This article offers a professional guide on What Is Link Equity in SEO, helping readers understand how links pass value, authority, and ranking signals from one page to another inside a website and across the internet.
Link equity is the ranking strength that flows through meaningful and relevant links. When strong, trusted, and contextually relevant pages link to another page, they transfer part of their authority, which builds credibility and ranking potential.
In this guide, we will understand link equity in a very simple and practical way — without using confusing technical language — so even a complete beginner can easily understand it.
Let’s explore it together!
Table of Contents
What Is Link Equity in SEO?
Link Equity is the SEO value passed from one page to another through internal or external links, based on authority, relevance, and link quality.
Whenever one page links to another page:
- Some ranking value flows through that link
- The destination page receives trust signals
- Google considers it more important and reliable
- Its chances of ranking increase
Link equity is influenced by:
- Domain trust & authority
- Page strength
- Content relevance
- Anchor text
- Link placement
- Follow vs Nofollow attributes
- User engagement signals
- Crawl depth & site structure
Link equity is different from simply “having many links” — it is about how much value those links actually pass.
Types of Link Equity
Link equity flows in three major ways.
1. External Link Equity (Backlinks)
Passed from:
- Other websites
- Editorial mentions
- Contextual references
Benefits:
- Improves authority
- Builds credibility
- Strengthens overall domain trust
2. Internal Link Equity
Distributed within your own website.
Helps Google:
- Understand structure
- Prioritize pages
- Build topic clusters
Internal linking can:
- Boost rankings without new backlinks
- Reduce crawl depth
- Strengthen money pages
3. Diluted / Partial Link Equity
When a page contains too many outbound links…
The link equity is divided.
Example:
- 3 links = stronger equity per link
- 50 links = diluted equity for each
👉 Fewer relevant links = More value per page
How Does Link Equity Work? (Step-by-Step)
Link equity works through a combination of:
- Google PageRank system
- Content relevance
- Topical authority
- Internal link structure
- External backlinks
Here’s how the flow happens:
1. Google Crawls a Page
Google crawlers scan:
- content
- links
- navigation
- internal structure
They understand:
- What the page is about
- How important it is
- How is it connected with other pages
2. Page Authority Is Calculated
Authority comes from:
- quality backlinks
- topical relevance
- website trust
- historical performance
Higher authority = higher link equity capacity.
3. Link Value Gets Distributed
When that page links to another page:
A part of its ranking power is transferred.
Equity strength depends on:
- page relevance
- link location
- anchor text meaning
4. Authority Passes Forward
If the linked page again links to other pages, Equity continues flowing further.
This is why:
- Hub pages rank well
- Category pages rank stronger
- Orphan pages fail to perform
Factors That Influence Link Equity
Google evaluates multiple signals before passing value through a link.
Here are the most important link equity factors:
| Factor | Why It Impacts Link Equity |
|---|---|
| Domain Authority | Trusted sites pass a stronger value |
| Page Authority | Stronger pages transfer more equity |
| Content Relevance | Related topics = meaningful signals |
| Anchor Text | Helps search engines understand context |
| Link Placement | In-content links are most powerful |
| Follow / Dofollow | Passes PageRank & value |
| Nofollow / Sponsored | Pass little or no equity |
| Internal Link Depth | Pages closer to the root receive more value |
| Page Engagement | Real traffic strengthens credibility |
| Indexation Status | Non-indexed pages pass no equity |
Let’s break them down clearly.
1. Domain Authority & Trust
Links from:
- Government websites
- Educational institutions
- Reputed brands
- Trusted news portals
carry higher link equity.
Because such websites already have:
- Strong trust signals
- Organic authority
- Human engagement
- Editorial standards
2. Page Authority
Even inside the same website:
- Some pages are stronger
- Some pages hold higher value
Example:
- Homepage receives most backlinks
- Therefore, it holds maximum link equity
When you link from high-authority internal pages…
👉 You naturally boost weaker pages.
3. Relevance of Content
A relevant niche link passes more meaningful value.
Example:
- SEO blog linking to an SEO guide = Strong equity
- Food blog linking to SEO guide = Weak equity
Google prefers:
- Topic relevance
- Semantic relationship
- Topical alignment
4. Anchor Text Context
Anchor text tells Google:
- What the linked page is about
- Which keyword should it rank for
Good anchor examples:
- link equity in SEO
- internal link equity guide
- How link equity works
Over-optimized anchors should be avoided.
5. Link Placement Inside Content
Placement decides link equity strength.
| Placement Area | Link Equity Strength |
|---|---|
| Inside the main article body | Highest |
| First 2 paragraphs | Very strong |
| Middle of content | Strong |
| Header navigation | Medium |
| Footer links | Low |
| Sidebar links | Low |
| Blog comments | Very low |
Editorial links inside content pass the most value.
6. Follow vs Nofollow Links
- Follow links → Pass PageRank + Link Equity
- Nofollow / UGC / Sponsored → Usually do not
However, nofollow links are still useful for:
- Branding
- Traffic
- Natural profile signals
But they rarely contribute to ranking equity value.
