How to Optimise External Links
External links are the links that point from your website to another website. Many people think linking to other sites might hurt SEO, but it’s actually the opposite—Google likes it when you link to trustworthy, relevant, and high-quality sources. It shows that your content is helpful, well-researched, and connected to valuable information.
Optimising external links is important because it builds credibility, improves user experience, and helps Google understand the context of your content.
Why External Links Important
External links help in three simple ways:
- Builds Trust: When you link to reliable sources, Google sees your content as trustworthy.
- Supports Your Topic: Linking to expert references helps Google understand your topic better.
- Improves User Experience: Users can explore more info, statistics, or research when needed.
How to Optimise External Links (Step-by-Step)
1. Link Only to High-Authority and Trustworthy Websites
Always link to websites that are respected and reliable—like educational sites (.edu), government portals (.gov), research publications, or popular industry websites.
Example:
If you are writing about SEO updates, link to Google Search Central, not random blogs.
2. Make Sure the Link Is Relevant to Your Topic
The external link should add value to the user’s reading experience.
Example:
Article: “How Google Ranks Pages”
External link: A Google official documentation page explaining ranking systems.
This builds topic authority and makes your content more useful.
3. Use Clear and Natural Anchor Text
Anchor text is the clickable part of the link. It must clearly explain what the user will see after clicking.
Good Example:
“Check Google’s official documentation on ranking systems.”
Bad Example:
“Click here”
Clear anchor text helps Google understand the link better.
4. Use ‘nofollow’ for Untrusted or Non-SEO-Friendly Links
If you link to a website you don’t fully trust or if it’s a paid/sponsored link, mark it as:
rel=”nofollow”
This tells Google not to pass SEO value to that page.
Use nofollow for:
- Affiliate links
- Sponsored posts
- Comments or user-generated content
- Untrusted sources
5. Open External Links in a New Tab
External links should not pull users away from your website entirely.
Use:
target=”_blank”
This keeps your webpage open while the external page opens separately.
6. Check and Fix Broken External Links
Broken links create a bad user experience and harm SEO.
Audit your website regularly using tools like:
- Screaming Frog
- Ahrefs
- Semrush
Fix or replace links that show 404 errors.
7. Avoid Too Many External Links in One Page
While external links are helpful, adding too many can distract users.
Keep them balanced and use only when they genuinely add value.
Where to Use External Links Effectively
1. Inside Blog Content (Most Powerful)
Use external links inside your paragraphs to support facts, statistics, or definitions.
Example:
“When Google released the Helpful Content Update…”
→ Link to Google’s official announcement.
2. In Resource Sections
At the end of blogs, add:
- “References”
- “Sources”
- “Additional Reading”
This builds credibility.
3. In Infographics or Downloadable PDFs
If your infographic mentions a study, link to the original research
4. Inside Case Studies
When citing tools, research, or reports, add external links for validation.
External Linking Example (Before → After)
Before (Weak):
“Google made a change to rankings last year.”
After (Optimised):
“Google introduced the Helpful Content Update in 2022, focusing on people-first content.
You can read the official announcement on Google Search Central.”This is clear, helpful, and trustworthy.