Let’s call this one out for what it is: a grubby little trick that too many web designers still get away with. You’ve seen it — the tiny “Designed by [Agency Name]” link stuffed into the footer of a client’s site.
Looks harmless? It’s not. It’s a free ride on the client’s dime, and it’s time the industry stopped pretending it’s okay. It’s not okay, it’s not right, it’s leaching and double dipping.
It’s time to expose the dirty little secret lurking in website footers across the internet — and why businesses need to wake up to the leaching and double dipping.
Walk into any newsroom, and you’ll find reporters who can smell a story from miles away. Well, here’s one that’s been hiding in plain sight on millions of websites: the audacious practice of web designers and SEO agencies quietly siphoning valuable link equity from their own paying clients.
Let’s call this racket exactly what it is — digital theft in broad daylight.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: What Your “Free” Footer Links Are Really Worth
Here’s the reality check that should make every business owner’s blood boil. In 2025, the cost of a single backlink is only slightly higher than before, now averaging around $370.
But that’s just the baseline. High-quality backlinks from reputable sources resulting from legitimate outreach can cost up to $1,000, with many link-building vendors charging between $500 and $1,000 per link.
The price inflation in this market is staggering. Backlinks are 241% more expensive to acquire than in 2021 — a testament to how valuable these digital assets have become. Backlinks cost over $300 each in 2024, and this is expected to increase due to inflation.
So when your web designer slips their little footer link onto your site, they’re not just taking credit — they’re stealing hundreds, potentially thousands of dollars worth of SEO value that YOU paid to build.
The Double-Dip Scandal That’s Bleeding Businesses Dry
Picture this grotesque scenario: You’re paying an SEO agency thousands of dollars monthly to build your domain authority.
You’re investing in content, paying for outreach, spending big money to climb Google’s rankings. Every quality backlink you earn through blood, sweat, and cash is supposed to strengthen your digital presence.
But here’s the kicker — that same SEO agency has their own footer link embedded right there on your homepage, quietly leaching away the very authority you’re paying them to build.
It’s like paying a personal trainer to make you stronger while they secretly siphon off your gains for themselves. You’re not just getting ripped off — you’re actively being weakened by the people you’re paying to help you.
The Authority Leak That’s Killing Your Rankings
Every outbound link on your website acts like a tiny drain on your domain’s power. It’s called link dilution, and it’s SEO 101. When you link to another site, you’re essentially endorsing them with a slice of your hard-earned authority.
Now imagine discovering that leak isn’t going to a strategic partner or valuable resource — it’s flowing directly to your service provider’s website, the same people who are supposed to be plugging those leaks and maximizing your SEO strength.
The math is simple and brutal: For every footer link pointing to your web designer or SEO agency, you’re hemorrhaging link equity that could be keeping you competitive in search rankings.
Meanwhile, your service provider is getting stronger off your investment, potentially even outranking you for keywords in your own industry.
The Billion-Dollar Heist Hiding in Plain Sight
Let’s do some conservative math that’ll make your accountant weep. If there are roughly 200 million active websites globally, and even a modest 10% have “Designed by” or agency footer links, that’s 20 million backlinks worth an average of $370 each that was not rightfully earned or gained.
That’s a $7.4 billion transfer of value from paying clients to service providers — without a single contract clause or line item on an invoice.
But the real number is likely much higher. Many agencies work with hundreds or thousands of clients over the years, each site potentially worth $500-$1,000 in link value. A mid-sized agency with footer links on just 500 client sites is sitting on roughly $250,000 worth of stolen SEO equity.
The Conflict of Interest That Should Spark Investigations
Here’s where this practice crosses from sleazy to potentially fraudulent: SEO agencies are charging clients to improve their search rankings while simultaneously weakening those same rankings for their own benefit.
You’re paying for services designed to maximize your domain authority, but your service provider is literally piggybacking on your investment to boost their own.
Every dollar you spend on SEO is partially subsidizing your competitor — because make no mistake, your SEO agency can become your competitor the moment they rank higher than you do.
It’s a conflict of interest so blatant it would make Wall Street blush.
Why 2025 Is the Year This Ends
The excuses are running thin. “It’s industry standard” doesn’t fly when we’re talking about hundreds of dollars in stolen value per link. “It’s just a small link” rings hollow when the costs to acquire backlinks have increased by 241% and businesses are fighting tooth and nail for every ranking advantage.
We’re not in the Wild West days of the internet anymore. Every link has measurable value. Every piece of authority matters. And every business owner deserves to keep 100% of what they’re paying for.
The agencies pulling this stunt know exactly what they’re doing. They understand link equity, they know the value of backlinks, and they’re betting their clients don’t. It’s predatory, it’s unethical, and in an era where digital marketing budgets are under microscopic scrutiny, it’s inexcusable.
The Solution Is Simple: Just Say No
Here’s the newsflash for every business owner reading this: You don’t have to accept footer links as part of your web design or SEO package. These links serve exactly zero benefit to your business and actively harm your SEO efforts.
When negotiating with web designers or SEO agencies, make it crystal clear: No footer links. No “Designed by” credits with backlinks.
No piggybacking on your domain authority. If they want backlinks, they can earn them the same way you do — through quality work, valuable content, and legitimate outreach.
If an agency balks at this requirement, ask yourself why. If they’re doing work worth linking to, they shouldn’t need to hardcode their way into your website’s authority structure.
SEO Footer link (do-follow) Example
The Bottom Line: Your Website Should Work for You, Not Your Service Provider
The practice of footer link insertion isn’t tradition — it’s exploitation. And it’s time for businesses to stop tolerating it.
Websites exist to serve the businesses that own them — period. They’re not free advertising platforms for service providers, and they’re certainly not vehicles for transferring valuable SEO equity from client to agency.
Every footer link pointing to a web designer or SEO agency represents a conflict of interest, a theft of value, and a weakening of the client’s digital presence.
In 2025, with backlinks worth more than ever and competition fiercer than ever, no business can afford to give away hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of SEO value for free.
Your website’s authority belongs to you. Every backlink you’ve paid for should benefit you. And every SEO dollar you spend should work exclusively for your rankings, not subsidise your service provider’s.
If your website designer, SEO agency or link building service has put a link in your website footer that references their own website, you need ask them to either add the no-follow attribute, remove it or tell them they can rent the space from you.
