What is Link Equity? Definition & SEO Guide
Definition
Link equity — historically nicknamed "link juice" — is the ranking value that flows from one page to another through a hyperlink. Originating in Google's PageRank algorithm, the concept holds that each linked page transfers some authority to its destination, helping it rank for relevant queries.
How link equity flows
- Pass-through — followed links transmit equity; nofollow links do so much less, if at all.
- Distribution — equity is divided among the links on the linking page; pages with hundreds of links pass less per link.
- Decay through redirects — each redirect hop historically lost a small amount of equity; modern Google passes most of it through 301s, but minimizing chains is still best practice.
- Lost via 404 — when an inbound link points to a 404, all of its equity is lost.
How to preserve link equity
- Use 301 redirects when removing or moving pages — never let a linked URL 404.
- Avoid redirect chains — chain hops dilute speed and trust.
- Maintain strong internal linking from authoritative pages to the pages you want to rank.
- Run a broken link scan regularly to catch leaks before they hurt rankings.
Link equity is the most precious resource you accumulate over years of content and outreach. Audit your redirects and broken links — that's where it leaks fastest.
Related terms
301 Redirect
The permanent redirect that preserves link equity and guides users.
Broken Link
A hyperlink that no longer leads to its intended destination.
Redirect Chain
Multiple redirects in sequence that slow down pages and dilute SEO value.
nofollow
The link attribute that tells search engines not to pass ranking signals.
Internal Link
Links between pages on the same domain — the backbone of site structure.
404 Error
What happens when a page can't be found — and how it affects SEO.