Thinking of removing my embed code for widgets

[Dr.Marie]

I have some widgets on my site that allow other site owners to embed a tool on their site. The widget is served in an iframe and the embed code includes a link back to my site. When I first created these widgets I used my keywords as anchor text. Now, in the era of Penguin, I have changed the anchor text to say, "Tool provided by myurl.com".

Something in my gut says that I should be doing something different. It's an obvious pattern that Google could likely discern as a linking scheme. I see a few options:

1. Provide the embed code for the tool and ask the site owners to make their own link back. This way they will use their own idea of anchor text which is more natural. However, 95% of the site owners in my niche are not tech savvy and would not know how to link to me.

2. Randomize the embed codes so that there are a number of possible anchors that could be used when a site owner copies and pastes the code.

3. Remove the embed code altogether so that people who want to recommend the tools will just link to the site. The benefit of this is obvious as it is very natural, but it also means that fewer people will see the tools.

Your thoughts?

[marcopanichi]

Hi Dr.Marie,

I'm not ver experienced in seo, but I want to suggest you an idea: why don't you put your anchor text outside the iframe?

As you said, maybe your target isn't tech savvy, but as they embedded the iframe (they used a copy-paste process I suppose), they can also embed your whole html:

<iframe ...>...</iframe>
This [some keyword here] is provided by <a href='...'>[your url]</a>

It's also the same system used by Google maps!

[tstolber]

I would go with option 2, being that most of the people in your niche are not tech savvy.

You still have some control over it, it appears natural and its easier for your clients. Mind you, if someone is able to put in embed code (even cut and paste) they can probably also handle a link.

Also, when it is providing something of genuine interest and usefulness such as this, I don't see a problem with a repetitive pattern. Its quite common to have tool provided by x, image from x or site designed by x.

[joshz]

Option 1, IMHO based on this article on Widget links: http://www.brafton.com/news/inorgani...seo-cutts-says

Also, allowing webmaster to link back is the truest form of a natural link - you don't even need to sweat anchor text - which I have a strong feeling is becoming less and less relevant vs. onpage elements and overall domain trust.

[seomonkeymanocp]

I would concur with tstolber. I would try to make say 30 ways to say the brand/url/toolname then rotate them. The safest option would be 1 though.

[realityhack]

I think I would go path 1 for existing tools and consider path 3 for new tools.
You should be able to set things up so the page they can grab the code from tells them to please cite your site as the source of the tool (or 'require' it).

The problem I have with randomization is that if Googlebot get's smart enough it is going to notice a pattern of i-frame -> sentence with your site linked in it. Honestly I think Google will discount a 'provided by xyz' link, but consider it a reasonable/valid tool. However, I think it will see the randomized text as an intentionality attempt to 'trick it' / link spam. Not a place I would want to go.

I think long term path 3 is the best, assuming your widgets aren't something that is super common and easy to get from another source. Get people on your site, and get completely natural linking.

[ericwoo]

Dr. Marie,

I'd say leave the link text as your URL and add a nofollow tag. That is what I recently did to my widget.