In Google’s inaugural episode of the #AskGoogleWebmasters series on their YouTube channel, Webmaster Trends Analyst John Mueller discussed the impact of linking out on SEO.
"Does linking to other websites help or hurt SEO?" Mueller explained that links assist users in discovering more about a topic and verifying sources. He also warned about link schemes, links in advertisements, and user-generated content, advising the use of the rel=“nofollow” attribute in those cases.
Why it matters: Links are a vital part of SEO, and outbound link quality should be considered as important as inbound link quality. Are your links beneficial to your audience? Do they lead to reputable sources? These should be your objectives, as they enhance user experience without damaging your optimization efforts. Essentially, be mindful of where and how you link.
Learn more about link building: The first #AskGoogleWebmasters episode touched on the basics, but there’s a lot more to explore about links. Here are some topics to further your understanding:
- Is link building dead? It depends on who you ask
- How to choose the best content format for link building
- Beware of shady link schemes from black-hat SEOs
- Link-building tools you may not know about
- Building links in less exciting industries
