Did you give permission for THAT link?

Looking over several webmaster services, I stumbled across a few services that actually use web sites to help with search rankings. Now some of these are obvious and some of these are hidden. This article should give you something to keep in mind when using online services.

Now most web design companies (the good ones anyway) know something about search engines. So in there terms and conditions, they state that the link to there own site, with is normally a text link at the bottom of the home page.

In some cases, all the pages have a link that must stay on the design. Now that's ok as long as you are aware of this. It's a form of business branding that transmits in to ranking due to the power of external links. I suppose if could be compared to a car driving around with a name badge. Really they are using your site for advertising.

What about free services? Most of them create a link to the programmers site, these include link exchange software programs and contact form programs . The most famous would be the free blog software, wordpress. Which is reasonable after all you are getting a free program that works for you. However what if it links back and you dont realize it? Are you being used without your knowledge?

I happen to find a program that does this and at the same time creates links that are keyword specific. I have to admit the service program is good however I wasn't aware of the link because it's invisible to the web visitor but visible to Google.

I can show you how it works by the following steps:

1. Install the Google toolbar if you don't already have it

2. Go to DigitalAwol.com

3. Click the arrow to the right of the page rank button to show the drop down menu

4. Click on "Cached snapshot of page" which is the view of the Google has on a certain date

5. Click on "cached text" only

6. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page

7. Look over the left side in the blue and you will see the Keyword text link

If you have done the process above, you will see the company involved. If you search, you will see they are in the top 5 for it in Google.

I am guessing there a lot of others that have had the same applied and don't even know it. The site mentioned has over 400 top 5 rankings for different keywords, which mainly due the process above. How could you do something similar to this and get the rankings you want? That's all for now.