Comments on: Are Your WordPress Plugins Secretly Injecting Links in Your Blog? http://pocketseo.com/tools/124 Practical SEO blog Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:09:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Vince http://pocketseo.com/tools/124/comment-page-1#comment-365 Vince Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:56:16 +0000 http://pocketseo.com/tools/124#comment-365 I notice that someone asked about this in the comments of the plugin page with no answer. Thanks for the information, you just gave me another pet peeve to keep me worked up :) I notice that someone asked about this in the comments of the plugin page with no answer. Thanks for the information, you just gave me another pet peeve to keep me worked up :)

]]> By: Josh http://pocketseo.com/tools/124/comment-page-1#comment-360 Josh Mon, 15 Oct 2007 01:26:45 +0000 http://pocketseo.com/tools/124#comment-360 Vince, I searched the plugin for a way to remove that hidden link, but the linking code is not even contained in the plugin. It is hidden very well and may even be loaded remotely (i.e., "stats" means that the plugin phones home). For example, the inserted text, "leave this for stats" is not found anywhere in the plugin files. Here is a clue about the extent of the hidden links: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Socialized+through+Gregarious%22&num=100 (Over 300,000 results) Vince,

I searched the plugin for a way to remove that hidden link, but the linking code is not even contained in the plugin. It is hidden very well and may even be loaded remotely (i.e., “stats” means that the plugin phones home).

For example, the inserted text, “leave this for stats” is not found anywhere in the plugin files.

Here is a clue about the extent of the hidden links:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Socialized+through+Gregarious%22&num=100

(Over 300,000 results)

]]> By: Vince http://pocketseo.com/tools/124/comment-page-1#comment-359 Vince Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:51:58 +0000 http://pocketseo.com/tools/124#comment-359 I agree, I'm going to look into getting rid of Gregarious and look through my other plugins when I get a chance. Thanks for the tip about this Josh. I agree, I’m going to look into getting rid of Gregarious and look through my other plugins when I get a chance. Thanks for the tip about this Josh.

]]> By: Josh http://pocketseo.com/tools/124/comment-page-1#comment-358 Josh Sun, 14 Oct 2007 23:25:52 +0000 http://pocketseo.com/tools/124#comment-358 Do you mean lingering effects for SEO purposes? I don't know what the effects would be, but I don't like adding external site-wide links when they can be avoided. <a href="http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=66353" rel="nofollow">Google's Webmaster Guidelines say</a>: <blockquote>"Hiding text or links in your content can cause your site to be perceived as untrustworthy since it presents information to search engines differently than to visitors.</blockquote> I don't think that Google would penalize a site for one hidden link (it could be a hidden div that is activated by JavaScript), but it seems like a bad idea in general to have hidden links on your site. Do you mean lingering effects for SEO purposes?

I don’t know what the effects would be, but I don’t like adding external site-wide links when they can be avoided.

Google’s Webmaster Guidelines say:

“Hiding text or links in your content can cause your site to be perceived as untrustworthy since it presents information to search engines differently than to visitors.

I don’t think that Google would penalize a site for one hidden link (it could be a hidden div that is activated by JavaScript), but it seems like a bad idea in general to have hidden links on your site.

]]> By: Vince http://pocketseo.com/tools/124/comment-page-1#comment-357 Vince Sun, 14 Oct 2007 22:27:49 +0000 http://pocketseo.com/tools/124#comment-357 I never thought about it. That is pretty sneaky but I don't see most users really caring if it does not create any issues with their site. I agree that hidden links seem to be a scandalised way to get link backs. Being I'm not much of a coder can you explain if it does have any lingering effects on your site or is it a principal thing? I never thought about it. That is pretty sneaky but I don’t see most users really caring if it does not create any issues with their site. I agree that hidden links seem to be a scandalised way to get link backs.

Being I’m not much of a coder can you explain if it does have any lingering effects on your site or is it a principal thing?

]]>