Do I really want hundreds of links to my site about homelessness with the anchor text 'Visit Dominic's Homepage!' no! I'd rather not have the links if thats the anchor text. So I went to all the vBulletin forums I visit and removed my homepage, (which is in my sig file most of the time anyway). I probably won't be able to report back on the effect as there are several variables with this site at present. But unless your username is your keyword phrase you may want to consider doing the same if you don't want dodgy anchor text pointing to the site.
Domimic, you may have to check me on this, but I think when you change your sig file it is updated on all your previous posts. Anyways, you are right about the anchor text, it should a word or phrase that you are targeting. Good job. AJ
I'm not talking about sig files. In your profile where you enter your website url, the board links to it from a drop down box (hover over your username in the forum) with "Visit Spyware Remover's Homepage!"
But you still are getting BLs. I don't know how much weight is given to BL's from forums. Anyways, its not like G has placed some upper limit on BLs so I don't think its doing any harm to the site!
Did you find backlinks with this as "Anchor Text?" I just searched Google using Search Operators (Advanced Operators) and didn't find any for mine.
But it would only really matter if people did a search for 'Visit Dominic's Homepage' and what's really the chance of that? I fail to see why it would reflect badly on your site about homelessness. If anything it will help boost other terms because of the (slight) boost in PR. Or am I not getting what you mean?
I don't see the point. A link is a link. It's not going to hurt you. It may not help you in the serps for a given kw/p but the links are always a good thing.
I also think you're being a bit over-worried. A link is beneficial regardless. A top-notch quality link has high PR and spot on anchor text. Those are the goal but often a bonus. Get what you can get. Especially if it's free.
If you mean the links when you click on someone's username, and get a list of links in a funny little window, including "Visits Dominic's Homepage" -> I'm very much under the impression that those are javascripted links, and are relatively invisible to search engines anyway.
They aren't JavaScripted... the menu itself is of course because it uses DHTML, but it's seen as a normal link by Google.
haha, wow, the forums sure would get ugly in a hurry if everyone changed their names to the anchor text they wanted
Yeah, no doubt. And then everyone would want to change them back because their profile here outranks their site. heh