Links from other sites in our network

[OMGPyrmont]

I work for a large publisher with many websites, and it's common for our biggest sites to link to smaller sites within the network. These links are follow, site-wide, anchor text-optimised footer links. I think it's obvious that these links are harmful to the smaller sites that are being linked to, but it's hard to convince others of that, particularly because the toolbar PR benefit is very obvious.

Do you think it would be better to:

a) Remove the links completely

b) Keep the links, but make them nofollow

c) Keep the links (as it's not harmful)

Thanks

[Chris.Menke]

As a matter of dealing with all the links uniformly, your best long-term choice is keep the links make them all nofollows.

[OMGPyrmont]

This doesn't really answer my question but it doesn't look like I'm going to get any other responses.

[EGOL]

I think it's obvious that these links are harmful to the smaller sites that are being linked to, but it's hard to convince others of that...

but I don't have much control over the sites that are linking out....

If this is your situation it will be difficult for you to help the company.

It seems that you are responsible for waging war but they will not allow you to pick up the sword.

[OMGPyrmont]

Thanks. Good idea, but I don't have much control over the sites that are linking out. Removing the links or adding a nofollow is possible, but creating new pages is not.

[EGOL]

I would make an internal page where you link to other company properties.  This could be done on an "about us" page.

I might also have a small number of relevant links, in content, where it makes 100% sense to the visitor.

That is what I do on my sites.  I don't have a lot of links between them.  Where I do have links they are usually domain names for anchor text.