7. Internal Link Depth
Pages closer to the homepage:
- Receive stronger link equity
- Get crawled faster
- Rank better
Pages buried deep inside the site structure:
- Receive weak equity
- Have low crawl priority
This is why:
👉 Orphan pages & deep URLs harm SEO.
PageRank vs Link Equity — Are They the Same?
Both are connected — but not identical.
1. PageRank
- Google’s mathematical link scoring algorithm
- Calculates authority based on links
2. Link Equity
- Practical SEO value interpretation
- Includes real-world ranking signals
| PageRank | Link Equity |
|---|---|
| Algorithm based | SEO concept |
| Focused on link strength | Includes relevance & trust |
| Purely mathematical | Practical + contextual |
Summary:
- PageRank = Calculation
- Link Equity = Real-world value from links
Link Juice vs Link Equity — What’s the Difference?
Both terms indicate Authority that flows through links.
Difference:
| Link Juice | Link Equity |
|---|---|
| Informal phrase | Technical SEO concept |
| Focused on PageRank | Considers relevance + context |
| Earlier SEO usage | Used in modern SEO practice |
Both refer to value flow, but link equity is broader.
Which Links Pass the Highest Link Equity?
These are the types of links that pass the strongest link equity and have the highest impact on rankings.
Strongest link equity sources include:
- Links from authority domains
- Contextual in-content links
- Relevant topic-based links
- Natural editorial mentions
- Pages with real traffic
- Updated & fresh content
Links with weak or no equity:
- Spam directory links
- Comment links
- Forum signatures
- Profile links
- Irrelevant niche links
- Paid / unnatural links
Some may even trigger penalties.
Internal Linking & Link Equity (Very Important)
Internal links help distribute link equity strategically.
Recommended internal linking structure:
- Homepage → Category Pages
- Category Pages → Pillar Pages
- Pillar Pages → Supporting Articles
- Supporting Articles → Back to Pillar Page
This helps:
- Build topical authority
- Improve ranking signals
- Strengthen SEO silos
- Reduce orphan pages
Internal linking is one of the best equity-boosting strategies.
How to Check Link Equity (Tools & Metrics)
You can analyze link equity using:
- Ahrefs
- SEMrush
- Moz
- Screaming Frog
- Google Search Console
Important metrics to review:
| Metric | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Page Authority | Page-level strength |
| Domain Authority | Overall trust |
| Referring Domains | Unique backlink sources |
| Internal Link Count | Internal equity flow |
| Click Depth | Crawl priority |
| Anchor Text | Context relevance |
| Index Status | Valid ranking signals |
These help identify:
- Weak pages
- Orphan URLs
- High-equity linking opportunities
How to Improve Link Equity on Your Website?
Here are practical, real-world techniques.
1. Build Strong Internal Linking Structure
- Link related articles together
- Connect pillar pages & sub-topics
- Add contextual anchor text
- Avoid random linking
2. Fix Orphan Pages
Pages without links receive zero equity.
Connect them through:
- category pages
- hub pages
- content clusters
3. Merge Weak / Duplicate Pages
Consolidate similar content to:
- avoid dilution
- strengthen authority
Use 301 redirects where required.
4. Reduce Deep URL Levels
Keep URLs:
- clean
- short
- structured
5. Get Relevant High-Quality Backlinks
Prefer:
- niche-related websites
- editorial links
- contextual mentions
Avoid:
- spam links
- paid bulk backlinks
Causes of Link Equity Loss (Link Dilution)
| Cause | Impact |
|---|---|
| Too many outbound links | Weak authority |
| Low-quality backlinks | Ranking drop |
| Deep navigation structure | Weak flow |
| 301 redirect chains | Equity leakage |
| Irrelevant anchor text | Weak signal |
| Footer / sidebar links | Minimal value |
Fixing these improves performance.
FAQs:)
A. It is the value & authority passed from one page to another through links.
A. PageRank is a part of link equity evaluation — not the entire concept.
A. No — but they may help in discovery & branding.
A. Yes — internal links are extremely powerful for equity distribution.
A. Usually 2–6 weeks, depending on crawl frequency.
A. Yes — 301 redirects pass most equity.
A. No — but improve trust & visibility.
A. Yes — link equity gets divided
Conclusion:)
Link equity is one of the most powerful SEO ranking factors — because it strengthens website authority, improves content structure, and helps Google understand which pages deserve to rank higher.
When internal linking, backlinks, navigation flow, and content clusters are built properly, link equity becomes a growth engine for organic rankings.
“Link equity is not about collecting links — it is about building meaningful authority, relevance, and long-term trust.” — Mr Rahman, CEO Oflox®
Read also:)
- What Is Link Structure in SEO: A-to-Z Guide for Beginners!
- What Is Brand Mentions in SEO: A-to-Z Guide for Beginners!
- What Is Web Crawler: A-to-Z Guide for Beginners!
Have you tried optimizing link equity on your website? Share your experience or ask your questions in the comments below — we’d love to hear from you!