What is an External Link? (+ How to Use Them Effectively)

Last Updated August 17, 2024

Have you ever clicked a link on a website and ended up on another site? We’ve all done that, right? That’s called an external link.

An external link is when you include a link in your blog post that directs readers to another website, blog post, video, or any external resource.

External links are incredibly useful for bloggers. They provide additional value to your readers by pointing them to resources where they can learn more about a topic, especially if you don’t have room to fully expand on it within your post. Search engines like Google also love external links to authoritative websites – their algorithms take this into account when evaluating your content’s authority.

The Benefits of Using External Links

Using external links on your blog offers several advantages:

1. Increased Authority: By linking to reputable, high-quality websites, you demonstrate your blog’s authority and credibility in your niche.

2. Better User Experience: External links give your readers easy access to additional information, enhancing their overall experience on your blog.

3. Search Engine Optimization: Search engines favor content that links to authoritative sources, potentially boosting your search rankings.

How to Use External Links Effectively

While external links are beneficial, it’s important to use them strategically. Here are some tips:

Link to Relevant, High-Quality Sources: Make sure the websites you link to are trustworthy, informative, and directly relevant to the topic at hand.
Avoid Linking to Direct Competitors: If you’re trying to rank for a specific keyword or topic, don’t link out to a competitor’s content that directly competes with yours.
Use Descriptive Anchor Text: Instead of using generic phrases like “click here,” craft descriptive anchor text that accurately represents the linked content.
Open Links in a New Tab or Window: This ensures that readers can easily return to your blog after visiting the external link.

Conclusion

External links are a powerful tool for bloggers. They enhance the user experience, establish your authority, and can even boost your search engine rankings.

However, it’s crucial to use them judiciously, linking only to high-quality, relevant sources while avoiding direct competitors. By striking the right balance, external links can take your blog to new heights.

What is an external link, and how is it different from an internal link?

An external link is a link on your site that sends readers to a different website. It helps you point to helpful sources, tools, or examples that live outside your blog.

An internal link sends readers to another page on your own website. Internal links help people discover more of your content and help search engines understand your site structure.

A good post often uses both. If you want to learn the difference and why it matters, see this glossary guide on internal linking for blogs.

Do external links help SEO, or can they hurt my rankings?

External links can help SEO when you use them to cite trustworthy, relevant sources. They can make your content feel more helpful and well researched, which can build trust with readers and search engines.

They can hurt you if you link to low quality sites, spam, or pages that are not related to your topic. Linking out to direct competitors for the same keyword can also make it harder to keep readers on your page and show your unique value.

Think of external links like citations in a school paper. Use them to support key points, define terms, or send readers to a deeper explanation when you do not want to cover everything in your post.

If you want to understand how link value works at a basic level, this guide on how PageRank works is a good starting point.

Should I open external links in a new tab?

Opening external links in a new tab can help readers come back to your post easily. It reduces the chance they get “lost” after they visit the other site.

This is especially useful when you link to long resources like research studies, videos, or big guides. Readers can check the source, then return to finish your article.

Still, focus first on making the link worth clicking. Choose sources that are highly relevant and use clear anchor text that explains what the reader will get.

When should I use nofollow on external links?

Use nofollow when you do not want to pass SEO value to the other page. This is common for paid links, affiliate links, sponsored posts, or any link you do not fully want to “vouch for.”

For normal citations to trusted sites, many bloggers use regular links. The key is to link naturally, and only to pages you believe are helpful and credible.

If you are unsure, learn the basics first and keep your approach consistent across your site. Here is a simple definition of nofollow links and when to use them.

How many external links should I include in a blog post?

There is no perfect number of external links for every post. A good rule is to include only as many as you need to support your points and help the reader take the next step.

For a short post, 1 to 3 high quality external links is often enough. For a longer guide, you might include more, as long as each link is truly relevant and not distracting.

Focus on quality over quantity. Use descriptive anchor text, avoid linking to direct competitors, and make sure every external link adds real value to the reader.

How can RightBlogger help me use external links the right way?

RightBlogger can help you create content that makes smart use of sources and links without slowing down your workflow. When you are drafting posts, you can plan where a citation or extra resource would genuinely help the reader.

After publishing, you can review your on page SEO and spot gaps, like missing citations or places where a supporting link could improve trust. This is easier when you have a repeatable process, like using RightBlogger SEO Reports to check key pages.

You can also speed up content creation while keeping quality high. If you want help drafting clearer sections that naturally include helpful references, try the RightBlogger AI Article Writer and then add only the external links that strengthen your main points.