Web design company links on client sites

[whatson]

If you have a web design or development company and create web sites for clients, what is the deal with having a link to your site at the bottom of their page?

[phranque]

i would be concerned about any algorithmic changes regarding irrelevant run-of-site links or anchor text.
this has been discussed many times here over the years.
if you are interested in reading thoughts previously expressed:

Multiple Footer Links - from client site pages to design company? - Google SEO News and Discussion forum:
http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4170460.htm [webmasterworld.com]

Fair or not? SEO company put links from my site to theirs - General Search Engine Marketing Issues forum:
http://www.webmasterworld.com/search_engine_promotion/4140195.htm [webmasterworld.com]

Confused About Run of Site Links - Link Development forum:
http://www.webmasterworld.com/link_development/3629981.htm [webmasterworld.com]

Keyword Specific Penalties for Overused Anchor Text? - Google SEO News and Discussion forum:
http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/3498350.htm [webmasterworld.com]

Is Linking Between Client Sites A Bad Thing? - Link Development forum:
http://www.webmasterworld.com/link_development/3022049.htm [webmasterworld.com]

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

I'm reminded of a forum software company having PR10 on their home page, they had a link on every page of every forum in use. That was dropped to PR5/6 right around the time Google made the first announcements about sitewide links and footer links. I don't know for sure if that is the cause of the PR drop but the timing was right.

My point is that sitewide footer links likely don't help and may actually hurt your efforts. I'd just mention the company name but leave out the link at this point, or perhaps make any software (or web design) have a link on only a specific page, such as at the bottom of an *about* template page only.

[jinxed]

Or nofollow the links. This enables an easy referral link + states that you wish no PageRank to be distributed.

[aakk9999]

I have seen sites that have a "Credits" page instead of sitewide link. So there is a sitewide "Credits" going to internal page that lists design company, development company, etc.

So there is a do-follow link, but from one page within the site only.

[Hoople]

I have seen sites that have a "Credits" page

So the ageless "Links" page is reborn as a "Credits" page to address two needs - outbound links and eliminating site wide links. Neat!

[aakk9999]

So the ageless "Links" page is reborn as a "Credits" page

Not really. The page type I am talking about has only design company, development company, perhaps translation service and maybe copywriter listed.

It kind of reads as you would have it on the printed brochure somewhere on the back page. If the page is done well, it can look quite professional.

I would definitely not call this reborn "Links" page - Lins pages had anything and everything on it.