External Link
An external link is a hyperlink that points from your website to a page on a different domain. Also called outbound links, these connections to external sites can provide additional value to your users by referencing authoritative sources, citing research, or directing visitors to complementary resources. While external links pass some of your page's authority to the linked site, they can also signal to search engines that your content is well-researched and connected to the broader web ecosystem.
External Link Best Practices
- Link to authority sites: Choose reputable, high-quality sources
- Use descriptive anchor text: Make it clear what users will find
- Add rel="nofollow": For paid links or untrusted content
- Open in new tab: Keep users on your site with target="_blank"
- Regular link audits: Check for broken or changed external links