P2Issue #17
Links - Pages with high external outlinks
❓ What does it mean?
What does it mean?
This issue occurs when a webpage contains too many external outbound links (links pointing to other domains).
Example:
<a href="https://example1.com">Example 1</a>
<a href="https://example2.com">Example 2</a>
<a href="https://example3.com">Example 3</a>
...
If a page excessively links out to other websites instead of strengthening internal links, it can negatively impact SEO and user experience.
🚨 Why is it important for SEO?
Why is it bad for SEO?
Loss of Link Equity → Excessive external links leak ranking power (PageRank) to other sites instead of boosting your own.
Lower Content Value → Pages that act like “link farms” may be seen as low quality or even spammy.
Poor User Experience → Too many outbound links distract users and may drive them away before engaging with your content.
Potential Trust Issues → Linking to irrelevant, low-quality, or spammy external sites can hurt your credibility.
✅ How to Fix It
How to Fix It
Limit the number of external outlinks per page (only link when it adds real value).
Prioritize internal links → Ensure your important pages are well interlinked first.
Use rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" for:
Paid links
Affiliate links
Untrusted sources
Example:
<a href="https://othersite.com" rel="nofollow">Affiliate Offer</a>
Audit your external links:
Remove broken or outdated links
Keep only authoritative and relevant sources
Balance internal vs. external linking → A healthy page usually has more internal links than external ones.
❌ Bad Example
📌 Example
❌ Bad (Too many external outlinks):
<p>Check these sites for more info:</p>
<a href="https://site1.com">Site 1</a>
<a href="https://site2.com">Site 2</a>
<a href="https://site3.com">Site 3</a>
<a href="https://site4.com">Site 4</a>
<a href="https://site5.com">Site 5</a>
Looks spammy
Passes link equity away
Distracts users from staying on your site
✅ Good Example
✅ Good (Balanced external linking):
<p>Learn more in this <a href="/detailed-guide">detailed guide</a> or from trusted sources like
<a href="https://developers.google.com/search/docs">Google Search Docs</a>.
</p>
Keeps user on-site with internal link
Provides 1 authoritative external link for trust
⚡ Result
⚡ Result
Preserved link equity → More SEO power stays within your site.
Improved trust & authority → Only linking to high-quality, relevant sources.
Better user engagement → Users explore your content before leaving to external sites.