Welcome to Part 2 of my series on relevance versus authority in link building. In this series, I’m sharing expert opinions from around the SEO industry. The question I asked these experts was:
“All other metrics being equal, would you rather have a high-authority link with lower relevance or a highly relevant link with low authority?”
In Part 1, I shared answers from those who opted for a highly relevant link over a high-authority link, highlighting their excellent points about the merits of relevance.
However, a fair number of respondents also made a case for authority, which I will share here. This exploration with industry experts shows that there are valid points on both sides.
Expert Opinions: Authority
Below are the opinions that favored authority.
Authority Links Impact Search More
Some experts argued that high-authority links have a significant impact on search.
“As far as I’ve seen, I’d prefer a high-authority, low-relevance link over a high-relevance, low-authority link, assuming the latter doesn’t provide additional value that outweighs pure link authority (like direct conversions). Google may adjust its algorithms in the future, but for now, high authority seems more effective.” — Ross Hudgens, Siege Media
“Oof, tough question. Definitely a peanut butter-and-chocolate situation, but if I had to choose, most of the time I’d go with the authoritative link. In a competitive space, ranking without authority is challenging, regardless of the relevance of other links. I can compensate for relevance issues through keyword optimization, internal links, etc.” — Paul May, BuzzStream
“Relevance and authority are both important, and assessing a link’s value is difficult without considering both. I usually consider the ‘ratio’ between them when determining a link’s value.
Still, if I had to choose one, I’d lean toward authority. With highly authoritative links, you rely heavily on your on-page optimization to guide search engines on what your page should rank for. But if that’s in check, such links can be significantly beneficial.
That said, there comes a point where a link can be so irrelevant that, despite its high authority, you’d be better off pursuing less authoritative yet more relevant links. The balance between the two should guide your valuation of a link.” — Nash Ricci, Page One Power
“This is a complex question. The authority of a link is crucial, but so is its relevance. Ideally, links should have both authority and relevance. I wouldn’t prioritize something unless both criteria are met.
… if the origin page scores at least 50/100 on a hypothetical relevance scale and has numerous links, I’d probably favor that over a page that hasn’t been linked much but rates 100/100 on relevance.” — Paul Shapiro, Search Wilderness
“Can I have them both? Depending on my goals, I typically prefer a link from a high-authority site, even if less relevant. This is because I can more easily obtain other lower-authority links, but a high-authority site link could offer long-term advantages.” — Casie Gillette, KoMarketing
Larger Audiences and More Exposure
Experts also highlighted the benefits of greater audiences and visibility through high-authority links.
“What a question. Can we have both, or option C—a variety of links from different sources? I’d choose option C. Lacking that, I’d lean toward high authority/less relevance for one reason: more exposure. Higher authority often means more site traffic, leading to more visibility and self-generated links. More links require less work, freeing up valuable time.” — Wayne Barker, Boom Online Marketing
“I’m unsure if all else can ever be truly equal, but made equal, I’d prefer the higher-authority link. This suggests my content has cleared a higher editorial bar, increasing potential for further links. It also often leads to additional links from niche sites due to visibility from appearing on a major site.” — Will Critchlow, Distilled
Authority Links Build Credibility
Authority links boost credibility, presenting your brand as a leader in your field.
“My choice is a high-authority link with lower relevance, and here’s why.
In my academic industry role, I meet true authorities who don’t concern themselves with manipulating search engines. Their focus is on study, publishing, and knowledge updates.
Their content might not always be relevant to a current search query, but when it is, I know its value. Like Eric Ward and Garrett French, successful link builders know where to go.
Besides, search engines primarily measure popularity, not true authority.
I choose authority over popularity every time, preferring quality over quantity.” — Shari Thurow, Omni Marketing Interactive
Final Thoughts
That concludes the insights from experts who preferred authority over relevance.
- Total respondents who chose authority: 8
- Total respondents who chose relevance: 13
In Part 3, I’ll share responses from experts who believe the choice depends on specific situations.
