Link Weight and PageRank in Simple Terms
Link weight is a conditional "strength" that a page transmits through outgoing links. Historically, the idea is formalized by the PageRank algorithm: a page is more authoritative the more it is referenced, and the more authoritative the referring pages are.
How It Works in Simplified Terms
- Each page has some weight.
- It distributes this weight among its outgoing links.
- The more links on a page, the less weight each receives.
- With each transition, some weight is partially lost — which is why chains diminish quickly.
- Links with nofollow, ugc, and sponsored attributes usually do not transmit weight.
What This Means in Practice
| