Link Equity
Definition
Link Equity is an informal SEO term for the value that internal or external links can pass on to other pages.
Search engines do not publish a metric called “Link Equity.” Historically, PageRank describes how link structures distribute authority signals; modern rankings use many more signals.
Simply explained
How trust or importance is passed via references on the web – without there being a visible official score for it.
Why it matters in practice
Relevant for internal linking and information architecture.
Example from business
A knowledge page sensibly links to central performance and glossary pages instead of distributing links arbitrarily.
Limits and pitfalls
- Portraying Link Equity as a Google metric; equating PageRank 1:1 with ranking; building artificial links.
Origin & history
The term originated in SEO practice; mathematical link evaluation became known through PageRank and related methods.
Use in mid-sized companies
- Possible application in SMEs: Structure internal links semantically meaningful and crawlable.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official Link Equity value at Google?
No. Are more links always better? No.
Sources
- The PageRank Citation Ranking · Page et al., The PageRank Citation Ranking
Sources checked on 10.10.2026.
Editorially reviewed on: