Do web design footer links of websites you build have value?

[EGOL]

GOOGLE:  "Here are a few common examples of unnatural links that may violate our guidelines:"

• Widely distributed links in the footers or templates of various sites

These links are "manufactured" for the purpose of manipulating the search engines.  That is exactly why a lot of web design firms place them in the footer of their client's websites.

**you are spammy if you put a link in the footer to your site? Is that correct?  **

It's not spammy if you nofollow the link.  That removes the manipulation.

You could add "Web design by Egol.com" to the footer in unlinked text and that brand mention might be helpful for your rankings without it being a link.

[gdavey]

This post is deleted!

[gdavey]

Gotcha. That makes sense and yet I am hoping that people in this person's network are looking for a webdesigner then they will click on and find me. But if that is spammy, I will remove it.

Didn't even think this was not good practice... almost two years in and still learning about the moving target.

Thanks again.

G

[EGOL]

Designers want those links for their ranking value.  That is manipulative intent.

Any good designer should know that Google dislikes site-wide footer links and links placed with manipulative intent.  They should also know about nofollow.

These kinds of links will never be on one of my websites.

[gdavey]

Hi EGOL,

I consider myself a white hat SEO person but I honestly didn't know about this. So am I a "good designer" probably not because I didn't know and everyday I am learning. I am working on trying to build out better and better sites with good design and UX.

However, am I someone who wants to learn from mistakes and improve? Yes, yes I can definitively tell you I am.

Thanks for the slap on the wrist and telling me to get my stuff together. Also, thanks for sharing the information so I can get better...

G

[Deacyde]

Are we talking about navigational urls in footers? The kind say a CMS will naturally place there?

Or is this about external sites, which I completely understand, I don't understand how navigational menus in the footer, say of the most popular pages on the site could be considered manipulation or a scheme.

I understand the original poster ( Gary ) is speaking of his site's url on domains he designs in the footer, but now this talk has me wondering the wording of google.

Thanks for the further clarification.

[EGOL]

My comments are related to a situation like this.

Egol.com is a webdesign business and designs a website for CarSeller.com.  Egol.com puts links in the footer of CarSeller.com that point to his own website at Egol.com.

In my opinion, those links are manipulative if their anchor text is Egol.com and they are not nofollowed.

If they have anchor text of "Dallas Web Design" then that is really spammy.

[gdavey]

Hi Deacyde,

I'm talking about the Website Designed By Constructiv Works type URL. It's purpose was two fold, one of which I have learned is bad. 1. it is to allow people who are looking at the site, if they like it, find me in the footer and come to my site. 2. To provide link value like almost every other site I have now reviewed.

Here's one I came across this morning with multiple URL's. http://digitalbuzz.ca/

How is this site any different? Denbow.com 

"sometimes I think I know what I am doing...other times I feel like a child lost in the forest..."

[Deacyde]

Thanks for that,

Yes I've been under the impression that any external link in a footer is going to be looked at questionably by google, especially if it's promotional in nature. Since it can indicate a paid link.

I've watched a few competitors using that same tactic to increase their overall DA for freshsite starting, they 1st ranked great and quickly dropped for various keywords relating to that link placed.

Thanks again EGOL & Gary

[EGOL]

Just so you know... there are people out there who will adamantly disagree with me.

When I post here, I am saying what I would do with my own websites.

If I was the web designer I would not use these links.  If I was the web design client I would not want those links on my website.

[gdavey]

Like I posted below, the CIMC is a digital marketing conference which MOZ is attending as an exhibitor. They have four links in their footer no of which are no follow.

Does this mean they are wrong?

They are rel="external" . Is that considered best practice?

G

[Deacyde]

Also just remember even hunters get lost in the forest, knowledge is a quest not an end result.

Question everything

[gdavey]

EGOL,

I appreciate you taking a stand on the position and question raised. I guess it all comes down to competition. I have only had my website and marketing business for two years. My competition has been doing this since 2010. They have a ton of the footer links coming back to their site which helps their DA which is presently a 34. If this helps them, why can't it work to help my DA while showing off my work?

I just wan to know what is right, so I don't do anything spammy but I can tell, my frustration with getting found is already putting me on the slippery slope of cutting corners.

G

[gdavey]

Powerful statement. Question everything and I like the statement. I want to keep learning and I want to do White hat principles for my clients to raise their DA and ultimately get found.