June 13, 2024

What is Link Juice in SEO?

If you’re new to SEO, you might come across words and terms every now and again that leave you wondering what they could possibly mean. One such term that might cause a bit of confusion is “link juice”. In this blog, our SEO experts take you through what link juice is, how it works and why it’s important for your campaign. So, first things first, what exactly is link juice?

Link juice (sometimes referred to as link equity) describes the value passed on from one website to another via links. A website can pass on authority and ranking power to another website by linking to it. 

Read on to learn more about link juice, how it works and effective link-building strategies. 

What is Link Juice and How Does it Work?

Link juice is the slang term for the official Google PageRank algorithm. You might also see it referred to as Link Equity, describing the value passed on from one page to another via links. It refers to the authority or ranking power that a link can transfer from one page to another.

How Do Links Impact Search Rankings?

The idea is that a link from a high domain authority website to a lower-authority website can help to improve the rankings of the lower-authority website. Search engines like Google see these links as a kind of vote of confidence, indicating that your website is valuable and worth promoting. Domain authority is a metric used in SEO to measure the likelihood of a website ranking in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).

For example, we have a blog about Site Structure. A number of other SEO agencies and companies are also talking about this topic and have considered a range of other SEO factors to the same standard as ours. But, in this scenario, a high-authority website links to our blog on this topic, and not the other agencies’ sites. Because of this link, it’s likely that our blog will outrank the others. This is especially true if multiple websites link to this blog. 

How Does Link Equity Work?

There are three key components to link juice and how much juice can be passed from one page to another. 

How to Build Link Equity

There are a number of ways to build your backlink profile. Some of them take quite a bit of time and effort, but they are incredibly worth it in the long run.

Earn Organic Links

Earning link equity simply refers to the process of creating quality content that other websites want to link to organically. When you create high-quality, super-relevant content, other sites will link to it as a source. If you’re already working on SEO, this is the simplest way to build backlinks as you should be doing this already!

Another way to do this is using the skyscraper technique – essentially, taking top ranking content for a given topic, making it considerably better, and asking websites that currently link to this page to link to yours instead. Learn more about the technique in our recent article

Alternatively, digital PR campaigns are another great way to organically earn links.

Internal Linking

Did you know that you can also get link juice from your own website? This is why internal linking is so important in SEO. Linking from well-performing pages on your website to lesser performing websites can help to give it a boost. 

Additionally, when you use keywords on pages that you don’t want to rank for that keyword, you can add an internal link on the word or phrase, linking to the page you do want to rank. This will send a bit of link juice to the desired page.

Ask for Links

This involves getting in touch with and asking journalists, website owners and other relevant sites to provide a link to your content. There are a number of ways to do this, including:

Manually Adding Links

Whilst manually adding links tends to be the least effective method of link building, it’s still worth doing – every little helps! This includes manually adding links to:

It is worth noting, however, that social media profiles, directories and blog comment links contain less equity than organic links. Some may also be Nofollow links offering no equity at all. 

Learn more about link building practices in our dedicated blog, What is Link Building?

When Link Juice Won’t Work – What to Avoid

When link building, there are a few types of links to avoid. They typically don’t provide much juice and aren’t worth the effort. 

Learn more about Nofollow links and how Google crawls your website in our recent blogs, How Often Does Google Crawl My Site, and What Is the Difference between Follow and Nofollow Links?

Link Building and SEO With Wildcat Digital

At Wildcat Digital, we specialise in all forms of SEO, from creating high-quality content that earns organic backlinks, to detailed digital PR campaigns backed by creative link-building strategies. Visit our digital PR page to see our full link-building services, or get in touch with us today to arrange a free consultation. 

Post by

Chloe Robinson

Content Strategist & Team Leader

Will Hitchmough

Founder

Our founder, Will Hitchmough, worked at a number of high profile Sheffield Digital Agencies before founding Wildcat Digital in 2018. He brings an extensive knowledge of all things related to SEO, PPC and Paid Social, as well as an expert knowledge of digital strategy.

Digital Marketing can be a minefield for many businesses, with many agencies ready to take your money without knowing how to deliver results. I founded Wildcat Digital to deliver digital success to businesses with smaller budgets in a transparent way.

Chloe Robinson

Content Strategist Team Lead

With a degree in Marketing and a background in more traditional, offline marketing, Chloe joined Wildcat in 2021 after deciding to move into the digital marketing industry. She joined us as a Content Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Content Strategist and later an SEO Team Leader.

Outside of work, Chloe is an avid creative. If she’s not knitting, you’ll likely find her behind a sewing machine or in the kitchen trying (and often failing!) to make sourdough.

Paul Pennington

SEO Account Director

Paul has a strong background in SEO, having previously founded and ran a successful eCommerce business, as well as running a personal blog that achieves an average of 17K users per month. Paul’s knowledge of SEO is extensive, with a strong emphasis on client handling and technical SEO.

Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with weight lifting and combat sports.

Nadea van der Merwe

Head of Operations

Nadea joined Wildcat in 2021 and has since overhauled the way we work. She has a background in various administrative, operations and HR roles, which gave her the experience and skills needed to lead and organise a growing business. 

Outside of work, Nadea loves anything that keeps her active, but she especially enjoys hiking, camping and mountain biking.

Molly Sturgeon

SEO Account Manager

With a background in sales, Molly is a natural Account Manager, brilliantly handling any issues that come her way. Having joined us as a Digital Marketing Executive, and working part-time through her final year of University, Molly is a shining example of how hard work pays off. She is now an SEO Account Manager with a particular interest in Content and Client Management. 

