The Link Equity Secrets Everyone’s Using to Rank

If you’ve ever Googled “what is link equity in seo” or wondered “what is link juice in seo,” you’re asking the right questions. 

Link equity, also known as link juice, is one of the most powerful ranking signals in SEO. It’s the secret sauce that helps pages to appear at the upmost of search engine results pages (SERPs).

In this post, we break down the concept of link equity and link juice, explain what is link equity (and what is link equity in seo), explore what is link juice (and what is link juice in seo), and reveal the strategies top marketers are using to harness it for higher rankings.

What is link equity?

Link equity (also often called link juice) is the value or authority one web page passes to another via a hyperlink. In SEO, every incoming link is like an endorsement from site A to site B. That endorsement sends authority, or equity to help Google and other search engines assess the linked page’s relevance and trustworthiness.

What is link equity in SEO?

In SEO, link equity is the hidden currency that influences rankings. Pages that receive high‑equity backlinks, especially from authoritative domains, have more chances to rank higher for competitive keywords. Every link signals relevance, but not all links carry the same weight.

Not to be confused: what is link juice in SEO?

Answer: it’s the same thing as link equity, just a more informal way to describe it. 

Link Equity vs Link Juice

Image 1. Spiderman meme showing uncanny resemblance between link equity & link juice

Yes, link juice is simply a nickname for link equity. Both refer to the same flow of authority via hyperlinks. While “link equity” sounds more technical, “link juice” is the catchy, conversational term often sprinkled into guides.

Why mention both? Because SEO‑friendly blog writing benefits from using all relevant keyword variants:

Why Link Equity Is So Important for SEO

Link equity in SEO means the value that a link passes from one page to another.

When good websites link to your page, Google sees it as a thumbs-up. The more quality links you get, the more trust your page earns. This helps your page move up in Google search results.

Benefits include:

• Improved domain authority and trust signals
• Better keyword ranking potential
• More organic search visibility and click‑through traffic
• Stronger topical relevance when links come from contextually related sources.

The Key Factors That Determine How Much Equity a Link Passes

Image 2. Illustration showing key factors affecting link equity

1. Authority of the page or website: If a well-known website links to your page, it makes your page look worthy of being ranked at the top. It’s kind of like a thumbs-up from someone important. Some tools, like Moz and Ahrefs, give websites a score to show how strong or trusted they are. The higher the score, the more helpful the link is.
2. Relevance: Links from websites that talk about the same topic as yours are more useful. For example, if a food blog links to your recipe site, that’s better than getting a link from a tech blog.
3. Number of outgoing links: the more links on the source page, the thinner the “juice” per link.
4. Anchor text relevance: optimized anchor text helps Google understand context and boosts SEO impact, but over‑optimization can be penalized.
5. Link position: Links within body content carry more than footer/sidebar links.
6. Follow vs nofollow: only follow links pass equity. Nofollowed links don’t, though they can still bring referral traffic and brand exposure.
7. Crawlability and HTTP status: If the linking page is blocked (robots.txt) or uses rel=”nofollow” or redirects improperly, equity may not flow.

How to Acquire Link Juice (i.e. Link Equity) the Right Way

There are two main strategies: external and internal.

a) External Link Building to Earn Equity

• Guest posting on high‑authority, topically relevant websites gives powerful contextual links.
• Infographics, resource pages, and outreach – unique, useful content attracts editorial links from credible domains naturally.
• Avoid black‑hat tactics like link farms, paid link schemes, and spammy directories. These can trigger Google penalties via Penguin and other updates.

b) Internal Link Equity Flow

• Use internal linking to funnel equity from your highest-authority pages to key pages (like cornerstone content or conversion pages).
• Structure topic clusters with logical internal links to maximize authority distribution.
• Fix broken/mislinked pages to avoid losing equity via 404s or redirect chains.

Strategic Link Equity Tactics You Need to Know

A. Internal PageRank Sculpting with Intentional Internal Links

Once high-authority external backlinks arrive, don’t waste that link juice. Use internal linking to funnel link equity to conversion-focused or target pages. Build topic clusters, pillar pages linking to related posts. This reduces link depth and improves crawl efficiency.

Ensure anchor text is relevant and descriptive, this subtly boosts contextual signals. But don’t over‑optimize anchors; balance is key.

B. Maximize Contextual Placement

Links embedded in main body content, especially near the top of text, carry more authority than footer/sidebar links. Contextual links are considered more editorial and valuable.

C. Prune Excess Outgoing Links

Pages with too many outbound links dilute equity per link. When linking out, remove unnecessary links or use nofollow for low‑value destinations to preserve more equity for high‑value internal connections.

D. Monitor HTTP Status and Redirections

Make sure the linking page and your target page are crawlable, indexable, and not blocked by robots.txt. Avoid redirect chains, ensure that when your page moves, its inbound links redirect cleanly to maintain equity.

E. Leverage Dynamic Linkable Assets

Create standout content that naturally earns links, original research, tools, infographics, or long-form guides. These assets attract quality backlinks and powerful link equity.

