What is link equity and why does it still matter in an AI landscape?

External and internal linking strategies have long been cornerstones of SEO work, but now many marketers are wondering if link equity still matters in today’s AI-driven search landscape.

In reality, link equity may be more critical than ever. It’s a confirmed ranking factor that can not only influence which pages rank in the standard search engine results, but also in high-visibility features like featured snippets or AI overviews. Link equity can directly impact your site’s ability to compete in zero-click search results. 

Read this guide to discover how link equity actually flows through your site, learn proven strategies to optimize its distribution, and avoid common mistakes that can tank your rankings during migrations or content updates.

Understanding link equity and why it still matters 

Link equity can play a critical role in influencing your visibility in search engines and may be essential in our new AI-driven and zero-click landscape. 

Sometimes called “link juice,” link equity is a confirmed ranking factor. The idea is that certain links can pass authority or value between pages. If a trusted site links to your page, search engines like Google may view that backlink as a signal of quality. 

As a result, link equity is a factor that can influence PageRank standing, which can help you show up higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). This may boost your pages’ visibility in:

• Standard search
• Featured snippets
• Google’s AI overviews
• Language-learning models (LLMs) and third-party AI tools

In addition to increased search visibility, link equity may offer these advantages: 

• Accelerates indexing and crawling: Pages with strong equity may get crawled more frequently, helping new content get discovered and indexed faster
• Increases referral traffic potential: Higher-authority pages are more likely to earn natural, high-quality backlinks from other authoritative websites that can drive more traffic
• Enhances topical authority signals: Strategic link equity across multiple sites can help search engines understand what topics your site has expertise in, which can improve visibility

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How link equity actually flows between pages 

Links on and to your site can either help or hurt your rankings  Knowing how equity actually transfers between pages lets you turn every internal link into a strategic ranking boost rather than wasted opportunity.

Page authority as the starting point

The linking page’s authority determines the total equity that’s available to the page it’s linking to. For example, a page that already has strong external backlinks and high search visibility has more equity to share than a newly created page with no inbound links. 

Link placement and context influence transfer

Links positioned in the main “content area” can transfer more equity than those buried in footers or sidebars, acting as a more potent vote of confidence. Google Search recognizes that editorial links within relevant content—like within a blog post or landing page copy—indicate stronger endorsements and more relevance than navigational or promotional links.

The surrounding content context matters significantly. A link about “technical SEO audits” embedded within a paragraph discussing site optimization, for example, carries more relevance signals than the “Contact Us” link in the site’s navigational menu at the top of the blog. 

Anchor text provides directional signals

Anchor text is the clickable text that leads users to another webpage, and Google uses the anchor text copy to establish context for the linked content. 

While exact-match anchor text isn’t required, descriptive anchor text helps search engines understand the destination page’s topic and purpose. This improves the quality of equity transfer for relevant keyword themes.

In the image below, “March 2025 core update” is a strong example of relevant anchor text for a post detailing a previous Google update. 

Varied anchor text patterns appear more natural and can help pages rank for broader keyword sets. A page about “link building strategies” benefits from anchors like “link building,” “earning backlinks,” and “outreach tactics.”

Crawlability enables equity flow

Search engines can only transfer equity through links they can discover and follow through crawling. Pages blocked by robots.txt, hidden behind JavaScript rendering issues, or requiring form submissions don’t receive equity from linking pages.

Internal links should use crawlable HTML structures, which are particularly easy for Google’s bots to navigate. And the more crawlable your site is, the better. 

External vs. internal equity dynamics

External links typically carry more weight per link (often correlating with the linking site’s authority), but internal links offer more control and scalability without veering into black-hat SEO strategy. A well-structured internal linking system can amplify the impact of external backlinks by distributing their equity strategically throughout your site.

The key is balance. Sites that rely solely on external links often have uneven authority distribution, while sites that only focus on internal linking may lack the foundational authority needed to compete effectively.

How redirects, nofollow, and canonicals affect link equity 

Technical SEO elements like redirects, nofollow links, and canonical tags can all impact link equity. Monitoring these elements—especially during site migrations or optimization processes—can be essential to maintain equity. 

Redirect equity preservation

301 redirects preserve the vast majority of link equity, making them the preferred choice for permanent URL changes. However, redirect chains—which are redirects that lead to other redirects—can dilute equity with each additional hop.

To preserve link equity when implementing redirects:

• Limit redirect chains to no more than two hops when possible
• Use 301 redirects for permanent moves, 302 for temporary changes
• Monitor redirect chains regularly and consolidate them into direct redirects
• Avoid redirecting to irrelevant or low-quality pages that waste transferred equity

Nofollow links and equity blocking

The rel=”nofollow” attribute instructs search engines not to follow a link or pass link equity. However, Google’s treatment of nofollow has evolved significantly.

Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a “hint” rather than a directive for crawling and indexing purposes. This means some nofollow links may still pass small amounts of equity, particularly when they appear in editorial content contexts.

Use nofollow links strategically to maximize positive link equity with these tactics:

• Reserve nofollow for truly untrusted or commercial links
• Don’t nofollow internal links unless you specifically want to prevent equity flow
• Avoid mass nofollowing as a “PageRank sculpting” tactic, as it’s generally ineffective
• Focus on creating valuable link targets rather than manipulating equity flow

Canonical tags and equity consolidation

Canonical tags can prevent equity dilution across multiple versions of the same content, such as different versions of a landing page. They work by consolidating equity from duplicate or similar pages onto a single preferred URL. This makes it easier on crawlers and users alike.

When implemented correctly, canonicals help search engines understand which page should receive ranking authority when multiple URLs have similar content. All equity from canonical variations flows to the preferred URL.

You can use canonical tags to: 

• Consolidate duplicate or similar content onto one preferred URL
• Point canonicals to the most comprehensive or user-friendly version of the content
• Add canonicals to paginated content and parameter-heavy URLs to designate the main page

Avoid these canonical tag mistakes to help you preserve your link equity: 

• Using self-referencing canonicals on every page when it’s not necessary 
• Pointing canonicals to irrelevant or significantly different pages
• Creating conflicting signals between canonicals and redirects
• Not adding canonicals on paginated content or parameter-heavy URLs

Shaping link equity with internal linking strategies

Strategic internal linking allows you to intentionally direct equity flow to your most important pages while creating clear topical relationships that search engines can understand. You can choose the anchor text, link to high-value resources, and develop content strategically.

Hub-and-spoke models for topic clusters

Topic clusters can boost your search visibility and link equity. This strategy works by concentrating internal linking on hub pages while ensuring spoke content ranks for long-tail keywords.

You can create comprehensive “hub” or “pillar” pages that cover broad topics, and then more detailed “spoke” pages that address specific subtopics. The hub page links to all relevant spokes, and the spokes link back to both the main hub and other related spokes when appropriate. 

For example, a retirement company might create a topic cluster around 401Ks. The hub might be “Understanding 401Ks.” Spoke topics might include:

• 401Ks for self-employment
• 401Ks annual contribution limits
• How 401K contributions impact your taxes
• When can I draw money from my 401K? 

This structure consolidates equity on hub pages while ensuring spokes receive sufficient authority to rank for long-tail keywords. Hub pages often perform well for competitive head terms, while spokes capture more specific search queries.

Link prioritization based on page importance

Prioritize links to pages that drive business value. Depending on your business objectives, these may include:

• Product pages
• Service descriptions
• High-converting and bottom-funnel content
• Pages targeting your most important keywords

Create a tiered linking strategy where your most important pages receive links from multiple high-authority internal sources. Secondary pages get fewer links, but should still get backlinks from related content or category pages.

While each business is different, this starting framework can help you prioritize high-value pages: 

• Tier 1: Homepage, main product/service pages, and key conversion pages
• Tier 2: Category pages, popular blog posts, “hub” content, and essential resource pages
• Tier 3: Individual blog posts, supporting content, and archived material

Automating vs. curating internal link placement

Automated internal linking—which uses software and plugins—can ensure consistent link distribution at scale, particularly for large sites with frequently updated content. However, curated linking often provides more strategic value and better user experience.

