What Is an External Link?
An external link is a hyperlink on one website that takes you to a page on a different website. When you click it, your browser opens another site with more information.
Definition
An external link is a link from one domain to another domain. It connects two separate websites. The link can be normal text, a button, or an image you can click.
Why External Links Matter
- Help readers External links guide people to trusted sources for more details, tools, or examples.
- Build trust When you link to strong and honest sites, it shows you did research and care about quality.
- SEO benefits Search engines use external links to understand what your page is about and who you trust.
- Web connections External links help create a network of websites, which makes the web easier to explore.
How External Links Work
On a page, an external link is created with HTML using the a tag and a URL that leads to another site. When users click the link, the browser follows the URL and loads that other site. Search engines follow these links too, to discover new pages and to see how websites are related.
External Link vs Related Terms
- External link vs internal link An external link goes to a different website. An internal link stays inside the same website or domain.
- External link vs backlink An external link is any link going from your site to another site. A backlink is an external link that points to your site from another site.
- External link vs outgoing link Outgoing link is another name for an external link that leaves your site.
Example of an External Link
Imagine you write a blog post about healthy eating and you mention vitamin facts. You add a link that sends people to an official health organization website with a detailed vitamin chart. That click takes users from your blog to the health organization site. This link is an external link.
FAQs
Are external links good for SEO
Yes. Linking to high quality, relevant websites can help search engines see your content as useful and well supported.
Can too many external links hurt my site
If you link to spammy, unsafe, or unrelated sites, it can harm trust. But a normal number of helpful, relevant external links is usually fine.
Should external links open in a new tab
Many sites choose to open external links in a new tab so visitors do not lose their place. This is a design choice, not a strict rule.
Do I need permission to add an external link
In most cases, no. You can link to public pages. Just do not copy protected content and always link to honest and legal websites.
