Trust Flow is an SEO metric that measures the quality and trustworthiness of a website’s backlink profile. It indicates how closely a site is connected to other highly trusted websites through links.
Trust Flow was developed by Majestic and is scored on a scale from 0 to 100, with higher scores representing stronger link trust.
Rather than focusing on the number of backlinks, Trust Flow focuses on how trustworthy those links are.
How Trust Flow Works
Trust Flow works by analyzing how links flow from a small group of highly trusted seed websites across the web.
The logic is simple:
- Trusted websites link to other trusted websites
- Trust passes through links
- The closer a site is to trusted sources, the higher its Trust Flow
Links from spammy or low quality websites pass little or no trust even if they are numerous.
Why Trust Flow Matters for SEO
Trust Flow matters because it helps evaluate link quality, not just quantity.
High Trust Flow indicates:
- Strong authoritative backlinks
- Lower risk of spammy link signals
- Higher credibility in competitive niches
- A healthier backlink profile
Websites with higher Trust Flow often perform better in organic search because search engines prioritize trust and authority.
Trust Flow vs Citation Flow
Trust Flow is often compared with another Majestic metric called Citation Flow.
Trust Flow
Measures link quality and trust
Citation Flow
Measures link quantity and influence
A healthy backlink profile usually has both metrics balanced. High Citation Flow with low Trust Flow can indicate spammy or manipulative links.
Examples of Trust Flow in Practice
- A website earns links from government or education domains and increases Trust Flow
- A blog receives editorial links from respected industry sites
- Removing toxic backlinks improves Trust Flow over time
- Buying low quality links raises Citation Flow but not Trust Flow
These examples show why link quality matters more than volume.
What Is a Good Trust Flow Score
There is no universal perfect score. What matters most is how your Trust Flow compares to competitors in the same niche.
General guidance:
- Low Trust Flow often signals weak or spammy links
- Moderate Trust Flow indicates growing authority
- High Trust Flow suggests strong trusted backlinks
Context and relevance always matter more than raw numbers.
How to Improve Trust Flow
To improve Trust Flow naturally:
- Earn backlinks from authoritative trusted websites
- Focus on editorial links rather than paid links
- Create high quality link worthy content
- Avoid spammy directories and link schemes
- Audit and remove toxic backlinks
- Strengthen internal linking from trusted pages
Improving Trust Flow is usually gradual and long term.
Trust Flow and Google Rankings
Trust Flow is not a Google ranking factor, but it closely reflects signals that search engines value such as trust relevance and authority.
SEO professionals use Trust Flow as a diagnostic and comparison metric, not as a goal by itself.
Common Trust Flow Mistakes
- Chasing backlinks without considering trust
- Buying links to inflate metrics
- Ignoring relevance between linking sites
- Focusing only on Citation Flow
- Comparing Trust Flow across unrelated niches
Metrics are most useful when interpreted correctly.