Automating internal linking can be beneficial for:

• Large content sites with hundreds or thousands of pages
• News sites or blogs with daily publishing schedules
• E-commerce sites with extensive product catalogs
• Sites where manual linking becomes resource-prohibitive

However, you should manually curate internal linking placement for:

• Small to medium sites where manual linking is feasible
• High-stakes pages requiring precise equity distribution
• Content clusters requiring complex topical relationships
• Situations where automated systems produce irrelevant or spammy links

Hybrid approaches often work best for many teams. You can use automation for baseline linking at scale while manually optimizing links for your most important content. It’s good to remember that at the end of the day, the goal is the same: use dofollow links to highlight quality content.

Common link equity mistakes that can tank your rankings

Building link equity can be relatively straightforward with the right strategies. However, a few simple and even easy-to-miss mistakes can derail your efforts quickly. 

Recognizing and avoiding these mistakes protects your rankings and improves overall site performance.

Overuse of nofollow attributes

Many sites unnecessarily use nofollow internal links, particularly in navigation menus, related content sections, or author bio areas. This prevents equity from flowing to important pages that could benefit from additional authority.

Outdated SEO advice originally suggested “PageRank sculpting” through selective nofollowing. Modern Google algorithms make this approach ineffective, as these tags are viewed as “hints.” Instead, it may just prevent your site from building page equity. 

Focus on creating valuable link destinations rather than restricting equity flow. If a page isn’t worth passing equity to, consider whether it should exist at all. And if you’re using nofollow links to try to block specific parts of your site, look at other methods like deindexing to do so. 

Site auditing tools can help you track your current nofollow links so you can make adjustments to your linking strategy if needed. 

Dead-end pages that waste equity

Pages with no outbound links create “equity sinks” where authority accumulates but doesn’t benefit other parts of your site. These pages miss opportunities to strengthen related content and improve overall site architecture.

Common dead-end pages include:

• Contact and about pages with no contextual links
• Product pages that don’t link to related items or resources
• Blog posts that don’t reference other relevant content
• Landing pages focused solely on conversion without supporting links

Consider adding contextual links to related resources, helpful content, or logical next steps for users. This improves both equity distribution and user experience.

For example, Slack’s pricing page has multiple modules that address key concerns like security, compliance, and other frequently asked questions. 

Each section includes links to high-value information, preventing dead-end pages and offering helpful resources for customers making purchasing decisions.

Keyword cannibalization diluting signals

Keyword cannibalization is when multiple pages on your site target identical or nearly-identical keywords that compete against each other. Doing so can confuse search engines about which page should rank, despite link equity. 

Check out your site analytics software to look for the following indications of keyword cannibalization:

• Multiple pages ranking for the same queries on different days
• Existing pages losing search rankings when related pages are published
• Similar pages appearing in search results for the same branded queries

Reduce the potential impact caused by keyword cannibalization by taking these steps: 

• Consolidate similar content onto single, comprehensive pages
• Use canonical tags to designate preferred pages or page versions
• Differentiate pages by targeting distinct keyword variations (long-tail keywords can be particularly valuable for this purpose)
• Create clear content hierarchies with hub-and-spoke structures

Redirect chains and loops

Complex redirect patterns can waste link equity and could slow page loading speeds, both of which can potentially hurt your SERP position. Each redirect in a chain can diminish the impact the final destination page could earn, costing you valuable equity. 

Common redirect problems that impact link equity may include: 

• HTTP to HTTPS redirects followed by www to non-www redirects
• Circular redirect loops, which may involve URLs redirecting to intermediate pages that redirect again
• Temporary redirects (302) used for permanent moves

You can avoid ineffective redirect chains and loops by using these tactics:

• Run redirect and site audits quarterly
• Implement direct redirects from old URLs to final destinations
• Use 301 redirects for permanent URL changes
• Document redirect logic to prevent accidental loops during site updates

Improper migration planning

Site migrations can result in massive equity loss when redirect strategies aren’t properly planned and executed, resulting in tons of broken links and lost link value. Severe equity loss can take months to recover from. 

Consider these migration planning steps to best protect your earned link equity: 

• Map all old URLs to appropriate new destinations before launch
• Preserve internal linking structures that were performing well
• Maintain URL structures when possible to minimize redirect requirements
• Test redirect implementation thoroughly before making changes live
• Monitor search performance closely for several months post-migration, watching for decreased performance or new technical issues.

Link equity in the age of AI Overviews, SGE, and zero-click search

We’re now living in the times of zero-click search. Users can ask Google or ChatGPT a question and get a simple answer back, without having to comb through search results. While seemingly convenient, it’s resulting in users consuming repurposed content without ever actually clicking.

Marketers are understandably wondering how this will impact their site traffic, and if link equity actually matters. 

And the answer is simple: Yes, link equity still matters because standard SEO best practices are still impacting which brands are appearing as sources in these search results.

AI overviews and LLM-based summarizers 

Google’s AI and third-party LLMs seem to value content from trusted, authoritative sites. Link equity is still likely an important metric in assessing quality and trustworthiness. 

While tracking your visibility in third-party LLM tools like ChatGPT isn’t easily possible because they’re black-box tools, there’s data that indicate visibility is happening and driving traffic when your content is cited as a source. 

Some SEOs, for example, are noting that while clicks to specific content pages are down, clicks to their home pages are up. They suspect that appearing in AI search results is the reason behind this trend. 

A May 2025 study from Siege Media analyzed 50 sites. They found that whole site clicks were down by 4.8%, but homepage clicks were up 10.7%. They suspected this was due to traffic coming from LLMs and AI tools, and noted that there were still conversion opportunities—especially when combined with SEO.  

Image source: Siege Media 

Keep in mind that while a zero-click world does change the game, it doesn’t eliminate the importance of SEO or link equity.  

AI overviews can create an opportunity for improved visibility for some brands. A 2024 study found that appearing in an AI overview could require as little as 13 referring domains, which is obtainable even for small brands. 

That said, ranking well organically using SEO best practices—including link building—is still a reliable path forward. A 2024 study found that sources cited in AI overviews match the top 10 organic search results 99.5% of the time. Practices like earning link equity can help you rank higher in all search results. 

Featured snippets 

An Ahrefs analysis of 2 million featured snippets found that 99.58% of featured snippet URLs also rank in the top 10 organic results. This data suggests that the same authority signals that drive organic rankings also influence snippet selection. Link equity, of course, is a confirmed ranking factor. 

The business impact can be substantial. Featured snippets can increase click-through rates by up to 114%, even when the snippet provides a complete answer. This suggests users still value visiting authoritative sources, making link equity investment worthwhile even in a zero-click environment.

Passage indexing 

Google’s passage indexing allows individual sections of content to rank independently, even when the overall page targets different keywords. This creates new opportunities for pages with strong link equity to capture additional search visibility.

The link equity connection appears significant: pages that earn contextual links from related content may be more likely to have their content featured. Building topical authority through strategic linking doesn’t just help main keyword rankings, it could unlock additional search opportunities through passage-level visibility based on what we know about other Google features like featured snippets and AI overviews.

Knowledge Graph inclusion

Google’s Knowledge Graph provides quick access to important information based on a customer’s search. If customers search for a brand name, for example, they might see the company’s logo, contact information, and a brief description. 

Since Google consistently seems to rely on the same indications of quality when prioritizing data sources, there’s a good chance that link equity can help you appear in relevant Knowledge Graphs, too. 

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Build equity strategically for sustainable rankings

Link equity remains fundamental to search success, even in light of new SGE and AI features. Search engines still rely on backlinks as an indication of quality, so their AI features will, too. 

The foundation for building stronger link equity includes these steps: 

• Focus on creating content worth linking to. Pages that consistently earn and retain strong rankings are those that provide genuine value to users and other content creators.
• Audit your current equity distribution. Run backlink and site audit tools to assess your current backlink portfolio. Identify pages you want to prioritize based on business importance.
• Think long-term with your optimization strategy. Small, consistent improvements to internal linking and content quality compound over time, creating sustainable competitive advantages that are difficult for competitors to replicate quickly.

Stay ahead of the latest technical SEO developments that complement strong link equity in our internal linking best practices guide.