Link juice – what is it and how does it work?

Definition

Link juice is an informal expression for how a link passes strength from one page to another. The image is simple: authority flows through links much as liquid flows through pipes.

Where the term comes from

Link juice appeared as SEO slang in the early 2000s and stuck because the metaphor is easy to grasp. It is not an official term – the industry now increasingly uses the more precise "link equity". Same mechanics, less slang.

How link juice flows between pages

When one page links to another, it passes on some of the strength it has built up. How much depends on several things:

• The linking page's authority – a strong page has more to give.
• The number of links on the page – the value is shared between all the links, so more links mean less per link.
• Relevance – a link between topically related pages carries more weight.
• Link type – a nofollow link generally does not pass on the same value as an ordinary dofollow link.

Is link juice connected to PageRank?

Yes. The idea is based on Google's original PageRank algorithm, which valued pages according to the links pointing to them. The public PageRank score was removed in 2016, but the principle lives on in Google's internal systems – as was further confirmed when parts of Google's internal documentation leaked in 2024.

The difference now is that Google weighs up far more than links alone – relevance, topical authority and content quality. Link juice is therefore part of the picture, but not all of it.

Internal linking – the only link power you fully control

You can influence external links but not control them. Internal linking is the only part you control completely – and, as a result, the most underrated.

By linking from your strongest pages to new or commercially important pages, you steer where the authority ends up. Well-thought-out internal linking makes sure the value you have earned does not get stuck on the wrong pages.

A weak or messy link structure is a common reason why a website does not rank. We have gathered the most common reasons for poor rankings in Website not ranking? The 10 most common reasons.