External Linking, explained properly.
What external linking is
External linking is when you link out from your website to another website, ideally one that is authoritative, trustworthy and relevant to the topic you are writing about. These are also known as outbound links. Linking to Google's SEO Starter Guide in an article is an external link. It might seem odd to send your hard-won visitors elsewhere, but used correctly external links improve credibility, user experience and SEO.
Why external links matter for SEO
Google uses external links as a signal of quality and trust. Referencing high-authority sites tells search engines you are trying to provide value, not trap users in a keyword-stuffed cul-de-sac. Outbound links also support claims with evidence, improve topic relevance and content depth, help search engines understand your niche, and improve user experience and transparency.
External links vs internal links
Internal links connect one page of your site to another page on your site. External links connect your site to someone else's site. Both matter: internal links help users and search engines navigate your site, while external links show you are part of a wider ecosystem of valuable information.
How to use external links properly
1. **Link to trusted sources.** Government sites, universities, research bodies, well-known publishers and original data sources are strong candidates, for example Moz, Google, GOV.UK and the NHS. The Moz Beginner's Guide to SEO is a solid baseline reference. 2. **Use descriptive anchor text.** Avoid "click here". Describe where the user is going and why, for example "Google's official SEO guidelines". 3. **Open in a new tab.** Set external links to open in a new tab so users can reference a source without leaving your site. 4. **Use rel="noopener noreferrer".** Add it to external links that open in a new tab for security and performance. Most good CMS tools and builders handle this automatically. 5. **Keep external links relevant.** Only link out when it adds value; do not sprinkle links for the sake of it or point to low-quality sites.
When to add an external link
Add one when citing a statistic or piece of research, when referencing a tool or guide readers might find helpful, or when you want to build topical authority by pointing to expert sources. A useful rule of thumb is at least one high-quality external link per long-form blog or glossary entry.
Will external links hurt my SEO?
No, unless you link to dodgy, spammy or irrelevant sites. In fact, not linking out at all can make content look less trustworthy. Linking out is a vote of confidence in your source, and Google appreciates it. Just as you want backlinks from others, the sites you link to get a small boost too.
Link schemes to avoid
Not all external links are equal. Avoid buying links to manipulate rankings, link exchanges ("you link me, I'll link you"), and linking to irrelevant sites just to fill a quota. Outbound links to spammy domains may also need a nofollow attribute. Stick to genuine value for the user.
A sensible outbound linking process
Use one to three outbound links per article or glossary entry, always to reputable and contextually relevant sources, monitored over time to spot broken links or 404s, and complemented with internal links to relevant glossary terms or services. This keeps the experience clean, trustworthy and helpful, and helps Google see the content as high quality.
External Linking: common questions.
Does external linking hurt SEO?
No, generally the opposite. Pages that link out to relevant, authoritative sources tend to outperform pages that do not, because it signals well-researched, useful content. The exception is linking to low-quality or spam sites, which does hurt; the quality of your outbound links matters.
Should external links be nofollow or dofollow?
Mostly dofollow by default. Reserve nofollow for paid links such as sponsored or affiliate content, where Google's policies require it, and for user-generated content. Adding nofollow to ordinary editorial outbound links is unnecessary and signals less editorial trust to readers.
How many external links should I include per page?
Enough to support your claims, with no specific target. A long article might have 5 to 15 external links to sources and related authoritative content. A short product page might have 0 to 2. Match the page's content type.
Should I open external links in a new tab?
Generally yes for outbound links: it keeps users on your site while giving them the linked content. Use rel="noopener" with target="_blank" to stop the linked page accessing your window object, a small security best practice.
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