Placing links on sites that use redirects to count clicks

Does google still see my link?

[sandyeggo]

I have placed links on a couple of sites that are using a redirect of an unknown type to redirect to my site - i would assume so the site owner can count clicks on each listing. Will this link count with google? or hurt?

its only a link, but will google see it as a page redirect?

[jdubo79]

I do not believe google will count vthis link, since it does not actually link to you, but rather a redirect.

[badass101]

Pretty sure it will find/see you, as Google has (and has had for a long time - albeit a little buggy) the ability to follow an http redirect.

I don't see why they wouldn't pass credit for the link.

[jdubo79]

Google can follow redirects? Are you sure? Do you have any threads or articles that confirm this?

[badass101]

Well, based on the fact that you can change your web domain, and point the old content to the new with a 301 (and it gets picked up by Google) then I assume so... but I don't work at the 'plex, so I'm only educated guessing...

[sandyeggo]

Well let me ask you this question then. If you were paying someone to place links for you, ultimately to help your PR, would you be happy paying for this redirected link? My first feeling is that I am not getting what I paid for, but if someone can shed a little more light to support a redirected link in google I would appreciate it. thanks

[badass101]

I can't shed any more light I'm afraid, but personally I wouldn't feel happy *paying* for the link - but I wouldn't mind if it was free.

Just my £0.02!

[sandyeggo]

that's how i feel too but the guys placing the links feel otherwise (go figure)
I am hoping I can get some more ammo so when I call them again I can put up a good argument (if in fact my feelings are right)

[SimmoAka]

I'm guessing, but are the redirects effectively Perl or PHP scripts? ie redirect.pl?site=http://www.yourdomain.com?

If so, then i am fairly sure Google will not follow it via a Perl link (plus of course the webmaster may have used robots.txt to ban bots from the cgi dir in any case). With PHP, then it *may* do as the Google webmaster guidelines suggest PHP params are read as long as they are not "&id=".

However, this may just cause G! to index the redirect.php page itself rather than the target.

[cellularnews]

plus of course the webmaster may have used robots.txt to ban bots from the cgi dir in any case

Which flags up an interesting point if exchanging links with sites that have a "links page".

Double check their robots file to ensure that the page they are putting your link on is not blocked from being spidered.

Otherwise, you wont get any link credit from the search engines.

[sandyeggo]

Good point - I guess i better check for "nofollow" tags too
its not always as simple as it seems :-)

[Kirby]

The redirects have been a problem in the past with google. You cant do anything about it if someone links to you in that mannner, but I certainly wouldnt pay someone to get me these links.