How to hide a link, so it still works and you don't get banned?

PR8 agrees to link to me, but wants to hide it

[Storyteller]

I almost talked a PR8 site webmaster into linking to my site, but he says the links must be hidden. Is there a way to hide them from the public, but still have them pass PR and not get the PR8 site punished?

It's the website of a large scientific organization and he just doesn't want the bother of explaining why he linked to a site that provides lawyer referrals ;)

Sure I know about cloaking, but isn't there a safer alternative?

[RoadRash]

<p style=font-size:1pt><a href="http://www.your-domain.com">keyword</a></p> :)

[dirkz]

but isn't there a safer alternative?

No matter what you chose, you risk being spammy.

But you could consider writing an article in the PR8's domain, putting it on your site and letting him link to it. From this page you could link to the rest of your site.

[Rumbas]

If you are the kind of person that like to live on the edge and have no problem sleeping at night:

<noscript><a href="http://www.your-domain.com">put the sneaky stuff here</a></noscript> ;)

[Nick_W]

.myilladvisedlink { display: none; }

Nick

[Storyteller]

Thanks, Nick_W, but did you know that Googlebot gets your CSS files? I saw it in logs not once, and I'm assuming he does it on purpose. Do you know for sure that this technique can still be used successfully?

[KevinC]

just toss your css file in a folder and use your robot.txt file to shut the door on googlebot. I've never actually done this but it seems like this would work.

[Nick_W]

Yep, works just fine. I always shut the door on css aswell as external js and 'non profit pages'..

Nick

[dirkz]

Nick_W don't you think this is considered as spam?

I don't want to discuss ethics, but which precautions to you take? I mean, in case this will be detectable in the future (i.e. Google automatically penalizing all sites that don't grant access to CSS files).

I'm exaggerating of course.

[samt]

I'd thought that links from unrelated sites really weren't that helpful, even if the unrelated site had high pr. I can understand the attraction, because I can't seem to find a site in my small niche with anything better than 6... But if you really wanted to hide such a thing, why not just put the link on some small and un-interesting image or something.

[dirkz]

Or use some Hitcounter-like image for the link :)
With a warning "just a counter".

[tigger]

problem is they still click them I use something like that on an adult site and the counter/image gets loads of free traffic, but I'm not complaining I get free stats

[dirkz]

Tigger, even if you say "Just a counter"?

LOL.
I think I will test this:

<h1>
<a href="order.html">
Never click here!
</a>
</h1>

[tigger]

LOL

maybe has something to do with the image LOL