External Link explained in a fun way

If your website were a person, External Links would be its social life. They’re how your site connects with the rest of the web—like digital high-fives that say, “Hey, I respect this page enough to send my visitors there.”

And while linking out might seem counterintuitive (“Won’t I lose traffic?!”), smart External Linking actually strengthens your site’s credibility, SEO, and even your user experience.

Let’s unpack why linking out is a sign of strength—not weakness.

What Is an External Link?

An External Link is any hyperlink that points from your website to another domain. It’s the opposite of an Internal Link, which connects two pages within the same site.

Example:
– If your blog links to moz.com, that’s an external link.
– If it links to /our-services, that’s internal.

In HTML:

html
CopiarEditar
<a href=”https://example.com”>Check this out</a>
And that clickable part? Yep, it’s called Anchor Text.

Why External Links Matter for SEO

Credibility and Relevance
Linking to authoritative sources shows users (and Google) that your content is well-researched and connected to trustworthy material.
Contextual Weight
When you link out to a highly relevant page, you add context and depth to your content—which helps Google understand what your page is about.
SEO Best Practice
Google’s own documentation encourages linking to helpful sources. In fact, many high-ranking pages regularly include outbound links to reputable domains.
Link Juice Management
Sure, you want Link Juice to flow inward—but don’t be stingy. Linking out doesn’t drain your authority if done strategically.
External Links vs. Backlinks

Let’s be clear:

External Link: A link from your site to another site.

Backlink: A link from another site to your site.

They’re two sides of the same hyperlink coin. When you give a high-quality external link, you’re building connections. With luck and good content, you’ll earn Backlinks in return.

And those? Oh, they’re SEO gold.

Dofollow or Nofollow?

By default, an external link is a Dofollow Link, meaning it tells search engines: “Hey, I endorse this.”

Sometimes you’ll want to use rel=”nofollow” to tell Google not to pass value—like in:

Sponsored content
Paid reviews
Untrusted user-generated content

But if you’re linking to a legitimate, valuable page? Let the link be dofollow and share the love.

When and How to Use External Links

✅ Support Your Claims
Quoting stats? Link to the source. Referencing a study? Link to it.

✅ Add Depth Without Clutter
Don’t rewrite a Wikipedia entry. Link to it. Save your page from bloat and keep users happy.

✅ Build Relationships
Linking to other creators can lead to partnerships, mentions, and—you guessed it—Backlinks.

✅ Anchor Text Matters
Don’t just say “click here.” Use descriptive, keyword-rich Anchor Text that tells both users and bots what they’re clicking into.

✅ Open in a New Tab (maybe)
Consider opening external links in a new tab to keep users from abandoning your site completely.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

🚫 Too Many External Links – Don’t overwhelm users or give your SEO value away like confetti.
🚫 Broken Links – Nothing screams “I don’t update my site” like a 404 on an external resource. Use tools to check for broken links regularly.
🚫 Linking to Competitors – Self-explanatory. Don’t drive traffic to your rival’s store.
🚫 Spammy Sources – Link to low-quality, irrelevant, or shady websites, and you’ll hurt your trust in Google’s eyes.