Link Equity

What is link equity?

Link equity, once colloquially referred to as "link juice," is a search engine ranking factor based on the idea that certain links pass value and authority from one page to another. This value is dependent on a number of factors, such as the linking page's authority, topical relevance, HTTP status, and more. Links that pass equity are one of many signals that Google and other search engines use to determine a page's rankings in the SERPs.

Link equity and PageRank

When many people think of link equity, they also think of PageRank. PageRank was Google's first algorithmic calculation used to determine how a site should rank, based primarily on that site's backlink profile. PageRank is no longer the main determinant for a site's ranking; it's now only one of hundreds of ranking factors Google looks at, and its importance is much diluted these days.

To some degree, link equity can be understood as how the flow of a page's ranking power passes from one link to another. If a very authoritative page includes a followed link to a smaller site's article, it can be interpreted as a vote of confidence for the linked page, passing a certain amount of authority via that followed link.

You may hear about an outdated SEO tactic known as "PageRank sculpting," in which a site owner strategically chooses which links are followed and nofollowed to control the flow of authority from page to page. While this can still be somewhat effective under the right conditions, improper use of nofollows is a strategy we'd never recommend. Instead, focus on improving your information architecture and implementing a sound ranking strategy.

How is link equity determined?

Both internal and external links can pass link equity. There are a few important considerations when it comes to determining whether a link will pass equity:

• Is the link relevant? If you're linking to a page about  fixing your car from an article about  how to bake your grandma's secret muffin recipe, the link is  probably not relevant — and Google will know. Links that are irrelevant may not provide much authority or value.

• Is the linking site authoritative? Links from trusted sites that have built up their authority tend to pass more link equity than links from brand-new sites that are just starting out.

• Is the link followed? No-followed links signal to crawlers that they should be ignored. They won't have link equity. However, just because a link is no-followed doesn't necessary mean it doesn't have other value.

• Is the link crawlable? If a page blocks crawlers via the robots.txt file, the crawler is told to ignore it and the link won't pass value.

• Where is the link located on the page? Links buried in the footer of a page or in a sidebar aren't given as much weight as links in the body of a page's content (with some exceptions). The site's architecture helps Google determine what content is most useful to visitors, so look at it logically: What is the visitor's intent when visiting the page, and how do the links help them achieve it?

• How many links are located on the page? If the link to your site is one of many hundreds or thousands, it may not be as valuable, though there's no hard-and-fast rule about the optimal number of links on a page. Beyond simple link equity, though, if your link is lost among many others, it's unlikely a user will find and click it, devaluing it even further.

• What's the HTTP status of the linked page? Pages that resolve as 200s or permanent 301 redirects will retain their link equity. While Google has stated that all redirects, including temporary 302s, now pass PageRank, it's smart to take that advice with a grain of salt. Other search engines may not treat them the same way, and there are factors beyond links to take into account when planning a ranking strategy.

Keep learning

• The Beginner's Guide to Link Building - Everything you need to get started on one of the most important things you can do for your SEO.
• Backlinks
• What is off-site SEO?
• 301 Redirects Rules Change: What You Need to Know for SEO - In mid 2016, Google announced that no link equity is lost when using 3xx redirects, a stark contrast to earlier policies. This post explains what that means and why you should still be careful with your redirects.
• The Anatomy of a Link - What Makes a Good (and Bad) Link? - Dissect the details of what makes a good and bad link.
• Linking Internally and Externally from Your Site - Dangers, Opportunities, Risk and Reward - Whiteboard Friday - In this Whiteboard Friday, Rand explores the pitfalls and opportunities of linking internally and externally from your site.
• How to Rank: 25 Step Master SEO Blueprint - A step-by-step plan for developing a ranking strategy, aimed at beginner to intermediate SEOs.
• Beginner's Guide to SEO: How Search Engines Work: Crawling, Indexing, and Ranking

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