What is an External Link? Best Practices For Building Authority

External Links are hyperlinks that point at (target) any domain other than the domain the link exists on (source). In layman’s terms, if another website links to you, this is considered an external link to your site. Similarly, if you link out to another website, this is also considered an external link. External linking is crucial for enhancing user experience and SEO. The significance of external website links in enhancing a site's search engine optimization cannot be overstated.

<a href="http://www.external-domain.com/">Link Anchor Text</a>

Use descriptive keywords in anchor text that reflect the same topic or keywords the target page is trying to target. It’s not necessary to use the same keyword text every time—in fact, doing so can trigger spam detectors. Instead, strive for a variety of anchor text that enhances context and usability for your users—and for search engines, as well.

A few interesting details about external links include:

• Top SEOs believe that external links are the most important source of ranking power.
• External links pass link equity (ranking power) differently than internal links because the search engines consider them as third-party votes.
• Top SEOs don’t believe that the “title” link attribute is used for rankings purposes.

External links play a vital role in the digital ecosystem for several reasons. Firstly, they provide users with additional information and resources, enriching their browsing experience. When users encounter well-placed external links, they can easily access more in-depth content on related topics, which enhances their understanding and satisfaction.

For search engines, external links are a valuable tool for understanding the topic and niche of a website. They help search engines establish the context and relevance of your content, which is essential for accurate indexing and ranking. By analyzing the external links pointing to your site, search engines can better gauge your website’s authority and trustworthiness.

Moreover, external links from authoritative sources can boost a website’s credibility and trustworthiness. When search engines see that reputable sites are linking to your content, they interpret it as a sign of quality and relevance. This, in turn, can lead to better search engine rankings. External links contribute to link equity, which is a crucial factor in how search engines determine the importance and relevance of a web page.

Additionally, external links can drive traffic to your website. When users follow external links to your site, they bring new visitors who are interested in the content you offer. This influx of traffic can lead to higher engagement and potentially more conversions.

Internal links and external links serve distinct purposes within a website’s structure. Internal links are hyperlinks that point to another page on the same website. They are essential for improving user experience by helping visitors navigate through your content seamlessly. Internal links also play a crucial role in organizing content, making it easier for users to find related information and increasing overall engagement.

On the other hand, external links are hyperlinks that point to a different domain. These links provide value to users by directing them to additional resources and information that complement your content. External links also enhance your website’s credibility and trustworthiness, as they show that you are connected to other reputable sources. Moreover, external links can improve search engine rankings by demonstrating your site’s relevance and authority within its niche.

Today, the major search engines use many metrics to determine the value of external links. Some of these metrics include:

• The trustworthiness of the linking domain.
• The popularity of the linking page.
• The relevancy of the content between the source page and the target page.
• The importance of using descriptive link text for outgoing links.
• The number of links to the same page on the source page.
• The number of root domains that link to the target page.
• The number of variations that are used as anchor text to links to the target page.
• The ownership relationship between the source and target domains.

In addition to these metrics, external links are important for two main reasons:

Popularity

Whereas traffic is a "messy" metric and difficult for search engines to measure accurately (according to Yahoo! search engineers), external links are both a more stable metric and an easier metric to measure. This is because traffic numbers are buried in private server logs while external links are publicly visible and easily stored. For this reason and others, external links are a great metric for determining the popularity of a given web page. This metric (which is roughly similar to toolbar PageRank) is combined with relevancy metrics to determine the best results for a given search query.

Relevancy

Links provide relevancy clues that are tremendously valuable for search engines. The anchor text used in links is usually written by humans (who can interpret web pages better than computers) and is usually highly reflective of the content of the page being linked to. Many times this will be a short phrase (e.g., "best aircraft article") or the URL of the target page (e.g., cited in a link also provide valuable relevancy metrics for search engines. Links tend to point to related content. This helps search engines establish knowledge hubs on the Internet that they can then use to validate the importance of a given web document.

Search engine ranking factor survey data has shown that getting external links is the single most important objective for attaining high rankings. This stems from the idea that external links are one of the hardest metrics to manipulate and thus, one of the best ways for search engines to determine the popularity of a given web page. This idea was first used by the early search engine Alta Vista and later improved upon by Google.

Google first made its mark by introducing the Stanford community to PageRank (an algorithm developed by Google co-founder Larry Page). This algorithm counted hyperlinks as votes for popularity. The pages that had the most links pointing at them were considered the most popular. When they were deemed relevant for a particular query, the most popular and relevant pages would become the first pages listed in Google’s results. Although this algorithm is much more complex today, it still likely includes the notion of external links as votes.

1. Use descriptive link texts

Using descriptive link texts is crucial for both internal and external links. Descriptive link texts help users understand where the link will take them and what they can expect to find on the target page. For instance, instead of using generic anchor text like “click here” or “learn more,” opt for descriptive anchor text that reflects the topic or keywords of the target page. This not only improves user experience but also provides valuable context for search engines.

A mix of keywords and non-keyword anchor text can enhance context and usability. By varying your anchor text, you avoid triggering spam detectors and create a more natural linking profile. Descriptive link texts are essential for guiding users and search engines alike, ensuring that your links are both informative and effective.

2. Optimize anchor text

Optimizing anchor text is a key practice for both internal and external links. Anchor text is the clickable text that indicates a hyperlink, and it should be descriptive and relevant to the target page. Using descriptive anchor text that reflects the topic or keywords of the target page helps users and search engines understand the content and context of the link.

A balanced approach to anchor text is important. Use a mix of keywords and non-keyword anchor text to enhance context and usability. Avoid generic anchor text such as “click here” or “learn more,” as these do not provide meaningful information about the link’s destination. Additionally, consider using the nofollow attribute for external links that you don’t want to recommend or associate your site with. This helps maintain the integrity of your linking strategy while still providing valuable resources to your users.

Updated by Chima Mmeje — November 18, 2024.

• Link equity
• Anchor text
• Backlinks
• What is off-site SEO?
• Growing Popularity and Links - A beginner's guide to the practice of link-building for those unfamiliar with the subject
•  - Google's Official Guidelines for Webmasters
• Top Tips for Non-Spammy Link Building