Link Equity
Definition
The ranking value passed from one page to another through links. Also called 'link juice,' it flows through your site and from external sources to boost page authority.
What is Link Equity?
Link equity is the SEO value that flows from one page to another through hyperlinks. When an authoritative page links to yours, some of that authority transfers to your page.
Think of it like votes of confidence that accumulate and strengthen your ranking potential.
How Link Equity Works
Not all links pass equal value. Factors affecting how much equity flows include:
- Source authority: Links from trusted, established sites pass more value
- Relevance: Links from related content carry more weight
- Link position: Editorial links within content beat footer or sidebar links
- Number of outbound links: Equity is divided among all links on a page
- Follow status: Nofollow links don't pass equity
Internal vs External Link Equity
External Links
Backlinks from other websites bring new authority into your site. A link from BBC News passes significant equity; one from an unknown blog passes less.
Internal Links
Your own links distribute equity throughout your site. Strategic internal linking channels authority to your most important pages.
Maximising Link Equity
From external sources:
- Earn links from authoritative, relevant sites
- Create linkable content (research, guides, tools)
- Build relationships with industry publications
Through internal linking:
- Link from high-authority pages to priority content
- Use descriptive anchor text
- Keep important pages within a few clicks of the homepage
- Fix broken internal links that waste equity
Common Equity Losses
- 404 errors on pages with incoming links
- Redirect chains that dilute value
- Nofollow on internal links (rarely appropriate)
- Orphan pages with no internal links