different use of <noscript>

[leoo24]

hey guys,

i run an invisible counter service where my users paste some javascript code on their pages, the javascript links back to me but ofcourse seeing as it's javascript the link won't be picked up. So i've been thinking about adding a <noscript>tag to the code users paste on their pages, with a link back to me. The sole purpose of this is for PR. Can you guys see any complications with this? My users are linking back to me anyways, it's just not being picked up :(

leo

[ThomasB]

I'd do it. Others do it, too.

[antrat]

The sole purpose of this is for PR

Be very careful! *Many* web design companies have found themselves slip big time after Florida. IMO Google is onto this one.

If you link only for PR, then do so at your own risk!

[leoo24]

yeah that's what i was thinking, but also arguing with myself that my clients link back to me anyway, just seeing as it's javascript it's not picked up so i'd be kinda replacing that lost link.
maybe if i buy googlebot a drink ;)

[antrat]

Generally there is no big risk with links pointing to your site, so long as you have no control over them. Many of the web design companies were getting, and relying, on the PR gained from the sheer volume of links pointing to them from customers sites. When Florida came about the playing field was levelled and many of these links no longer passed on PR. This is only my take on it though and certainly not fact.

I say there is no problem overall with lot's of legit links, so long as you do not become reliant on them.

[leoo24]

i have control over the code snippet i give my users to paste on their pages but i ahve no terms in place where they can't change it, infact for some of my features they do infact need to alter the code.
something i'll have to ponder about.

thanks for your thoughts

leo

[ThomasB]

I think you shouldn't get penalized as long as G can't determine by algo if the links are for PR purposes or not. And I doubt that they'll ever be able to do so.

If you would get penalized, linking to your competitors instead would be the solution.

[leoo24]

hehe, i can just see my competitors now, 'gee that's nice of him to add a link to us from all his users' lol.
Good point though, even through a hand inspection of a site using my code i doubt alarm bells would ring about there being a link back to the counter provider (me) in the noscripts tag seeing as there's several back to me through javascript anyway.

Yeah i think i'll go ahead and add it for new signups.

cheers
leo

[g1smd]

Of course you could always make the code in the <noscript> into something more useful than just a link to your site. The tag could actually display an image depicting the number of hits, the image called from your site using normal HTML code, and your site serving the image using PHP routines. You'd then also get to add some keywords in the alt attribute of the image.

Would that be playing with fire?