Has this happened to you?

You hire someone to build a website for your law firm.

As part of the agreement, the website company insists that you include a sitewide footer link to their company's website.

Don't do it.

It’s common practice for web developers and marketing agencies to include a link to their own site in the footer of a client’s website.

While it might seem like a mostly harmless way to credit the agency, law firms should think twice before allowing this on their sites. Here’s why sitewide footer links to your marketing agency could do more harm than good.

SEO: Passing Link Equity to Your Agency

Search engines like Google consider links as signals of trust and authority. When your firm’s website links to another site (especially sitewide, meaning on every page), you’re essentially endorsing that site in Google’s eyes.

From Barry Schwartz's reporting as recently as Feb, 2023:

Lizzi Sassman from Google said, "in general, if the links are boiler plate stuff like "made by Squarespace" that come with the website theme, this is not something that you need to worry about."

Lizzi added that "if you have control over the link, we recommend that you add nofollow to these types of links." She also recommended that you "check to make sure that the anchor text is something reasonable. For example, make sure that the link isn't gratuitously keyword rich, for example, "made by the best Florida SEO," she said.

So, if you're inclined to enter into these arrangements (or are already in one), see if you can add a nofollow.

Do I think this will "tank your site?"

No.

Is it "hurting?"

Maybe a little.

It Looks Unprofessional and Distracts From Your Brand

It's YOUR website!

You paid them to create for you.

Your law firm’s website should be about your brand, your expertise, and your clients. A footer link to your marketing agency implies your firm isn’t fully in control of its online presence.

It Provides Free Advertising for Your Agency at Your Expense

Let’s be real: your agency is doing this for their benefit.

Unfortunately, too many lawyers still "shop" for agencies as follows:

• Do a search.
• See which firms rank.
• Scroll to the bottom of the firm's site.
• Click the sitewide footer link.
• Hire that agency.

Dumb.

I can't tell you how many law firm owners have sitewide footer links to agencies that:

• Aren't doing any work beyond building the site.
• The law firm fired for poor performance!

Don't inadvertently endorse agencies that you don't intend to!

Shopping legal marketing agencies?

Do this instead.

It Erodes Trust

Even if you dismiss everything above, here's the most important reason you shouldn't do this:

It's indicative that the agency is putting it's interests above yours.

It erodes trust.

If they're putting themselves before you here, where else are they doing it?

You may never even figure it out.

If your agency insists on a footer link, consider making it nofollow so it doesn’t pass SEO value. However, the best approach is to simply decline the request and focus on keeping your site’s authority intact.

Your website should be working for your firm—not your marketing agency. If they’re doing a great job, they shouldn’t need a sitewide link from your firm to prove their credibility. A great agency should be more concerned with your rankings and lead generation, not their own backlink profile.