Linking back to webdesigner’s site

[balsam]

I’m just wondering if it’s considered kosher to ask for a small link back to my site on a site that I designed for someone else. I see it from time to time and since I’m just starting out, it might be a way of getting a lead or two (assuming my client is okay with me putting a link there). Is this considered an acceptable practice? What does everyone else do? I guess if someone viewing the site liked it and wanted to hire me, they could just ask my client, but still, they might not.

Any thoughts on this are most appreciated!

Thanks!

Brian

[whiteInkDesign]

Depending on how the site is set up, sometimes I have a link to my site on the clients links page, or a line on the contact page, but usually I just have a little blurb in the footer “Site by designer name/company here“. Never had a client issue.

[Johnnyb]

I always put one in and leave it there unless they specifically ask me to take it out. There’s been many times when I’ve liked a site and wanted to know who designed it, so a link is useful, as I would rarely go as far as to contact the site owner to find out.

[gno]

I would only do it, if it was something I did for free.

You should be able to generate enough work for yourself with a good portfolio. Even if you had a link on 100 pages you did for clients, you would be lucky to get just 1 additional client. It is not worth it and it gives a shitty template feel…

More customers in your business is generated from foot work – they will never get to you by themselves. If they do (and I admit, sometimes they indeed do), you should thank your god for it, or who ever else you might blame dumb-luck on…

No offense intended. :-)

[Johnnyb]

As much as I respect your opinion gno, I disagree with you on a couple of things. I think when you’re starting out every opportunity you can create to have a potential customer visit your site is beneficial, as you never know where it could lead. As long as it doesn’t interfere with the design of your client’s site, and it obviously depends on your client and how much theyre paying you, but a link at the end of a list of text links in the footer for example saying ‘web design’ and linking to your own site doesn’t in any way take away from the design. I have done this on many sites I’ve designed/built, none of which have a ‘shitty template feel’.

[mshort1985]

I agree with Johnny,

a simple line in the footer saying “site designed by…” is not going to detract from the sites design, and is actually quite helpful. I know i’ve often wondered who designed a site and looked int he footer for a link to their site.

[Author]

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