Whenever I build a new site or complete any new project, I write a Blog article about it here in my Recent Projects Category. Reasons for doing so include the following:
- Showing people that I’m busy!
- Adding content to the Blog.
- Having an easily accessible Portfolio list.
- Promoting my client’s Websites.
As people may know, linking to a new site from an established one and especially one that has a bit of search engine traction like this blog, helps to get the new site into the search engines a bit quicker. Google in particular crawls this blog quite regularly and whatever links it sees, it follows. A lot of my sites are on the first page of google within weeks due to a combination of this and good domain choice.
Recently, I linked to a client’s site from here, same as usual and its caused all manner of problems and arguments and I’d like to warn other bloggers/designers of what could happen when you’re generous with your linking!
Basically, when the client googled his main keywords, my blog article announcing his site came up about 3rd in the results and his own site was about 10th. He was very dissapointed and “disallusioned” that my site came up for his search term and he threatened not to pay for the site. I pointed out that my post had a link to his and that his site might not have even been 10th if it wasn’t for my free publicity. I also showed him his google analytics stats which had 47% referrals from me! but he wasn’t having any of it!
In the end I had to delete my post and related tags then to go to Google webmaster tools and delete my blog post from there also.
Be careful!
Reverb Studios Design 
As a comparison what would be better: to have a blog of your own, or publish at a few different sites? Is it worth the payoff of doing it under some one else and they take care of the sites security, or going it out alone and having to do regular security patches, backups, viruses and blocking spammers?
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The client has since had what I done explained to him by a family member and has apologised! You have to do what the client wants at the end of the day and let them deal with the consequences.
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Hi Leon, It’s amazing how we work trying to help clients and they still just don’t get it. I do the very same on our company blog and for the same reasons you do. We started it about a year ago because its easier to update the portfolio and its very search engine friendly. I can only say that the client must not have a clue about the Internet and in fact that we all are subject to the Google algorithm. I’m sure the client will not even understand that he is shooting himself in the foot as regards to link building and page rank etc. I’m sure when theres a new Internet technology that you come across that they will be the first client you contact to take advantage of it, NOT ! Best of Luck Dave
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