Don’t Put Your Web Designer in Your Footer
Posted on May 2, 2011 in Internet Business, SEO, Web Design | 39 comments
Putting One’s Door in the Footer
You’ve most likely noticed, when looking at a small business website, some sort of link at the very bottom of the page (the footer) on every page of the site. It will show the name of the company, or perhaps the link will say “web design” or something similar, and will link to the website of your web designer.
What’s so bad about that, you might ask? After all, if Joe does a good job and didn’t charge too much–you think–then what does it hurt to have something small and unobtrusive to send him possible clients?
It doesn’t look professional.
Think about this: when a company makes a sign to put out by the road in front of your shop, do they add the name of their own company in letters visible from the road? Do TV commercials announce what company they were made by? What about magazine ads, brochures, logos, radio commercials, business cards etc.? Let’s face it–when it comes to marketing materials, it’s just not professional to give the other company room on there, when you’re trying hard to market yourself as it is.
Why Do Web Design Companies Do That?
You would think it wouldn’t be a big deal. Just like other types of marketing media, the company involved (in this case, the web designer) adds the work to his portfolio, and may get a word-of-mouth reference from you, the client. If someone likes the website enough and wants to hire whoever did it, then they’d probably just ask you for who did it.
The reason they want to do that is the magic of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). They want to get their site as high in Google as possible for when someone searches for “San Antonio Web Design” (or whatever phrase is appropriate where you are). An important part of that is getting “backlinks,” links from other sites to point to theirs. Ever since its inception, Google has operated on the core principle that a link to a website is a vote for that website; the more links to a website, the better it must be. Therefore, web design companies want as many links to their site as possible… and client sites are an obvious first choice.
Why Client Backlinks Don’t Work
These days the algorithms for evaluating links are very, very complicated. For years people have tried every trick they could imagine to finagle the Google search results: that is, to rank high in Google without providing valuable content to the Internet. Google’s brilliant engineers have found ways to circumvent these tactics over and over again, so now the Google search engine is very, very intelligent about evaluating links.
1. Google knows when a link is in the footer… and that it is some of the least valuable “real estate” on the page. Google doesn’t value footer links nearly as highly as links in the body of a web page or blog post.
2. One-way links (where Website A links to Website B, but Website B does not link to Website A) are much more important to Google than two-way or reciprocal links (where both sites link to each other). It is a rare (and foolish) web designer who would not want to list a public portfolio, linking to the client websites… which means those footer links from the client site to the designer link are devalued. It also means that the link from the web designer portfolio to the client site are devalued–and it’s hard enough for a small business to get good links!
3. Sites that do well in Google provide more valuable links than sites that do not do well in Google. A link from Wikipedia to your website means much more than a link from a page that nobody knows about. It’s hard to get links to a simple small business website (except, possibly, for directory links, but link directories are worthless)
What this boils down to is that those footer links from your site to your web designer provide negligible value to the web designer, while devaluing the link from their portfolio to your site… all at the cost of making your site look less professional. A web designer who relies on footer links for an SEO strategy neither has the expertise nor the ethical approach your website needs.
39 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- Why Use Paid Themes? | Alamoxie - [...] Attribution: typically, a free theme will tell you that to use it, you must leave credit (usually in the…
- Introduction to SEO | Alamoxie - [...] They may design your site in a way that they believe will help your site, even if it hurts…
- Are Reciprocal Links Bad? | Alamoxie - [...] a site that links to and is linked from a number of completely unrelated sites—such as a web design…
“Why Client Backlinks Don’t Work”
I would love to see where you are getting your data on this and would request you to add any supporting data/links you have. I work for a very small Design/Development firm that practices this and while I am not a fan of advertising on client sites and more so doing research on trying to convince my company not to use text & logo, the backlinks do work for them showing them having a Google Page Rank – 5/10.
“Google doesn’t value footer links nearly as highly as links in the body of a web page or blog post”
I will help you out on this claim. I believe the term you should be using is site wide links or ROS vs. unique links. Unique links according to some top SEO sites from a quick Google search say it is better to have unique/single links than run of site links.
‘Even Google says “you should never have to link to an SEO.”’
Your article is talking about Web Designers not an SEO which is generally two drastically different fields.
This is the type of article that needs reference links from leaders in SEO/SEM field to backup your claims. Do everyone a favor and back your arguments up with links.
David, thank you for taking the time to write a comment! You raise some interesting questions. I’ve compiled some information for you in the following articles, and would love to find out about any complementing or contradictory research you have.
How Important is PageRank in SEO?
Are Content Links More Valuable than Footer Links?
Are Reciprocal Links Bad?
