Have you ever heard of “link juice” in the SEO world?
If not, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to improve your website’s search engines.
In fact, 28% of SEO budgets are spent on link building, proving just how effective links are in driving results.
So, if you want your website to rank better, focus on your link juice.
In this article, we’re diving deep into everything you need to know about link juice — what it is, why it is important, what factors determine it, and, most importantly, how to get more of it.
Let’s get started on improving your SEO game!
What is Link Juice?
When a website links to yours, it’s passing some of its value to you — this is called link juice.
What is link juice? It refers to the equity or value that a link from one website passes to another, impacting search engine rankings.
When a popular website links to yours, it’s like getting a shoutout from someone famous.
Google and other search engines notice that and think, “Hey, this page must be worth checking out!”
Now, let’s see why it’s such a game-changer for your SEO.
Link Juice vs. PageRank: Are They The Same?
Back when Google first started, PageRank was how they decided if a website was important, based on how many links pointed to it.
While it’s not the main thing anymore, it still matters a little.
Today, we focus more on Link Equity. This just means how much value one page passes to another through a link.
PageRank was focused on the quantity of links, ranking websites based on how many links were pointed to them. In contrast, Link Equity is all about quality—it looks at how valuable a link is by considering the authority of the website, content relevance, and link placement.
John Mueller, from Google, confirms that PageRank still matters. Even after all these years, Google continues to use it, along with many other signals, to rank websites.
Gary Illyes, a Google Analyst, confirms that Google still uses PageRank after 18 years—along with hundreds of other signals—to rank websites.
So, while PageRank helped start this idea, Link Equity gives us a clearer way to see how links help your website rank higher.
The Key Role of Link Juice in SEO
The key role of link juice in SEO is to help search engines determine which pages deserve higher rankings.
But let’s explore the benefits in a more detailed way.
It’s a Ranking Factor
Search engines use many ranking factors—like website speed, mobile-friendliness, and backlinks—to decide which pages appear at the top of search results. Link equity is a key part of this process and is closely tied to Google’s PageRank algorithm, which evaluates pages based on the number and relevance of links they receive
While link equity isn’t the only thing search engines consider, it’s still an important factor that can help your website get more attention online.
More Link Juice Brings More Organic Traffic
Getting link juice not only improves your search rankings but also drives organic traffic, which comes from search engines.
When other websites link to yours, it’s like giving your website a recommendation. Search engines see these links (called backlinks) as a sign that your content is valuable and reliable.
Improves Domain Rating (DR)
Domain rating (DR), a metric by Ahrefs, measures the strength of your website’s backlink profile. The higher it is, the more search engines trust you in comparison with your competitor websites.
So, how do you increase it? The answer lies in earning backlinks from reliable websites. As you build up more backlink juice, your DR will rise.
When a well-known website links to yours, it shares some of its authority, which helps your website look more reliable. This not only improves the page that got the link but also boosts your website’s overall strength and reputation online.
Brings More Visitors
When other websites link to your content, they not only drive referral traffic but also pass valuable link juice, which strengthens your website’s SEO.
For instance, if a well-known blog shares your post, its readers might visit your website, boosting your traffic. At the same time, that backlink transfers link juice, improving your website and helping it rank higher in search results.
In short, it’s an easy way to boost traffic and improve your website’s SEO.
Key Factors that Determine Good Link Juice
What factors influence how much link equity a website can pass on?
Website Domain Rating (DR)
You already know what Domain Rating is. So, what counts as a “good” Domain Rating?
Well, it depends on your industry, your competition, and how old your website is.
A higher DR is closely tied to the concept of link equity, as it reflects the strength of your website’s backlink profile. The more quality backlinks you earn, the more link equity you get, which in turn boosts your DR.
But how do you check it?
Let’s walk through it:
Step 1: Log into Ahrefs.
Step 2: Type in the website you want to check.
Step 3: See the metrics below.
A DR score in the picture is 73 means this website is doing great with SEO!
Linking Page Rating
We already know backlinks are key for SEO, but did you know that the rating of the page linking to you also matters a lot?
The linking page’s rating tells you how powerful that specific page is, which impacts how much link equity it passes onto your page.
So, how do you check it?
We follow the same steps as mentioned above. However, put the specific page’s URL in the Site Explorer of Ahrefs and check the DR.
Link Relevance
Link relevance is all about how closely a link relates to your website’s content, including the relevance of the anchor text and URL. When the anchor text accurately reflects the linked content and matches your website’s topic, it shows search engines that the link is valuable.
If you have a marketing blog, getting a link from a digital marketing agency or a website that shares social media tips would be a great fit. It shows search engines that experts in the field trust your content.
These relevant links not only improve your credibility but also attract the right visitors to your website.
Link Placement
Where you place a link on a page matters.
Links hidden in footers or sidebars don’t carry as much value as those placed naturally within the main content.
It’s important to avoid placing valuable links in the conclusion, and footer, as these sections may not carry the same weight in terms of SEO impact.
Number of Links On The Page
When it comes to links, balance is key!
Stuffing a page with too many links can make it look spammy and distract readers.
A good approach is to only include links where they fit naturally and add value to the content.
In short, using the right amount of links helps both your readers and search engines get the most out of your page.
As you can see in the screenshot, adding too many links makes the content spammy and difficult to follow.
Type of Link Tag
Links can be categorized into two tags: do follow and no follow.
Do follow links pass “link juice” to help improve the ranking of the linked page.
For example, if a popular blog or website links to your page with a do follow link, it can help your page rank higher in search results.
No follow links are hyperlinks, which tells search engines not to pass any link juice or ranking power to the linked page. This means these links don’t directly impact search rankings like do follow links.
Though no follow links won’t directly improve your SEO, they still matter.
To check this:
Step 1: Pick an article, right-click one of the links in the text, and select Inspect.
Step 2: In the HTML code, look for the rel attribute. If there’s no rel tag or it says dofollow, it’s a do follow link. If it says rel=”nofollow”, it’s a no follow link. (See the picture below)
This simple check helps you manage your SEO effectively.
Now let’s explore how to choose the right pages.
How to Choose the Right Pages to Pass Link Juice To
Passing link equity the right way can give your website a solid SEO boost. But here’s the thing – not every page on your website deserves this valuable boost equally.
So, let’s dive into which pages should get the most love!
Pages with Ranking Potential
Focus first on pages with ranking potential—those already near the top of search results, and passing link equity to these can push them higher.
To find pages with ranking potential you should:
Step 1: Go to Site Explorer and enter your domain.
Step 2: Check the Traffic tab to see which pages are driving traffic.
In this screenshot, you can see some web pages might not get lots of traffic, but they still bring in visitors and have the potential to rank even better on Google.
To unlock their full potential, focus on improving the content, and make it more engaging, relevant, and valuable.
Additionally, work on building relevant backlinks to these pages. Backlinks act like votes of confidence from other websites, which helps Google trust and rank your page higher.
By passing link equity to these pages, you can help them break into the top positions, where they’ll earn more visibility and traffic.
However, don’t force links to these pages from unrelated content or add too many links to improve them, as it can look unnatural to search engines. Instead, add links where they naturally fit within relevant content, so they’re helpful for both readers and search engines.
Key Business Pages
Next, prioritize pages with business value, like product or service pages that lead to conversions.
And, make sure the pages offer valuable, well-researched content.
This means you’re not just growing rankings but also providing useful information that keeps visitors engaged.
Effective Ways to Get More Link Juice to a Page
Now that you know the importance of link juice, it’s time to learn how you can get more of it flowing to your pages.
Build External Links
External links are one of the most effective ways to improve your page’s credibility.
When trusted websites link to your content, it shows that your page is worth showing to more people.
For instance, if you have a blog about marketing, getting a backlink from a top digital marketing website to your post on “SEO Tips That Work” can improve its visibility.
So, the more high-quality websites linking to your content, the more backlink juice you’ll receive, boosting your SEO value.
Further reading:
- How Many Backlinks Do I Need?
- How to Create a Successful Link Building Campaign
- Advanced Tips for Link Building Campaigns
Build Internal Links
How do internal links help your website’s SEO with link juice?
Internal links help your website’s SEO by sharing link juice between pages, making it easier for search engines to find and rank your content.
It’s recommended to start by focusing on pages that don’t yet have any internal links. Newly published pages are often the ones that need attention, so make sure they’re linked properly.
You can use website audit tools to find these pages—those that are sitting alone without any connections to your other content.
For instance, if you just wrote a great article on “Social Media Trends for 2024,” linking it from a popular post about “Digital Marketing Strategies” can help it get noticed by both readers and search engines.
Also, take a look at which pages are already doing well in terms of traffic and performance. Linking from these popular pages can help improve the newer or less popular ones by sharing some of that SEO strength.
Consider Guest Posting
Writing guest posts for other blogs or websites is also one of the smart ways to earn valuable external links. These links pass link juice to your website, improving its rankings, especially when placed with relevant anchor text.
For instance, if you’re in marketing, seek out marketing blogs or platforms that cover topics like content strategy or social media.
