Text link to root in footer template

[phdosf]

Hey Mozers,

My first post here, I look forward to contributing what I learn and collecting knowledge branches (github joke) from you all.

How valuable is a text link in the footer template to your home page (root)?

My guess would be that it sends the on page link juice back to the home page. I don't believe this link should use keywords though (post penguin world).

I realize we should have a pyramid architecture (http://www.seomoz.org/blog/internal-linking-strategies-for-2012-and-beyond) but should every page link back to the homage page? What variables does this effect?

[SanketPatel]

Let me quote Rand's awesome White Board Friday here :

Number three, cruddy, link filled footers. I see this all the time still. You're just having a bunch of exact anchor links down in here that no one would actually really click and that come in lists. I often see them in light gray on light gray so that it's not particularly easy to read. Use your footer wisely. Use your footer to link to the things that people expect to find in the footer. If you really need to get anchor text on pages, find natural ways to put it in the real menu at the top, in the content itself. Don't be trying to mess around and throw footer links site wide, across things. This 2002, man. We're ten years later. It's like at least a decade past that.

Reference Link : http://www.seomoz.org/blog/6-changes-every-seo-should-make-before-the-over-optimization-penalty-hits-whiteboard-friday

Hope you will get your answer after watching this video.

[phdosf]

I'm specifically asking about a text link that points back to your home page, not a footer full of spammy links.

[SanketPatel]

Lets forget about seo, but from user point view ( navigation ) "Home" word is more famous so. If text link is with "Home" word then its quite easy for visitor to understand.

[katemorris]

Very clear answer: it won't help anything. Your homepage should naturally get so many links that a link in your own footer will make near to no difference at all. It's not worth your time worrying over. Only time you should worry about the links in your footer is if people are having a hard time finding stuff.