Footer backlinks for sites I've developed

[sanchez1960]

I link back to my website via my company name on the footers of sites I develop.  Lately I've been changing this to my keyword and mixing and matching.  This has been done for new sites I create and old sites

I've not seen any benefit so far after a couple of months.

Most my clients are hosted on the same server as my main site that it links back to.

1. Is this a bad idea to link back on the same IP?
2. Is footer backlinks to the main developer going to annoy Google?
3. Should I change my main site's server, will it help?

All my competitors seem to do it and as far as I can tell they seem to get better results than I do.  Because I'm now changing them the reason I see no benefit?

Thanks

[RyanKent]

It is a common practice for a site's developer to provide a self-promoting footer link in the site's they develop. There is no harm in doing so. You should not expect any noticeable value from the link either.

The entire concept of a valued link is an "independent vote". More specifically, it is a natural link which a user chose to provide. Links from sites you develop or host on your server are not chosen by the site owner. You choose to place the link. You could argue the site owner could choose to opt-out, but that is a another matter.

Google offers very low value to links in footers. Google also offers a lower value to site-wide links. Google also devalues links from sites on the same server. The bottom line is these links are not earned and you should not expect any value from search engines for them. If you build a high quality site then adding a footer link may occasionally earn your site a visit from someone interested in having their site developed. That needs to be enough for you.

[kiranbajpe]

Can we have keyword at footer to link back to our site devolved.

[EGOL]

Do you think that keyword links in the footer of a site might look like paid links?

[RyanKent]

Under anything remotely normal, it is highly unlikely a search engine would consider a "website developed by EGOL Design" as a paid link. If a site owner tried a footer of "[website development], [website design], [graphic artwork], [seo] and other work performed by ABC Enterprises" where each term in brackets was a link, that clearly steps to the spammy side.

Even then I wouldn't necessarily call it paid links, but manipulative links which falls into the same category.

[EGOL]

Thanks!

That's why designer/developer links will never appear in the footer of any of my sites.

If the designer/developer expects these links it should be part of the discussion before any design contract is written... and they should feel free to quote a higher priced option for the work being done without the expectation of a link in the footer.

[GCSMasone]

I think that if done in a large scale these could provide a bit of value for a website if you could do it to a scale as GoDaddy recently has. Otherwise it is generally not going to add much value.

[kiranbajpe]

What will best solution in this case. i have 400 link back from same IP. many from footer

[RyanKent]

@EGOL, I wholeheartedly agree. If it is an expectation, it should be shared in advance with the quote.

@Kiran, there is not necessarily anything to do other then have your expectations set these links offer little if any value.

[AnthonyMangia]

Will it cause harm?  Not likely.  If Google suspects the links aren't kosher, it will probably just ignore (or "devalue") the links.

As to whether it is a shady or manipulative practice - debatable.  From my perspective, I don't quite see how it is all that different from a company linking to its partners, suppliers, or customers.  The link represents a business relationship, and that relationship has value.  If I have a client in the position to get these kinds of links, for me it's a no brainer - get 'em.  At the very worst, they have no impact SEO-wise, but help with branding and referral traffic.  Google's perspective may differ.

As to why the practice might not be working out so well for you - do you run linkbuilding campaigns for the websites you develop?  Does anybody?  Do many of the websites share a C class address?

A bunch of links from websites with weak backlink profiles or the same C class addresses won't take you very far.

BONUS - a few linkbuilding tactics guaranteed to work:

• Submitting your website to high quality, relevant directories
• Running a guest blogging campaign on a number of influential web design blogs
• Creating TRULY engaging and unique content and promote it via social media