An outbound link is a hyperlink on your website that points to a page on a different website. In simple terms, it’s any link that sends users away from your domain to an external source.
Outbound links are also commonly called external links, and they play an important role in SEO, user experience, and content credibility.
How Outbound Links Work
When you add an outbound link to a page:
- Users can click the link to visit another website
- Search engines crawl and evaluate the link
- A signal is sent about relevance, context, and trust
Depending on the link type, outbound links may also pass link equity to the destination page.
Why Outbound Links Matter for SEO
Outbound links are important because they:
- Help search engines understand your content’s topic
- Provide context and credibility
- Improve user experience by offering helpful resources
- Signal trust when linking to authoritative sites
- Support natural linking patterns
Search engines like Google have stated that linking out to relevant, authoritative sources is a normal and healthy part of the web.
Outbound Links vs. Inbound Links
- Outbound Links: Links from your site to other sites
- Inbound Links (Backlinks): Links from other sites to yours
Inbound links help you gain authority, while outbound links help demonstrate relevance, trust, and content quality.
Types of Outbound Links
Dofollow Outbound Links
Pass link equity to the linked page. These are default links without special attributes.
Nofollow Outbound Links
Tell search engines not to pass link equity. Commonly used for:
- Sponsored links
- Advertisements
- User-generated content
Sponsored & UGC Links
Used to clearly label paid or user-submitted links and comply with search engine guidelines.
Examples of Outbound Links
- Linking to a study, statistic, or research source
- Citing an industry blog or news website
- Linking to a partner or tool
- Referencing official documentation
These links add value when they support your content and help users learn more.
Best Practices for Outbound Links
- Link only to relevant, trustworthy websites
- Use descriptive anchor text
- Avoid excessive outbound links
- Open external links in a new tab (UX choice)
- Use
nofolloworsponsoredfor paid links - Regularly check for broken outbound links
Common Outbound Link Mistakes
- Linking to spammy or low-quality sites
- Overloading pages with unnecessary links
- Using exact-match anchor text excessively
- Forgetting to mark sponsored links
- Ignoring broken external links
Poor outbound linking can harm user trust and overall site quality.
Do Outbound Links Hurt SEO?
No when used correctly. Linking to relevant, authoritative sources does not hurt SEO. In fact, it can improve content usefulness and topical relevance. Problems only arise when outbound links are manipulative, paid without disclosure, or point to low-quality sites.
FAQs About Outbound Links
Are outbound links good for SEO?
Yes. Relevant outbound links help provide context, credibility, and a better user experience.
Should outbound links be nofollow?
Only for paid, sponsored, or untrusted links. Editorial links can remain dofollow.
How many outbound links should a page have?
There’s no fixed number focus on usefulness, not quantity.
Do outbound links pass link equity?
Yes, dofollow outbound links pass link equity to the destination page.
Can outbound links affect rankings?
Indirectly. They support content quality and relevance, which can positively influence SEO.