Regarding your statement what Web Designers and Search Engine Optimizers are two different fields–yes, but I do not believe they should be treated differently in this case. Either way, a client is paying the firm–whether a web designer or SEO–to improve their online presence. In my opinion, the idea that the web designer/SEO is entitled to publicly emblazon their brand on the marketing materials for their client, with the justification that it would help the web designer’s/SEO’s business, is not accepted practice in marketing. I’m sure that companies designing business cards, commercials, logos, signs, brochures and so on would love to be advertised on the very advertising materials they create for their client–but that’s not how business works. Perhaps I misunderstand your statement, in which case feel free to explain why SEOs should not expect backlinks from client sites, but web designers should.
Good luck with your research! I would love to hear what you find that supports or opposes footer backlinks.
HI Guys great posts. I myself have been using links back to my site from clients websites but recently had a Google Adwords account disapproved because of these links. Google adwords calls them a bridge pages and for approval of the ad they had to be removed throughout the site
I am now asking myself if Google Adwords doesnt like them does its big brother Google like them. However software has showed PR value from most of these links and many medium sized agencies use them but with wrong or business name anchor text. I guess it does look unprofessional as the bigger companies tend not to do it I find.
I am currently 5th for my keyword term and am thinking of removing these from key sites due to Google Adwords not liking them and will post any findings such as drop in rankings to confirm their value. I have been thinking about this subject for some time and will reluctantly remove them. Great stuff guys thanks for sharing
Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to your blog before but after going through some of the posts I realized it’s new to me.
Anyhow, I’m certainly happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking
it and checking back often!
Why users still make use of to read news papers when in this technological globe everything is
presented on net?
I am curious to find out what blog system you’re working with? I’m experiencing some minor security issues with my latest
site and I would like to find something more safeguarded.
Do you have any recommendations?
This design is incredible! You certainly know how to keep a
reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos,
I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Excellent job.
I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more
than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
My Opinion, you should spend more time Adding those links you seem to hate, to your clients website than writing this negative article, you currently have 16 backlinks and a very low page rank, those little links, that most Website owners don’t mind having serve us Web Designers multiple purposes, Backlinks being one and depending on the quality of the page’s rank it can be a major boost, the increase traffic people do click it those links – hence enter your site via a Keyword Anchor that google now knows about, and also increase business, more money in a Web Designers pocket out of a sentence that is less than 100 characters. tucked away at the bottom not to distract the design you create for your client
For latest informnation you have to pay a visit internet and on internet I found this ebsite
as a finest site for most recent updates.
My brother suggested I might like this blog.
He was once entirely right. This submit truly made my day.
You can not believe simply how a lot time I had
spent for this info! Thank you!
I am regular reader, how are you everybody? This paragraph posted at this
web site is in fact fastidious.
You’ve made some good points there. I checked on the
web to find out more about the issue and found most individuals will go
along with your views on this web site.
I could not agree with you more. I find this practice very unprofessional (unless they did the website for free) and shows that the designer/developers places their needs above their clients (I doubt that the client was even made aware of the benefit given to the designing firm).
This is akin to having an electrician come to your house, perform some work and then leave their company sign on your front lawn forever. While it is okay for them to post a small sign on your lawn while they are working on their house, I would refuse their offer to place it there on a permanent basis. As I said before, this is self-server and unprofessional.
What’s up mates, how іs the wƄole thing, and what you want to say coոcerning this article, in my vijeա
its genuinely awesome designed for me.
WOW just what I was searching for. Came here
by searching for Programm von Steuererklärungen directory
I’ve been looking around trying to find a clear answer to this. Your post did sound pretty definitive, but the comments underneath made me reconsider. As it stands, not one of the footer links I have added to a site that I have built (spread in about 5 years) reads as a back link through Google. Granted you do get different results, depending on which link tracker site you use, as some show more/less than others. I have only just got into SEO in the past year or so, so I’m still quite new. With regards to people seeing a footer link as unprofessional, that all depends on the customer the site is being built for. The majority have all been quite happy with me adding a link and they have received a good discount in turn and have all been compensated in the form of SEO too.
Link exchange is nothing else but it is simply placing
the other person’s blog link on your page at suitable place and other person will also do same
in support of you.
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written
article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of
your useful info. Thanks for the post. I will definitely return.
Wow that was strange. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear.
Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again.
Anyhow, just wanted to say great blog!
Greetings from Los angeles! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to browse your website on my iphone during lunch break.
I enjoy the information you present here and can’t wait to take a look when
I get home. I’m amazed at how quick your blog loaded on my cell phone ..
I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, great blog!
What’s up i am kavin, its my first time to commenting anyplace,
when i read this post i thought i could also make comment due to this sensible post.
Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog
that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this.
Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy
reading your blog and I look forward to your new
updates.
I do not know if it’s just me or if everybody else experiencing problems with your blog.
It seems like some of the text within your content are running off the screen.
Can somebody else please provide feedback and let me know if
this is happening to them as well? This could be a issue with my web browser because I’ve had this happen before.
Cheers
Thank you for some other wonderful article. Where else could anyone get
that kind of info in such a perfect means of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I am at the
look for such info.
In modern day Japan, opposing clans of ninja clash over secret techniques that have
the power to change the face of the world. In this free app there are weapons, armor and special abilities to unlock.
New to the App Store today is the awesome ‘Demons & Dungeons
‘ Action RPG’, a free multiplayer RPG app.
Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to
protect against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard
on. Any suggestions?
Ahaa, its nice discussion regarding this article here
at this web site, I have read all that, so now me also commenting here.
Wonderful article! That is the type of info that should be
shared across the web. Shame on Google for now not positioning this post higher!
Come on over and discuss with my web site . Thank you =)
I don’t even understand how I finished up right here, however
I believed this post was good. I do not realize who you
might be however certainly you’re going to a famous blogger in the event you
are not already. Cheers!
David who posted in July 2011 has more valid points than what the article contends. I have never broken of the practice of taking credit for my work and the practice VERY MUCH has helped my own company’s SEO on Google, much to the contradiction of this piece. And yes we are an SEO. Google has not in fact punished us for it – quite the opposite. Our links are small and unassuming and in many cases we only link to the client in a single blog post on our end but most sites are WordPress or Joomla with dozens to hundreds of unique URLs – each containing a link to us in a standard footer. I have never had a complaint about this and we host 100+ sites.
FYI – We have only existed since summer 2012 – we are right behind you in Alexa (and we are not trying very hard) and will jump you in about 10 days.
Also, most of your comments are clearly generic spam -you should police that better but while footer links are low quality votes (and we do a lot of .org’s) – they are still votes.
Really nice ideas here, I didn’t know some of those things but I did know others you cited. What I don’t agree on is that client backlinking DOES work, still. Nothing’s perfect and that applis to even google engineers.
I’ve been practicing web design for almost a decade now, and have placed a footer link on all my created websites.
I believe that placing a footer link or small logo (that fits the overall look and design), is not abusive/ugly/selfish or what you may call it – which is a common misconception from people that don’t quite know what they’re talking about.
I compare it to vehicles. You paid good money for it, you’re proud to own it, and some people even pay more simply because it shows a Mercedes logo on the front and back, instead of a Ford logo.
Does it matter that Google pays less attention to this link? Not in my opinion. Even if it would block it out entirely (which it certainly does not), I would still place it there.
People compare websites when opting to get their own website made, and when they come across a website they love and they see the web design company link in the footer, well it’s a given that they’ll be contacting them shortly after.
If my client has a problem with it, I would not hesitate removing it, but not a single client has mentioned it so far.
Heck, I’ve even had some experienced clients that asked me to place it in the body content, so it would get more SEO juice.
So in short, web designers, by all means place your link in the footer of your creations. Yes Google will reward you for it, and you might get a few extra projects out of it!
if I read the reference of some blogs, can still function its backlinks, just not as good as if in the content.
For the most quality of a backlink in content
Business owner here. It appears that the people that advertise in the footer don’t like this article and are arguing against it. I am having our ecommerce site rebuilt and the company we hired tried to pull this crap. If I was paying for a cheap site, and some of the reason it was cheap or free was to have advertising on it okay. But I am spending a lot of money for a top end site and it looks very unprofessional to have a “designed by” at the bottom. Do any major sites have this? No, because it looks awful. If your advertising sites as good as the big guys, don’t ask for the designed by footer. It screams that you are not making sites as good as the big guys.
Thanks for sharing the information. i really enjoyed your blog article and always read your blog.
I found it better to have variety of back-links that just unique links on your site. even footer links add a value to your website even though its rated lower in ranking. The truth is its rated. Besides footer back-link as a SEO strategy; it is very easier for a new client to contact a web designer than going through 3rd parties. As far as SEO is concerned there are variety of ways to get back-links, guest posts (do follow), info graphics, directory listings, footer links etc. Its wiser on the marketing and SEO point of view to focus on do follow back-links and sites with high domain authority, and page rankings. No follow back-links its kind of waste of energy but broaden your link source
I found it better to have variety of backlinks that just unique links on your site. even comment post links add a value to your website even though its rated lower in ranking. The truth is its rated. Besides footer backlink as a SEO strategy; it is very easier for a new client to contact a web designer than going through 3rd parties. As far as SEO is concerned there are variety of ways to get back-links, guest posts (do follow), info graphics, directory listings, comment posts, footer links etc. Its wiser on the marketing and SEO point of view to focus on do follow backlinks and sites with high domain authority, and page rankings. No follow backlinks its kind of waste of energy but broaden your link source
All themes makes sense depending on the budget. If the company that am designing a site for is not willing to pay. obviously i go for a free theme strategy. worthy the budget.
Overally a paid theme give a site a better and unique look that any theme that anyone can use