Are External Links Important for SEO?

Summary

This video script emphasizes the importance of incorporating external links into your website for SEO purposes. It highlights the need to link to high-authority websites to maintain a natural and relevant online presence. The speaker illustrates this with an example of linking to SamCart through an affiliate link in a blog post. They also discuss the use of 'nofollow' and 'noindex' tags to manage link value and prevent link juice dilution, while stressing the importance of external linking for user benefit and demonstrating to Google that the site is diverse in its linking strategy.

Takeaways

• 🔗 External links are important for SEO as they add naturalness and relevance to a website's content.
• 🌐 Linking to high authority websites is crucial from an SEO perspective, as it enhances the site's credibility.
• 🔒 Including external links does not necessarily drive people away; it's about linking out where it's relevant and appropriate.
• 📚 The speaker uses a 'same rush tutorial' as an example of relevant external linking within a blog post.
• 🛑 No follow tags can be used on external links to prevent the passing of link value to other websites.
• 🚀 Google bots appreciate external links as they show the site is part of the broader web, not just an isolated resource.
• ❌ Using no index tags on external links can prevent search engines from indexing those linked pages.
• 🔑 Linking out to authoritative sources like Google, YouTube, and SEMrush can demonstrate the site's comprehensiveness.
• 💰 Utilizing affiliate links for external linking can provide additional benefits like earning commissions.
• 🎯 The script emphasizes the importance of on-page SEO, suggesting a balanced approach to internal and external linking.
• 📈 There is no fixed number of external links required; the focus should be on relevance and appropriateness.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the video script?

The main topic discussed in the video script is the importance of adding external links to a website from an SEO perspective, and how to do it naturally and relevantly.

Why is it important to include external links on a webpage for SEO?

Including external links on a webpage is important for SEO because it helps to make the site look natural, relevant, and authoritative by linking out to high-authority websites.

What is the concern about adding external links to a website?

The concern is that adding external links might drive people away from the website, which is why it should not be done on a massive scale.

Can external links be used to link to affiliate programs?

Yes, the script mentions using external links to affiliate programs like SamCart, which can be beneficial for both SEO and earning commissions.

What is the role of 'no follow' and 'no index' tags in external linking?

The 'no follow' and 'no index' tags are used to prevent passing link value to the websites being linked to and to avoid draining link juice, respectively.

What are some examples of high-authority websites to link to according to the script?

Examples of high-authority websites to link to include Google, YouTube, and SEMrush, as they are seen as authoritative online.

How does linking out to authority websites benefit the user experience?

Linking out to authority websites benefits the user experience by providing them with access to relevant and authoritative content, enhancing the value of the original webpage.

What is the purpose of using affiliate links when linking out to external websites?

The purpose of using affiliate links is to potentially earn commissions when users follow the link and make purchases or take actions on the external website.

Is there a specific number of external links that should be included on a webpage?

No, there is no specific number of external links that should be included. It should be done where it is appropriate and possible.

How does external linking affect the perception of a website by search engines like Google?

External linking can positively affect the perception of a website by search engines by showing that it is not just a 'one trick pony' and that it provides value by linking to diverse and relevant content.

What is the final advice given in the script regarding external linking for on-page SEO?

The final advice is to include external links where appropriate and possible, ensuring that the webpage does not only contain internal links, to enhance on-page SEO.