MLF signature -wanting to cram in more anchor text

[CareersPartnershipUK]

Advice please.

My MLF signature's been very helpful with regard to SEO (many thanks!) and I was greedily wondering whether I could get any more value from it ....

There's a 250 character limit for signatures and I've already used 214 of them.

My site's currently on Google UK page 2 for outplacement support. What I'd like to do now is add the anchor text "Outplacement Support" to my MLF signature - but that would take the number of characters way beyond the limit (c.350) as my page titles are very long.

I'd wondered whether a tiny url for the "Outplacement Support" would do the trick - and if so, how you do a tiny url with anchor text (or even just as a site page link).

I wouldn't happily shorten the existing anchor text signatures as I understand tiny urls aren't as acceptable to Google as full links.

If anyone could advise on any of this, I'd be grateful. Thanks in advance. Linda

[sjr4x4]

Hi Linda

The 250 is simply default.

Its actually 200 characters displayed over 4 lines, or 250 including BB code (ie the actual web links).

I've increased the 250 limit to 400, which should just about cover war in peace URLs.

The 200 displayed limit and 4 lines remains the same.

Any probs, shout.

[CareersPartnershipUK]

Thanks, thanks and thanks!

Will amend signature today! Google pge 1 here I come!

Thanks again, Linda

[Eagle]

I was under the impression that 'tiny' URLs were just as valid with Google, no?

[sjr4x4]

Originally Posted by Eagle

I was under the impression that 'tiny' URLs were just as valid with Google, no?

Probably are, but will confess to having a streak of cynicism. Google keeps making that many changes, and tiny URL's are just basically 301 redirects. Who knows what policy they will have with 301's tomorrow

There have been all sorts of tests and claims over the last couple of years that 301's do or don't pass link juice in certain situations.

Also you have to be careful not to chain 301's, eg your post has a link with a shortener, then gets linked from, using another shortener, so a 301 - 301. Matt Cuts has said in the past this is a bad idea, although in reality google can handle a 301 to a 301, but other search engines may struggle.

So in the scheme of things, thought it'd be easier to make a quick tweak to the forum code and let people have a full URL as standard. If anyone wants to use a URL shortner, then they can add it themselves.

[Bill Ryan]

Originally Posted by Eagle

I was under the impression that 'tiny' URLs were just as valid with Google, no?

But there is no anchor text with a shortened url is there? Or am I missing something?

[sjr4x4]

Originally Posted by Bill Ryan

But there is no anchor text with a shortened url is there? Or am I missing something?

They work the same:

<a href="http://www.mylocalservices.co.uk">Business Directory</a>

<a href="http://bit.ly/pJGJ6C">Business Directory</a>

The second example though will simply be redirected to the full URL. In theory, any benefit from the anchor text will also be passed along.

But as I said, I have an element of cynicism, so personally I only use shorteners for practical limitation reasons, such as twitter posts, but thats just me

[TandemSolutions]

I would use the full URL but that is what im use to. Like you i only use tiny url when using twitter but if i can fit the whole on in then its a bonus as google picks up the url and find the keywords within it which it can not do with a tiny url. also worth using title=" in the anchor e.g.

href="buysellswapboston" title=Sell Items In Boston">Buy Sell Swap Boston

Had to edit post as i cannot add links. hope it makes sense.