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    4. Should You Link Back from Client's Website?

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    After more than 13 years, and tens of thousands of questions, Moz Q&A closed on 12th December 2024. Whilst we’re not completely removing the content - many posts will still be possible to view - we have locked both new posts and new replies. More details here.

    Should You Link Back from Client's Website?

    White Hat / Black Hat SEO
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    • David-Kley
      David-Kley last edited by

      We had a discussion in the office today, about if it can help or hurt you to link back to your site from one that you optimize, host, or manage.

      A few ideas that were mentioned:

      HURT:
      1. The website is not directly related to your niche, therefore Google will treat it as a link exchange or spammy link.
      2. Links back to you are often not surrounded by related text about your services, and looks out of place to users and Search Engines.

      HELP:
      1. On good (higher PR, reputable domain) domains, a link back can add authority, even if the site is not directly related to your services.
      2. Allows high ranking sites to show users who the provider is, potentially creating a new client, and a followed incoming link on anchor text you can choose.

      So, what do you think? Test results would be appreciated, as we are trying to get real data. Benefits and cons if you have an opinion.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
      • churchwebsites
        churchwebsites last edited by

        Hi everyone

        We have read through all these comments, but still not sure what to do about this. We do church web design, and our link would be on church websites. That seems relevant to me.

        These responses go back to 2014. Is there any current advice or information on this topic?

        Thanks:-)

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • JaneCopland
          JaneCopland @SamuelScott last edited by

          As someone who used to work at a company on the Recommended list (and who was in charge of the Contact form) - we did get leads. They were about 80% appropriate for the business model, although a lot were too small or wanting short-term projects (my agency generally took on corporate-level accounts for long periods of time). I would say that this sort of linking is different to just linking to clients, e.g. if we then went on to link to an insurance company that came to us through a Moz Recommended referral. But if your SEO company partners with a PPC agency or design firm, provides some services to the other and sends out a relevant link, that seems a little more relevant.

          On the other hand, I hate these discussions about what we're "allowed" to link to 🙂

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • danwebman
            danwebman last edited by

            Under No Circumstances do I see this to be something you should do. I often advise clients to get any link which isn't giving value to the user off the site ASAP.

            Often that includes "Site created by ..." Lowest of the low I'm afraid.

            So that's a No from me!

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • KeriMorgret
              KeriMorgret @SamuelScott last edited by

              People who come to Moz are in the same niche as the recommended companies. It'd be way different if I had the same link at the bottom of my site that's about model battleships.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • SamuelScott
                SamuelScott @Trespass last edited by

                I'd think -- or hope! -- that Google Penguin or something else would stop that result at some point.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • SamuelScott
                  SamuelScott @KeriMorgret last edited by

                  I hear a potential YouMoz post?

                  Footer links may not refer a lot of valuable traffic. But other types of pages could. For example: I'm sure the businesses that are on Moz's recommended list get leads. Pages with similar types of (no-follow) links could do the same (rather than footer links).

                  KeriMorgret JaneCopland 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • EGOL
                    EGOL @KeriMorgret last edited by

                    Only robots who don't buy anything.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • Trespass
                      Trespass last edited by

                      To be honest, I doubt anyone really gets much referral business from footer links no follow or not. It clearly a way of getting authority high pr links for free.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • KeriMorgret
                        KeriMorgret last edited by

                        I'd love to see a case study from a firm talking about the amount of traffic they get from these links, and if it turns into any leads or sales for them.

                        EGOL SamuelScott 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • Trespass
                          Trespass last edited by

                          Ive seen a company in Glasgow that does this to the extreme. In fact they rank for "seo glasgow" and their link profile is made up of all footer links. seo by seo glasgow and they rank well. web design by "web design glasgow" etc

                          SamuelScott 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • EGOL
                            EGOL @SamuelScott last edited by

                            Yes, that is better.... but you will only be able to do it on websites that tolerate unpaid advertising.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • SamuelScott
                              SamuelScott @Trespass last edited by

                              Thumbed-up for being what I would do!

                              EGOL 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • Trespass
                                Trespass last edited by

                                What about something like : "Site design By Company Link" that is no-follow? That way you can get direct traffic but doesnt pass link juice?

