Link Juice
An informal SEO term for the ranking value or trust that flows from one page to another through a hyperlink.
"Link juice" is an informal, widely used SEO term for the value or authority passed from one web page to another through a hyperlink. It's a simplification of how search engines like Google evaluate links as votes of confidence — a link from a well-established, relevant site passes more value than one from an obscure or unrelated site.
A few things that affect how link juice flows:
- The linking page's own authority — a link from a highly trusted page passes more value
- Relevance — a link from a topically related site tends to count for more than one from an unrelated niche
- The number of other links on that page — link value is generally divided among all the outbound links on a page
- The
rel="nofollow"orrel="sponsored"attribute — these tell search engines not to pass ranking credit through that particular link
Why it matters
Understanding link juice is why internal linking matters just as much as external backlinks — linking from your strongest, most-visited pages to newer or weaker ones on your own site helps spread authority around rather than letting it sit unused on a single page.
What Affects Link Value
| Factor | Effect on Value Passed |
|---|---|
| Linking page's authority | Higher authority passes more value |
| Topical relevance | Related-topic links tend to count more |
| Number of outbound links on that page | Value is generally divided among all links |
| nofollow / sponsored attribute | Reduces or removes passed ranking credit |
Common Misconceptions
- Thinking every link passes an equal amount of value — a link's strength depends heavily on the linking page's own authority and relevance.
- Assuming nofollow links pass zero value in every case — Google has said it can still use nofollow links as a signal in some contexts, even though they don't pass full ranking credit.
Use Cases
- Deciding which of your own high-authority pages should link to a newer page you want to help rank faster.
- Prioritizing which external sites to pursue for backlinks based on the value they're likely to pass.
- Auditing internal link structure to make sure important pages aren't accidentally starved of internal links.
Real-World Examples
Best Practices
- Link from your strongest, most-visited pages to newer or weaker pages you want to help rank.
- Avoid diluting a page's link value across dozens of low-priority outbound links.
- Focus backlink efforts on relevant, trustworthy sites rather than volume alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is link juice a term Google uses officially?
No — it's informal industry shorthand SEOs use; Google doesn't use this specific term in its own documentation.
Do nofollow links have zero value?
Not necessarily zero — Google has said it may still use nofollow links as a signal in aggregate, even though they don't pass the same ranking credit as followed links.
Can internal links pass link juice?
Yes — internal linking is one of the most direct ways to redistribute authority across your own site.
Want this handled for you, not just explained?
Big Hunt Digital runs the SEO, AI SEO, and paid campaigns behind these terms every day.
Get a Free Audit ↗