# External Link

External link — a link from one page to a page on a different domain; it helps a site cite sources and connect to the broader ecosystem around the topic.

**External Link (External Link / Outbound Link)** is a link from one web page to a page on a different domain. These are links from your page content to another website.

SEO effects of external links:

- Linking to authoritative and relevant sources strengthens E-E-A-T signals
- Showing your information sources transparently increases trustworthiness
- It creates an indirect relationship with the sites you link to (it can be a first step toward earning a backlink)
- It adds value for the user and improves the perceived quality of the content

A common myth says that “linking out leaks authority.” This is not true; modern Google works with quality signals, and meaningful external links do not lower rankings, but rather support them.

Things to pay attention to when giving external links:

- Do not link to spam or low-quality sites
- Add `rel="sponsored"` to links that contain ads or sponsorships
- Add `rel="ugc"` to links in user-generated content
- Add `rel="nofollow"` to links you do not trust

**Tip:** In your content, give external links to original sources for the data, statistics, and quotes you cite. This both improves editorial quality and creates an E-E-A-T signal.