                                SamuelScott 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                • johnny122
                                  johnny122 last edited by

                                  With owner permission "having your name on the site in unlinked text" seems the best to do.

                                  I remember the penalty story of 'Web Design Yorkshire by Pinpoint Designs' - http://moz.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-google-penalty-removal

                                  <greyhat>Need to vary anchor text if you do it :).</greyhat>

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • KeriMorgret
                                    KeriMorgret @digitalforerunners last edited by

                                    CNN, Tribune, and other big companies often have both in-house people and agencies. I know people who are at (or were at) both CNN and the Tribune who are in-house SEOs who work with contracted agencies.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • SamuelScott
                                      SamuelScott last edited by

                                      I would advise against it for one simple reason: You would be directly violating Google's guidelines and setting both you and your clients up for potential penalties.

                                      Google states: Any links intended to manipulate PageRank or a site's ranking in Google search results may be considered part of a link scheme and a violation of Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. This includes any behavior that manipulates links to your site or outgoing links from your site.

                                      If you actively build a do-follow link on another site for the purposes of affecting search results, then you are doing exactly this.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • digitalforerunners
                                        digitalforerunners @EGOL last edited by

                                        CNN, WJS, Today, and ESPN have their own in-house team of developers and designers. i think that's not a good example.

                                        Having a link to your website from a client website as you say yes is a good advertising as a web developer agency or hosting company. they are outsourcing services which means to them less head ache and saving money because they don't have to buy a server or have a full time in-house developer and SEO specialist which from my point will be a fair trade of having the companies link on their website as well as sometimes the agencies put their clients links on their websites as success stories or current customers.

                                        KeriMorgret 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • EGOL
                                          EGOL last edited by

                                          Allows high ranking sites to show users who the provider is, potentially creating a new client, and a followed incoming link on anchor text you can choose.

                                          My answer on this has nothing to do with SEO.

                                          It has to do with where I believe the role of a service provider is supposed to begin and end.

                                          I personally think that SEOs linking back to their own sites from a client site is low form.  The SEO is supposed to be helping the client not siphoning his power.   You could accomplish that visibility by simply having your name on the site in unlinked text.  Adding a link is unnecessary and greedy.

                                          When I see those links on other sites, I do find it to be useful information.  I know who I would not hire.

                                          Honestly, if an SEO or designer or hosting provider wanted to put a link on my site I would tell him "no" nicely.  If they  argued or pressed for it my consideration of his company would be concluded.  The link is not necessary for attribution.

                                          If an SEO or hosting company wanted to have their name at the bottom of my site without the link I would tell them how much it would cost to advertise there.  The value of that advertising would probably exceed the value of the service that they provided.

                                          If you go to a big brand site such as CNN, WSJ, Today, ESPN, you don't see links to SEOs, hosting or designers.  They are not being billboards for their service providers.

                                          My displeasure on this is extremely strong against SEOs  and hosting providers.   For designers I can understand why they ask.  For a designer, if I am exceedingly pleased with what they have done I might list them on the "about us" page, where I mention a few people who have contributed to the content of the site.  Why the designer?  Because they improved what people see and that includes matching the design to my content or complimenting it.

                                          I have different views when it comes to photographs, graphics, videos.  I always name the creator of those content assets and often link to their website in the caption.   Why?  Because they are a content source and my visitors might want to see more of their work.  It is similar to a reference link on a Wikipedia article.  Those links are useful to the visitors.   Even if I paid them a license fee, I  mention them and usually link to them (the only exception is with a thumbnail, but that thumbnail always links to an article where their photo is prominent and with attribution and usually a link).   I give them attribution because I want to help them.  They usually have sites that are less visible than mine.  And I want them to feel that the got back more than they gave.

                                          My site is not about SEO or about hosting or design.  So a link to those sites is not useful to my visitor, so it really should not be there.

                                          digitalforerunners 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                                          • David-Kley
                                            David-Kley @KempRugeLawGroup last edited by

                                            We never place a link without the site owners permission.

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                                            • KempRugeLawGroup
                                              KempRugeLawGroup last edited by

                                              Just to be clear, are you going to ask for the client's permission first?

                                              David-Kley 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
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