Pitfalls and Mistakes That Drain Link Juice

1. Ignoring Low-Quality or Spammy Referrals

Receiving many poor backlinks can harm more than help, search engines may devalue or penalize your site. A high ratio of low-authority or irrelevant links can dilute overall equity and trigger algorithmic filters.

2. Broken Links & Orphan Content

Links that lead to 404s or long redirect chains fail to pass link equity. Fix broken inbound links and ensure all pages are accessible to benefit from equity flow.

3. Poor Anchor Text Diversity

Overusing exact‑match or keyword‑rich anchors may look manipulative and invite penalties. Instead, vary syntax and include branded or generic anchor text to preserve a natural profile.

8. Measuring and Modeling Link Equity Flow

Use SEO tools like Ahrefs, Moz, SEMrush, and Market Brew to audit:

• Domain/Page authority
• Anchor text profiles
• Link placement and relevance
• Link depth across pages
• Such tools help you map where equity flows and where gaps or bottlenecks exist.

Track changes over time, how new inbound links affect internal page rankings and traffic, to adjust strategies.

The Big Question: Is Buying Backlinks Illegal?

What does “illegal” even mean here?

Buying backlinks is not illegal in the legal sense. No government law typically prohibits paying for a link. But it violates Google’s Webmaster Guidelines, and penalties can hurt your SEO dramatically.

Google’s Official Stance

Google clearly states that purchasing links that pass PageRank is a manipulative link scheme and is disallowed. To remain compliant, any paid or sponsored link must use rel=”nofollow” or rel=”sponsored” tags. Links without these risk devaluation or manual action.

Penalties and Risks

If detected, Google can:

• Algorithmically ignore or discount these links
• Issue manual actions that reduce rankings
• Even remove the site from index in severe cases
• Recovery may require disavow files, link audits, and reconsideration requests.

Are there safe ways to pay for links?

If paid links are clearly marked with nofollow or sponsored attributes, they do not pass link equity, so they’re safer, but offer low to no ranking benefit. They may still provide referral traffic, though.

Why Some SEOs Still Buy Backlinks

Despite risks, some site owners opt to pay for links because it’s faster than earning them. However:

• It offers short-term gains
• Often from low-quality sources
• Google’s Penguin updates and pattern detection reduce their effectiveness over time.

Ethical Alternatives to Buying Backlinks

Rather than risking penalties, implement white‑hat link building:

1. Guest blogging on reputable, relevant sites
2. Broken‑link outreach, offer your content as a replacement for dead links
3. Digital PR and data‑driven campaigns (e.g. surveys, niche research)
4. Resource pages and expert roundups
5. Relationship-based outreach and influencer collaborations
6. All strategies focus on earning link equity rather than buying it.

Reclaim & Reallocate Lost Link Equity

Even if your site has earned significant link equity in SEO, improper structure or broken redirects can waste it. Search Engine Land outlines three effective steps: 

1. Redirect old URL paths, 301‑redirect old pages (especially 404s) to live equivalents to reclaim lost link juice.
2. Audit .htaccess redirects, replace 302s with 301s, eliminate unnecessary redirect chains.
3. Fix internal 301 redirects, point internal links directly to target pages to ensure maximum equity flow.

Fixing these issues can unlock previously unused authority and improve crawl efficiency.

Optimize Internal Linking: The Secret Sauce of Link Equity

Internal linking is often under-utilized but capable of dramatically enhancing link equity distribution internally. Search Engine Land calls internal links the “secret sauce,” as they funnel equity from informational, external-linked pages to conversion-focused pages like product or pillar posts.  

Key Practices:

Use link text (anchor text) that clearly tells what the linked page is about. Don’t use the same keywords too often, and change the wording a bit each time to keep it natural.

• Ensure every important page is linked from somewhere. Orphan content is equity left on the table.
• Follow strategies based on search-volume goals:
  • Link heavily to the homepage for high-volume targets.
  • Use medium-tail anchor text from category posts to mid-level pages.
  • Bottom-level pages should interlink naturally if they serve low-volume, niche searches.

Canonicalization & URL Hygiene: Quiet But Crucial

Subtle technical issues such as inconsistent trailing slashes, duplicate URLs, or absent canonical tags can fragment link equity and harm SEO. Search Engine Land emphasizes the importance of canonicalization best practices.([turn0search11]turn0search11)

• Use 301 redirects consistently between URL versions (e.g. with vs without trailing slash).
• Choose one canonical format and enforce it site-wide.
• Set canonical tags to the preferred URL to remove ambiguity for crawlers.

These actions consolidate link equity, which could otherwise be distributed across multiple duplicates.

Strategic Outgoing Links: Less Is Sometimes More

While outbound linking isn’t a direct ranking factor, choosing where to link still matters. Search Engine Land highlights two viewpoints. One is hoarding link equity (minimal outgoing links); another is connecting authentically to trusted sources.

Avoid:

• Reciprocal link schemes or unnatural link exchanges (google considers these “link schemes” and may penalize your site).
• Linking to spammy, low‑quality “link neighborhoods” that damage trust.

