality" not copy the site.

It has long been the practice of web designers to ask people to find sites they like and explain what about the site they like. Not to copy the site but to shorten the concept building process by getting a feel for what the client is looking for. Some people are very visual and are not good at explaining in words what they want. Samples for ideas helps them convey what they mean.

The OP has just pointed out that by having a credit link in the projects they have done just shortens the "explaining what I like" part of the concept process.

[deepsand]

The OP has just pointed out that by having a credit link in the projects they have done just shortens the "explaining what I like" part of the concept process.

The presence or absence of such link in no way affects what anyone does or does not like about a site.

And, it is immaterial to the core issue, which is who holds ownership.

[janeth]

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of sites that have the "Designed By" at the bottom or a site credit link.

Do you think this is something that should be included in your clients designs?

I personally feel that if your client pays you for your work that you shouldn't put your logo on their site. Perhaps in the meta tags, but not on the site itself.

What are your views on this?

I just bought a Chevy and they put their logo on my car. My bread has a logo, my tv and my web design all by the people that created those products for me. I don't mind it because if I have a problem I know who to call.

As a matter of fact I rather like the idea because because when I see something I like in a friends house, one glance and I know where to buy my own.

[deepsand]

Were either the car, the bread or the television works for hire?

[janeth]

Were either the car, the bread or the television works for hire?

Yes, I had a Bronco that I had customized, and the company that customized the bronco put a really awesome logo that actually added to the look of the bronoco on the back where the ford logo use to be.

[janeth]

I had a bed made. Custom designed bunk beds. Designed by me but the guy down the street branded his logo into the footer of the bed.

I believe there are lots of companies in different industries that do custom work and still put their logos on their work.

[deepsand]

Yes, I had a Bronco that I had customized, and the company that customized the bronco put a really awesome logo that actually added to the look of the bronoco on the back where the ford logo use to be.

Evades both the question here asked and that posed by the OP.

Does one who creates a work for hire have an inherent right to brand it? Or, is the permission of the one who commissioned it required?

Here in the US the general rule is that he who pays for it owns it. Not part of it, but all of it.