External link

An external link is a hyperlink that points from one website to a different domain. It connects users to additional sources of information, references, or related content outside the originating site. External links are essential for providing context, enhancing credibility, and supporting SEO strategies.
When used strategically, external links help users discover authoritative resources and signal to search engines that a webpage is trustworthy and well-researched. They also play a role in shaping the web’s interconnected structure, contributing to link equity distribution and topic relevance.
Advanced
External links can be categorized by their relationship attributes, such as "dofollow" or "nofollow." A dofollow link passes authority, while a nofollow link tells search engines not to transfer ranking value. Proper use of these attributes ensures a balanced linking profile and prevents link manipulation.
Advanced SEO strategies include linking to high-authority, reputable domains that are topically relevant to the content. This practice helps establish topical trust and encourages reciprocal mentions. Monitoring outbound link quality is also essential, as linking to spammy or irrelevant domains can harm search visibility.
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Example
A digital marketing agency published a guide on SEO best practices and included external links to Google’s official documentation. These links improved the article’s authority and helped readers access accurate, trustworthy information directly from primary sources.