Adding a hidden link to a website?

[kade119]

If i were to add a link to a few websites i developed but had the text color same as the background.. would this still help in SEO or would the SE's most likely read it as a blackhat trick?

Thanks

[ww2db]

I asked a somewhat similar question earlier. After I thought about it, I decided to ask myself this question, and I ask you the same: What is your intention of this "hidden" link? If people cannot see it, why are you adding it? Are you intending to trick the search engine? If so, do you consider it blackhat?

[kade119]

... hah, well yes I do consider it blackhat but that's not the respone i wanted to hear...

i was hoping google would know the link is there but not know if it was visible..

[ww2db]

Originally Posted by kade119

i was hoping google would know the link is there but not know if it was visible..

Isn't that "black hat" by definition?

Or at least "gray hat"?

[C.Whyte]

That's about as old school black hat as they come lol!

Yes, Google knows what you are trying and will hit you hard for that. I say it all the time here, but regardless of how smart we think we all are, Google is always 20 steps ahead of us :/

[kade119]

what about creating websites that are .org or .gov to help optimize your site?

so you can list your site on a .gov?

[radhika]

Why can't you just develop few sites on same niche - like one is blog, one is actual web site, one is your product forums, one is a non-profit site etc and link them from one another?

You are thinking a single hidden link increases your PR?

.

[rainflux00]

I think it it definitely a black hat technique. Search engines can still see them even if they are colorless, I think

[JohnnyD]

Personally, I have always known search engines to be color blind………. So in other words, they will see the blackhat trick before you even know it and will do more damage to you than the good to your site’s PR that you think you will be attempting to do. I doubt that search engine developers are that dumb that they aren’t on forums like this looking out for ‘tricks to fool’ them. You know? I mean, I would do that…………

[Bobo99]

Hidden links will get you penalized from the search engines, be careful when using them

[meshleman3]

I wouldn't do it. It's not worth the risk. good luck

[bartolomo]

Originally Posted by meshleman3

I wouldn't do it. It's not worth the risk. good luck

I agree--not worth the risk. Get Google slapped and then what...

bartolomo

[fascinatingAngel]

well making a text font color as same with the background... is black hat any way you look at it...

whatever reason maybe... but it's not worth it..

[OnceAgain]

i think it's a form of black hat...

That's bad....tsk tsk tsk

[Journey]

Having hidden links or text in your site is a form of black hat technique. Your site will be penalized for doing that.

[lloyd.velarde@gmail.]

that's an old school trick, I'm sure that it will not help your site and can be penalized by implementing that type of technique!

[grishamist]

It may get you in trouble if Google crawl it and detect your hidden links.

[neoscud]

what if you have a dropdown link, would it be considered as hidden link?

[btcollins]

Hidden links are always bad

Don't do it

[ZunuZunu]

Yep, don't do it.