When linking outbound, focus on relevance, authority, and user value. Use rel=”nofollow”, ugc, or sponsored appropriately for paid or user-generated content to avoid passing unfair equity.

Sustainable vs. Temporary Link Equity Gains

Not all link strategies are equally durable. Some sites exist in a “link equity sweet spot”, where their niche or longevity means even minimal link building keeps them ranking. But most sites require ongoing link equity acquisition to stay competitive, especially in saturated verticals.

Revise equity flow over time. If growth stalls, it may be time to pivot strategy, from broad lobbying to granular asset-focused outreach.

Tiered Link Structures & Layered Strategy

Power users often implement tiered link-building, though carefully:

• Tier 1: High-quality external links to “linkable assets” (guides, infographics, research).
• Tier 2: Internal links to redirect equity to target conversion pages.
• Tier 3: Supplementary content linking to Tier 1 pages to reinforce topical relevance.

This layered approach ensures equity starts strong and magnifies through intelligent structuring, without violating policies or using spam methods.

Real‑World Example: The Power of Internal Links

Search Engine Land provides a case: a product/service page saw a major surge in organic traffic after just two internal links were added from the site’s top-linked pages, even before earning any external links.  

This exemplifies how internal linking, when aligned with link equity flow, can move the needle fast, even while broader link acquisition campaigns are underway.

Measurement: Modeling Link Equity Flow Over Time

Track performance with tools like Ahrefs, Moz, SEMrush, Market Brew, Sitebulb, or DeepCrawl. These tools help you audit:

• Incoming link authority and relevance
• Anchor text distribution
• Internal link structure, depth, and equity bottlenecks 
• Redirect or canonicalization issues

With periodic audits, you can spot lagging pages, broken chains, or internal linking gaps before they dilute total link equity.

AI‑Friendly Tips: Structuring for Crawlers and LLMs

As search evolves and AI becomes more central to discovery and summarization:

• Use clear site architecture, topic clusters, and descriptive anchor text.
• Make your internal linking semantic, use context‑rich sentences rather than generic “click here”.
• Highlight cornerstone content and use schema markup to signal importance.
• These steps help both crawlers and AI models interpret link equity and relevance more accurately.

Final Thoughts: Planning for Tomorrow’s Link Equity Landscape

In today’s SEO environment:

• Link equity (aka link juice) remains a fundamental ranking factor, but it’s not static.
• Proper internal linking, technical hygiene (redirects, canonicals), and asset-driven external acquisition are your best defenses.
• Buying backlinks might offer short-term traction, but it risks severe SEO setbacks if detected. Instead, invest time in evergreen content, relationship-based outreach, and a layered internal + external strategy.

If you’re looking for link building services, Wildnet Technologies is the answer. With 19+ years of experience, we’ve crafted solutions for businesses of all sizes. So, why wait? Connect now. 

FAQs

What is link equity and how does it work?

Link equity is the value or authority passed from one web page to another through a hyperlink. When Page A links to Page B, it transfers some of its trust and ranking power to Page B, helping Page B rank better in search results. 

Are link equity and PageRank the same thing?

Not exactly. PageRank is an early Google algorithm that estimates a page’s importance based on links. Link equity is a broader practical term that refers to the value a link passes, rooted in PageRank but not identical. 

Do all types of links pass link equity?

No. Only dofollow links pass equity. Nofollow and sponsored links tell search engines not to pass value. Links in comments or many social media posts are often nofollow and don’t help SEO. 

Why does the authority of a linking site matter?

Links from high-authority, trusted domains pass more value. SEO tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or SEMrush measure this with scores like Domain Authority (DA) or URL Rating (UR), and higher scores mean stronger equity. 

How does link relevance impact link equity?

A link from a site that’s topically related to yours is more valuable than one from an unrelated niche. For example, a cooking blog linking to a recipe site passes more link equity than a random unrelated website. 

Does link placement on the page matter?

Yes links embedded in the main body (contextual links) carry more weight than those in footers, sidebars, or navigation areas. Contextual links are seen as more natural and relevant. 

Can too many outgoing links dilute link equity?

Yes. The more links a page has, the thinner the value each link passes. If Page A links to B, C, D, E, and F, its equity is divided among all of them, so each receives less value. 

Will multiple links from the same domain give me more equity?

Not much. The first link carries most of the authority; subsequent links from the same domain generally pass less value, especially if they’re on the same page.

Do internal links also pass equity?

Absolutely. Internal links within your own site can pass link equity to other pages, like from popular pages to newer or less-discovered ones. A smart internal linking structure helps distribute authority throughout your site.

How can I improve link equity for my site?

Some effective strategies include:

• Earning links from high-authority, relevant external websites.
• Using descriptive and relevant anchor text.
• Building a strong internal linking structure (hub‑and‑spoke models).
• Removing low-quality or broken links.
• Avoiding link schemes and over-optimized anchor text. 

Read More:

• How to Build Backlinks for SEO Success?
• Do Outbound Links Help SEO? A Complete Guide to Boosting Your Rankings
• Difference Between Internal And External Linking In Html