What does this mean in a link?

Question on the way a link was listed.

[eggypiece]

Hello!

This is the first time I see this in a reciprocal link listing, and want to know if it is fair game or not.

I recently requested a link exchange from site XYZ. They kindly reciprocated placing my link, but when I go and check it out, I saw something I've never seen before.

The XYZ site has three different categories for their links. On two of the categories, when I place my mouse over any of the listings anchor texts, the URL that shows up is the XYZ's URL, but when I double click on the anchor text, the correct site appears. This is the same for my listing.

On the third category, when moused over, the listings show the correct URL for the site listed.

Is this a trick or somehow underhanded way to trick the search engines from spidering my link in their page?

Appreciate the feedback!

Jose

[webforumz]

They may be masking the URL...
They could be 'redirecting' to your page instead of a direct link.... which is not really gonna help, or count toward link pop.

[Hardwood Guy]

"which is not really gonna help, or count toward link pop."

Hmmn, interesting. Anyone else see it that way too?

[Hardwood Guy]

Guess the answer is vaild

[sit2510]

>>> Is this a trick or somehow underhanded way to trick the search engines from spidering my link in their page?

It is much better not to exchange links with webmasters who employ any questionable tactics or tricks concerning link exchange, eg. the one of xyz that you had reciprocated link with.

[Hardwood Guy]

That's the asnwer I was looking for..thanks

[netnerd]

You should take a look at the source of the page and see if there is a proper <a href link, or stick it into one of the search engine spider "emulators" to see if it shows up.

Or just dont swap links with him to be safe ;)

[eZeB]

there are a bunch of webmasters who perceive PR as something to be hoarded and disguise outgoing links in JAVA, which they assume Google will not read.

this is probably what they are doing

[netnerd]

I think you mean javascript (which is different). In the past this technique worked, but i think now that google can follow these links. However, there are ways around this.

[ppg]

eggypiece stickied me the url. The table which holds the content for the page has been placed in an anchor tag with an href attribute of the site's homepage, so that's the value shown on a mouse over of the links. It happens in IE but not in Opera.

I see it happening on all the links on that page.

This table has also been placed in a page-wide H1 tag - ie the whole page is its own heading :-). In addition, every link on the page has been placed in its own H1 tag. Personally I'd be inclined not to reciprocate the link.

[rj87uk]

>> This table has also been placed in a page-wide H1 tag - ie the whole page is its own heading :-).

Is that not just the most dumbest thing you can do?
i am very sure i would'nt do something like that :p

[eggypiece]

Thanks to all for the great input, specially to GranPops and PPG for taking the time to sticky me with their feedback.

I contacted the site in question and politely explained the reasons for terminating our link partnership. I removed their link, and asked them to do likewise.

Lesson learned!