What Are External Links & How to Add External Links in HTML

External links connect your content to the wider web. A good one points readers to a source, a tool or a deeper explanation, and shows that your claims are backed up. In this article, we explain what external links are, why they matter, and how to add them in HTML correctly, including the right rel values.

What Are External Links?

1. Definition:

• External links, also called outbound links, are links on your website that point to a page on a different domain. For example, a link from your blog post to a Google Search Central help page is an external link.
• They are the opposite of internal links, which point to other pages on your own site, and different from backlinks, which are links from other sites to yours.

2. Types of External Links:

• Editorial Links: Links you add because they help the reader, such as citing a source, recommending a tool or pointing to official guidance. These need no special attribute.
• Sponsored and Affiliate Links: Links that exist because of payment, a free product or a commission. Google asks you to mark these with rel="sponsored".
• User-Generated Links: Links that visitors add in comments, reviews or forum posts. Google recommends rel="ugc" for these.
• Untrusted Links: Links you need to include but don't want to vouch for. Use rel="nofollow" when the other values don't fit.

Importance of External Links

1. Enhanced User Experience: External links give readers extra resources, evidence and next steps. They make your page more useful, not less.

2. Trust and Credibility: Google's link best practices note that linking to other sites can help establish trustworthiness, for example by citing your sources. Linking out is not a direct ranking boost, but well-sourced content is easier for readers to trust.

3. Building Relationships: When you cite someone's research or tool, they may notice and share your content. Keep it genuine: Google's spam policies treat excessive "link to me and I'll link to you" exchanges as link spam.

4. Context for Search Engines: Links to relevant, reputable pages help show what your content is about and which sources it builds on.

How to Add External Links in HTML

1. Basic HTML Syntax:

Adding an external link in HTML uses the anchor (<a>) tag. The href attribute holds the full URL of the external page, including https://.

2. Opening Links in a New Tab:

To open the link in a new tab, add target="_blank". Use it sparingly, for example for sources and tools, since some users prefer to control tabs themselves.

3. Adding Title Attribute:

The title attribute shows a tooltip on hover. It is optional, and it doesn't replace clear anchor text, because touch-screen and many screen reader users won't see it.

4. Using Rel Attribute:

The rel attribute describes the relationship between your page and the linked page. It is used for two different jobs: security and SEO.

Security (noopener, noreferrer): noopener stops the new tab from controlling your page through window.opener. Modern browsers now apply noopener automatically to target="_blank" links (Chrome 88+, Firefox 79+). Adding it is still harmless and protects older browsers. noreferrer also hides the referring page from the destination site, which means the other site's analytics won't see traffic from you.

SEO (sponsored, ugc, nofollow): These tell Google how to treat the link. Since September 2019, Google treats them as hints. You can combine values in one attribute.

Learn more in our guide to nofollow links. Note that rel="dofollow" is not a real attribute; a normal link without these values is already followed.

5. Best Practices for Adding External Links:

• Link to Relevant Content: Link only where the destination adds value for your reader. Prefer official and primary sources, such as government sites, standards bodies or the original study.
• Use Descriptive Anchor Text: The anchor text should clearly describe the linked page. See our guide to anchor text.
• Label Paid and User Links: Use sponsored for paid, affiliate or gifted placements, and ugc for comments and forum content.
• Check for Broken Links: Pages move and sites shut down. Check external links regularly and replace dead ones. Read more about broken links.
• Avoid Overlinking: Too many links in one paragraph distract readers. Space them out so each one is clear.

Conclusion on What Are External Links & How to Add External Links in HTML

External links make your content more useful and more credible. Add them with a simple <a href> tag, use target="_blank" where it helps, and choose the right rel value for paid, user-generated or untrusted links.

Link to trustworthy sources, keep links working, and describe them clearly. Your readers, and search engines, will understand your pages better.

Enhance Your Website with Quality External Links

Not sure your links are set up correctly? Softhat IT Solutions reviews outbound links, sponsored content and broken links as part of our SEO services. Book a free strategy call to go through your site with our team.