Hostgator have started adding “Wordpress Web Hosting” anchor text links to their customers websites, without asking their permission.
If you use Fantastico to do a 1 click install of Wordpress from a Hostgator account, you will get this in your footer:
Seems like Hostgator have decided to give themselves a nice anchor text rich link, pointing back to http://www.hostgator.com/wordpress-hosting.shtml?utm_source=fantastico&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=wordpress
At no point in the process are you asked if you consent to them doing this, or given a chance to opt out. They make no mention of it whatsoever.
They are doing this via a plugin:
This all looks a bit sleazy to me – there is absolutely no benefit whatsoever to the customer by having this plugin installed. I definitely don’t like the way they deliberately don’t mention they are going to give themselves a footer link. I guess they just hope you aren’t going to notice…
If you check the official Wordpress plugin site, it says:
There are only a few restrictions
- Your plugin must be GPLv2 Compatible.
- The plugin most not do anything illegal, or be morally offensive (that’s subjective, we know).
- You have to actually use the subversion repository we give you in order for your plugin to show up on this site. The WordPress Plugins Directory is a hosting site, not a listing site.
- The plugin must not embed external links on the public site (like a “powered by” link) without explicitly asking the user’s permission.
- If you don’t specify a v2-compatible license, what you check in is explicitly GPLv2.
Hostgator are clearly breaking number 4. Given that their plugin does absolutely nothing outside of add an unwanted footer link, I can’t imagine Wordpress would be impressed with them doing this.
So which is it, genius link building, or a shocking way to treat paying customers? Let me know below!
24th June Update: It seems Hostgator are backtracking on this move. Dmytro Antypov, an SEO Consultant in Kyiv, just emailed me the following after complaining to Hostgator.
“Dmytro,
Thank you for your feedback regarding the HostGator plugin for wordpress. We have made a change to our installs that now require the end user click a check box if they want the plugin to be installed.
If you see any further issues or have any questions at all please let me know and I will personally assist you.
Thank you,
Josh xxxxxxx
Customer Service Manager
HostGator LLC. / SeoHosting.Com”
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I suppose this started sometime this week, so all new one-click WP installs will show this plugin being active?
That is BS considering we pay for hosting!
Removing the plugin for me doesn’t remove the backlink. Manual install for now. Will be switching hosting asap!!!
Phil, deactivating the plugin should remove the link. I just tested it and it is definitely taking the link away.
What is the first thing I noticed after installing wordpress at hostgator? “hosting provided by hostgator” down in the footer..
It is a simple matter to deactivate it, still though, I had to laugh as I thought to my self, “how petty is that”? If that had coded it in the footer instead of using a plugin I would have discontinued their service on the spot.
Signing up for their hosting is quite a pain as well. At one point I started to cancel before my files were even uploaded. But no need to get into that now.
I completely forgot intavant had web hosting or I would used it instead.
Hi,
I emailed HostGator about it and asked why there wasn’t a place to put in our affiliate link. They told me to just de-activate it. So I edited the and got rid of the
http://www.hostgator.com/wordpress-hosting.shtml utm_source=fantastico&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=wordpress
and replaced it with my affiliate link.
I’ve done several one click installs on HG this week (using fantastico) and haven’t noticed any of this!
Could be that I’m on a reseller package, but no plugins, no links no nothing.
James,
I installed WP 3 weeks ago and it had a plugin. I installed again this week and no plugin. I think HG took it out because so much was being said about it.