Is It Smart To Place The Design Company Name & Link on Every Page of Your Site?

[morestar]

So we've all seen this for years and will see this for years to come - that being, the company that designs a client's site, adds their web design company name and link into the footer of every page of the site they developed...

My question to everyone is this:

Would is be better and if so in which way, to have a simple, keyword optimized blurb about the web design firm with a link to their site simply on the contact us page of the site they developed - seo wise? To be more clear, on the clients contact page, they would have all their contacts etc. and have a little blurbed under the title "Website Administration Contact" or something to that effect.

Would that do more seo wise than having links to the design firms page on every page of your site?

In my opinion, if I create a site which sells books about dating advice, why would I want to give my PR juice to a web design firm? especially when the content of each site is totally un-related?

Or do you think it's just fine and make no difference if each and every page of your site has a footer link, linking to the web design firms site?

[janeth]

I don't think the web design company has the right to put their name on the website. They have been paid to do a job, not advertise their own business.

[morestar]

Ya, i second the motion...

The design firm was paid to create a web site for the company but not paste their name on it, especially in the footer of every page...

But what if the company says it's ok to place a little blurb on their contact page? do you think that's ok Janeth? and do you think it does more or less seo wise than being placed in the footer?

[janeth]

Ya, i second the motion...

The design firm was paid to create a web site for the company but not paste their name on it, especially in the footer of every page...

But what if the company says it's ok to place a little blurb on their contact page? do you think that's ok Janeth? and do you think it does more or less seo wise than being placed in the footer?

I've seen a lot of people say that sitewide links are discounted and maybe they are, however, I’ve competed in many markets with sites that were (are) buying site wide links and they seem to count.

They are hell to compete against.

But I also believe that Google is sophisticated enough that they don’t use the same ranking algo for every keyword.

I’d have to go with it all depends.

IMHO

[morestar]

But I also believe that Google is sophisticated enough that they don’t use the same ranking algo for every keyword.

and with that, i have a small feeling that a blurb on one page of the client's site, in paragraph form might count more - especially with a proper keyworded title (h1) like web design firm contact info or something to that effect...

[BoothWizard]

I agree with janeth that a design or seo company gets paid for their work and their name and link should be on the customer's website, unless the customer really wants it there.
Most people say that site wide links are ignored which I agree with. They also say they can't "hurt" you, which I don't agree with. I think search engines will count one or two links from a site. I also think too many links (i.e site wide) looks artificial, and can have a negative effect. It doesn't matter if that is right or wrong or fair or unfair, I just think that's the way it is these days.
So to answer the original question, it is not smart to put your link on every page of a different site.

[morestar]

well we might be talking about different things here...

are site wide footer links to a 'web developers' site in the footer of 30 websites created by them the same as sitewide links on say Web Pro World (our signatures)...

I'm wondering if there could be different factors built into Google's algo that would determine this as I'm sure Google can tell if the site is a forum or a limo service website.

[danlefree]

You might ask FoundByDesign what he's doing - I seem to recall that he was using keywords in his Website Designer's Credit Link.

I'm with Janeth and BoothWizard on the question of whether to deploy the links, myself - if you really must add some link back to your site, go the high road and include an image with your design company logo and keywords in the alt and title text for the link and image after getting the permission of your client (and explaining what you are doing).

Tell your client they can pay an additional fee if they're not willing to help you advertise.

Whatever you do, don't try to deceive your client by telling them "everyone does it" (no, many do not, actually) or discounting the fact that the activity benefits you without providing any benefit to your client.

Also, adding a block of text and links for your design firm (and for a few other sites you've worked on, while you're at it) would be a little much. A novice webmaster might assume that your client's site had been hacked and used for spam...

[BoothWizard]

There is a difference between "site wide" links which are at the bottom of every page on a website and "signature" links that are on the posts you make, but only on the posts you make and not on every page of a website. I don't think signature links count much either... and to be honest, I am just guessing. I do agree that the google algo is very, very smart.

[scgalvin]

Yah, I think is kinda lame when web designers places there link on a clients website. Contractors don't paint their name on the side of your house.

With that said...knowing the importance of links in placing on search engines, I can understand why designers do it.