Credit Links, Good/Bad, Acceptable/Disallowed? Options

[Autocrat]

Okay... it's been mentioned a few times, and it's recently cropped up somewhere else... so I thought I would ask here.

When/If you create a site, do you include a link back to your site?
If you do, is it a single link (either only on one page, or you have links pointing to a special page to link to your site), or on all pages?
Is it a "normal link" or do you nofollow it (either the rel, or through the robots meta)?


Okay... now with the "general replies" out of the way... a more specific question.

Does anyone know if it is considered "link farming" or some other negative practice in the eyes of sE's like Google etc.?

If so, how do you know, and can you please point out the reference?
(please note, I'm not asking for personal preference/opinon on this one - I'm really wanting to "know" as in fact).


I'm rather confused by it, as I can see a lot of opinions and stances on the matter, but I haven't seen any "facts" on it.

This post has been edited by Autocrat: Mar 23 2008, 07:45 PM

[Ron Carnell]

(please note, I'm not asking for personal preference/opinon on this one - I'm really wanting to "know" as in fact).

Write Google. Everything else is going to be speculation and opinion. Well, actually, even if you hear it from Google, that's probably going to be opinion, too.

There aren't any facts. There's only evidence. It's up to you to decide when and if the evidence is strong enough to justify a conclusion.

And here's the evidence: If you look for them, there are a ton of very well ranked pages with the type of "created by" links you're talking about. They don't seem to have been hurt too badly by those links. It's questionable, however, whether they've been helped by them? But, of course, that's quite a different question, requiring very different evidence.

[EGOL]

If you create a site and hope for a link you should discuss this subject in detail with the owner of the website. That person owns the site and it is their right to have your link or not have it. There should be no assumptions made by either party.

A designer who produces a world class design might feel that a link in the footer of every page on the website is appropriate credit for their work.

The owner of a website with hundreds of PR6+ pages plus millions of visitors per month might feel that links in the footer of his/her website are worth a couple thousand dollars per month.

There are numerous middle ground positions such as the name of the designer in the foot of the site, nofollow links, a link on the "about us" page or other creative ideas.

If you feel that that link is part of your compensation for making the site then you should be prepared to give one price with the link, a higher price without the link or be willing to negotiate something that both parties are happy with. Or, you can decide to work only for people who will permit your link in the footer of their website.

This subject was discussed extensively in another thread here.
http://www.cre8asiteforums.com/forums/inde...gner's+link

I learned from that thread that this subject should be discussed fully in advance.

[Autocrat]

...Ron Carnell...

Write Google ...

Damn, that made me cry laughing, and took 5 minutes before I could recover enough to read the rest

... Everything else is going to be speculation and opinion. Well, actually, even if you hear it from Google, that's probably going to be opinion, too.

Oh, so true!

It really is a crying shame that almsot every little thing appears to get called into question... and for every question there ends up being hundreds of "opinions", but few facts



...EGOL...
I'm aware of hte other threads on it, and on other sites... but as I said, I haven't seen any "facts", (and as ...Ron Carnell... points out, little in the way of evidence bar the "frequency" of it).



Ah well, gues it's likely to remain one of those "down to interpretation" and "best guess" scenarios (yuk!).
Still, thanks for the replies.

[A.N.Onym]

If we are talking about CMS themes, what difference is between a link to a designer's site and a link to a company, which sponsored the designer to create the theme? Without the sponsorship, the designer wouldn't create the theme, so, sensically speaking, both should be credited in the footer.

However, in this particular case, Google has a stance against sponsored themes. Perhaps, because the designers first create themes and then sell footer links.


Btw, if I am to say anything on topic, I think it solely depends on:
- how good your work is
- how much you are getting paid for it
- how noticed the site is

And you need to negotiate everything beforehand (as probably EGOL said), anyway. This would mean that the client would know why the link is there and won't worry about it.

[Autocrat]

Okay... jsut to make sure it's really clear... I did use the phrase "create a site" (funny ).
Not jsut a theme... but you coded up everything, plugged everything in, customised/created code... the whole lot (not just a "theme").

[iamlost]

There are two major considerations when contemplating creator linkbacks:
1. the link has a value that needs to be agreed upon.
That value fluctuates, eg.:
* site wide or restricted to a few pages, i.e. home, about.
* flat fee, i.e. discount off quoted development, or recurring, i.e. monthly flat billing or based on traffic.
* relative prominences of designer and domain owner.
* time in effect.

2. the site has value that needs to be agreed upon.
That value fluctuates, eg.:
* as site ages it (should) gain traffic and SE trust and thus link value.
* content quality, topic, behaviour, changes to the bad, i.e. site goes to fetish pr0n or is SE penalised.
* someone else takes over maintenance, SEO, etc. especially site redesign.

Most of my clients specified that my involvement was 'silent'. If I had a maintenance contract the webmaster@ email/form would be bcc to me to comment/correct. I came to appreciate the anonymity. I would rather take the money than what little converting traffic (and occassional abusive hassle) my friends who offered such things received.