In the screenshot, we see the link leads to a Google search for the query “Digital Marketing” + “Guest post”. It shows a list of websites and blogs offering guest posting opportunities in the digital marketing industry. These results can be used to find platforms where you can publish guest posts, helping you build backlinks, pass link juice, and improve your website’s SEO.
Once you find relevant websites, connect with the right person, like a content manager, editor, or SEO expert who is in charge of guest posts. A little research on LinkedIn or the website’s About page can help.
By sharing meaningful and relevant content on a reliable website, you’ll often get a link back to your own page, which helps boost your website’s credibility and visibility.
Further reading:
Link Insertion vs. Guest Post: Which is Better for SEO?
Create Linkable Assets
Ever thought about creating something so valuable that other websites can’t help but link to it? That’s the power of linkable assets!
Linkable assets are reliable resources that offer significant value, making them attractive for other websites to link to.
For example, an in-depth guide on “The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Strategy” or a visually engaging infographic that illustrates the latest digital marketing trends can serve as effective linkable assets.
These resources are not only informative but also shareable.
Further reading;
Linkable Assets for Link Building: What They Are & How to Create Them
Optimize Anchor Text
The keywords you choose for your links are called anchor texts and they can make a big difference in how people and search engines see your website. Using the right anchor text not only improves user experience but also helps pass link equity more effectively by signaling to search engines what the linked page is about.
Using clear, specific anchors helps search engines understand your content better and lets readers know exactly where the link will take them.
For example, instead of using something like “click here” to link to a page about SEO tips, try using a more relevant phrase like “SEO strategies for beginners.” This improves the SEO value of your internal link by passing relevant link equity.
Why? Because it provides context, boosts the SEO value of your link, and gives both search engines and readers a better idea of what they’ll find when they click.
As shown in this screenshot, you can see how a blog post on Semrush uses the anchor text “Keyword analytics for YouTube” within relevant content, instead of a generic “click here.” This approach provides better context for both users and search engines.
Avoid Link Schemes
So, what exactly is a link scheme? It’s when you try to manipulate your website’s ranking by using tricks to get links. This includes things like trading links with random websites or paying for links on websites that have nothing to do with your content. While these tactics might seem like a quick fix, they can hurt your website in the long run.
There are different types of link schemes to watch out for. For instance, you might come across “link farms,” where many websites link to each other just to boost their SEO without any real relevance. Another example is “guest posting networks,” where people pay to post low-quality content just to get backlinks.
So, instead, focus on earning valuable links from websites that are relevant to your content. Use meaningful anchor text that truly reflects the topic.
Never Buy or Sell Links
Buying or selling links might seem like a quick way to improve your SEO, but it’s a bad idea.
Search engines, like Google, have strict rules against this, and if you get caught, your website could be penalized.
People sell links by offering paid link placements on their websites, and others buy these links to quickly improve their SEO rankings.
This way, you earn real links that improve your website’s SEO without any risks!
The image shows a message from someone offering to sell links that looks kind of spammy.
Prioritize Value Over Quantity
It’s better to aim for value instead of quantity!
A few links from well-known, reliable websites will help your SEO much more than lots of links from random websites. But what makes a valuable link?
- High Domain Rating (DR)
- Relevant content matching your industry
- Organic placement within trusted blogs
In this screenshot, you can see that this domain uses links from reliable sources with high Domain Rating (DR), offering significantly greater SEO benefits than a large number of links from random websites.
Conclusion
Alright, let’s quickly sum up the key takeaways on link juice and how it can improve your SEO!
- Link juice is the value passed from one website to another through backlinks, helping your website climb the search rankings.
- Getting relevant links improves your rankings, brings more traffic, and increases your Domain Rating (DR).
- In the long run, reliable link equity helps improve your search presence, increase referral traffic, and solidify your website’s authority.
- A good link juice comes from relevant backlinks, relevance, proper link placement, and knowing when to use do follow or no follow links.
- Prioritize earning external links from trusted websites, using internal links, and creating valuable, shareable content. Avoid buying links or using shortcuts—reliable links from good sources are key for better SEO.
So, which tactic are you excited to try first?
FAQ About Link Juice
How to check link juice?
Link juice is measured by things like the topical relevance of the linking page, the authority of the domain it comes from, and various other ranking signals used by search engines like Google.
Why is link juice important?
Link juice is important because it helps improve your website’s visibility in search results by passing value from one website to another.
How do backlinks help with link juice?
Backlinks pass authority from the linking website to yours, signaling search engines that your content is valuable. This boosts your page’s rank and strengthens your website’s overall visibility.
How to get more link juice?
You can get more link juice by building external backlinks from trusted websites, creating internal links, writing guest posts, and developing valuable linkable assets that other websites want to link to.