Monday, May 23, 2005

I'll Take Those Links!

Every now and then a blogger faces a quandary. One that seems to be prevalent at the moment is how to refer to a site and provide the reader a link to that site without giving that site the credit of a link or a hit.

Well, I can't help you with the hits issue. A hit is a hit is a hit.

But I can help you with the links issue. How you ask? Thanks for asking. Here's how: Link to me.

No, really. Link to me. I'll take the links. I don't get any hits out of it, but I'll take all the links.

No, I'm serious. Link to me.

Okay, I better explain:

Let's pick a few examples:
  • Some of the Left-wing blogs that some folks refer to but don't want to link to include DailyKos and Oliver Willis.
  • Some of the Right-wing blogs that some folks refer to but don't want to link to include Little Green Footballs and Michelle Malkin.
  • Some on the left and (more likely) the right want to refer to but don't want to link to Huffington's Post.
How to avoid them? Easy:
Now, these are just examples. This will work for ANY blog or site. But you see the pattern, don't you? It's quite simple. Link to this little blog, (http://www.basilsblog.com/), but add '?url=' and then the URL of the final destination. It can be any site or any page on any site. Any site.

My site will take the link, examine the URL variable that's passed to it, and then redirect. And, not just the home page. If you want to refer to a particular page on a blog, include the URL of the exact post.

For example, this is a direct link to a post on It'sAPundit. This is a redirected link to that same post.

Yes, the other site gets the hit (and, the way the code is written, I probably won't), but they won't get the link.

But I do. So, everybody wins!
  • You get to provide a link that lets your readers see the site to which your referring.
  • Your readers can see the site to which you refer without having to type in the URL.
  • You don't provide them a direct link.
  • I get a link.
  • Their logs don't show you as the referrer; they show me.
See how easy it is?

So, if you don't want to link to someone (remember, this works for anybody you don't want to link to), link to me instead. It's just another service provided here to make your blogging experience more interesting.

What's that you say? I'm stealing links?

Well, then. How about using a site that doesn't report to TTLB Ecosystem? Like It'sAPundit.

Do it the same way, just use http://www.itsapundit.com/ instead of http://www.basilsblog.com/ as the URL.

What's that you say? It's still stealing links?

Okay. Then write your own code for your own blog, and write a post with a bunch of links that redirect to this little blog.

You take the links and I'll take the hits.

20 comments:

  1. Very, very interesting. This might be useful in the future.

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  2. What a cool idea! Glad you thought to do it and advertise it.

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  3. Chris:
    Hey, I can help provide access to a site you want to trash, and steal their link in the process, my mission is a success.

    ReplyDelete
  4. vw bug:
    Advertise? Hey, that's an idea. Know anyone with a blog who would help me get the word out?

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  5. Is this an example of being a "link whore"?

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  6. Another display of evil genius at it's best.

    Now if we could only divert your powers to use for good, like riding the world of Ouchie the Clown imitators.

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  7. Who dares to imitate the Worlds Greatest Clown?! They will feel my wrath!

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  8. The Ministry of Beer For Breakfast

    Today's dose of NIF - News, Interesting & Funny ... It's Kerry-180 Tuesday ... I guess rel=nofollow isn't good enough?

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  9. Taking Basil's Advice

    I'm trying to take Basil's advice - let us see if this works....

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  10. oh darn basil, i'm so sorry for all the trackbacks but I was getting errors on my end trying to submit the trackback and i kept hitting submit submit submit dammmit. Sorry!

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  11. Brilliant. Absolutely Brilliant. I only wish that I had thought of it. Brilliant! :)

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  12. American Housewife:
    It's okay. It's okay.

    And I really appreciate your trying out my redirection script.

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  13. jody:
    Thanks! And, now that you've thought of it, you can implement it yourself.

    ReplyDelete
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  15. Round the Reader: Wednesday, 25 May 2005

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  18. Just one more thing...

    I wasn't going to say anything more because what I said here was enough. I stand by my remarks and I am truly sorry for you if they seemed "way harsh and uncalled for" but they're true. And just like...

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  19. Just one more thing...

    I wasn't going to say anything more because what I said here was enough. I stand by my remarks and I am truly sorry for you if they seemed "way harsh and uncalled for" but they're true. And just like...

    ReplyDelete

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