In her spare time, Molly loves to get out in nature, hiking and exploring the Peak District. She also loves cooking and likes to unwind with a bit of yoga.

Libby Oldale

Senior PPC Account Manager

Libby joined Wildcat in 2021 as our first PPC hire. With a degree in Digital Media Production, a Master’s in Digital Media Management and previous experience in Social Media Management, Libby hit the ground running and has since climbed the ranks to Senior PPC Account Manager and has a particular interest in the eCommerce sector.

Outside of work, Libby likes gaming, and cooking and likes to keep active by lifting weights.

Jasmine Savery

SEO Team Leader

Jasmine joined Wildcat in 2022 with a strong background in SEO and Account Management. At the time, she was finishing up a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and has since worked her way up to SEO Team Leader. Jasmine excels at content writing and promotion, and particularly enjoys finding creative ways to join the dots on multi-channel campaigns.

In her spare time, Jasmine volunteers at a charity, helping combat loneliness & social isolation experienced by older neighbours. Outside of Wildcat, she owns a catering company, Savery Grazing, creating delicious grazing tables & platters for a range of events. She also loves skiing and exploring the Peak District.

Braden Godley

Senior PPC Executive

Prior to joining Wildcat, Braden founded and ran his own Social Media Management agency where he gained valuable skills in growing brands’ online presence, which has since proven invaluable in his role at Wildcat. 

Outside of work, Braden is a big football fan, regularly travelling to Pride Park to support Derby County. He also enjoys watching and playing snooker, hiking in the Peak District, and attending air and car shows.

Jon Herdman

Senior SEO Executive

After spending ten years managing businesses, restaurants, cafes and event spaces across Sheffield, Jon decided to change careers and joined Wildcat as an SEO Executive in 2022. He especially enjoys the client management side of the job, helping them to understand digital marketing and ways in which they can build their business’s presence online. 

Outside of work, Jon likes to keep fit with running, badminton and football, and also loves music. 

Rachel Davies

SEO Executive

Rachel joined us as a graduate, having recently graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in English Literature. Since joining, Rachel has proven herself to be a Content Queen, and particularly enjoys getting stuck into projects that allow her to explore her creative side. 

Outside of work, Rachel enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including rugby, singing, reading, and spending time with her family and three labradors.

Carl Atterbury

PPC Team Leader

Carl joined Wildcat in 2023 with a wealth of experience in PPC. He has experience working with a wide range of clients, industries and budgets, from small local businesses all the way to international e-commerce businesses. Carl has a particular interest in strategic planning and forecasting. He is passionate about data analysis and creating sustainable long-term cross-channel strategies.

In his spare time, Carl enjoys keeping fit by lifting weights, bouldering and running. He’s also a keen musician, having played the double bass and bass guitar for 20 years.

Dariusz Baczyk

Team Lead & Technical SEO Account Manager

With a degree in Computer Science and SEO experience dating back to 2017, Dariusz has a wide range of SEO skills and knowledge. His specialist knowledge of Technical SEO has firmly landed him the title of Wildcat’s Technical Wizard, and he has recently taken on the responsibility of Team Leader for the Panthers Team.

In his spare time, Dariusz loves hiking, experimenting and trying new coffees and loves learning new things. He is currently learning more about CRO and AI and how this could benefit our clients.

Jamie Stowe

SEO Account Manager

With a degree in Film and TV production, and a varied career history, Jamie made the move to marketing with a Masters degree in Digital Media Management. He has since worked in SEO at Agencies across Sheffield, before joining Wildcat and working his way up to SEO Account Manager. Jamie has a particular interest in backlinks and Digital PR and has recently gained a client a valuable backlink from Forbes!

In his spare time, Jamie is an avid foodie and loves trying new restaurants and cuisines. He also loves to travel and spent a year travelling to Australia after university.

Andy Blanchard

SEO Executive

Andy joined Wildcat in 2023 after starting his digital marketing career in-house for a local Sheffield company. Since joining, he has developed a strong interest in Technical SEO and has strong skills in Account Management. 

Outside of work, Andy loves music and plays in a couple of bands. He also enjoys rock climbing, cycling, photography and good food.

Siena Russell

Client Success Coordinator

Siena joined us in 2023 with a background in sales and digital marketing. She leads on client relationships across the company, ensuring that our customers are happy throughout their journey with us, from their initial consultation through to onboarding and beyond. 

Outside of work, Siena enjoys travelling and getting stuck into the local culture. She likes to make the most of her experiences and particularly enjoys watching sunrises and sunsets from beautiful locations around the world.

Thea Chapman

Senior SEO Executive

Thea has a wealth of experience in SEO, having previously worked for other Digital Marketing Agencies in Sheffield. She has a particular interest and skills in Technical SEO, but is more than willing to get stuck in and give anything a go. 

Outside of work, Thea spends most of her time with her children, but also loves reading, photography and gardening. 

Tom Brookes

PPC Executive

Before joining Wildcat, Tom worked across different industries, building skills in sales and customer service. He later developed a passion for digital marketing whilst working on personal marketing projects and freelance ventures, and gained numerous certifications in PPC and Social Media. 

Outside of work, Tom enjoys staying active by going to the gym and hiking. He also loves travelling and motorbiking.

Rich Ayre

Head of Growth

Rich joined us in May 2024 to head up our growth team. With years of experience helping other agencies to grow, Rich joins us at an exciting time as Wildcat is working on a five-year plan to become one of the biggest agencies in the UK.

Outside of work, Rich is a father to three children, which keeps him very busy! He’s also recently started running again to keep fit and loves a bit of DIY.

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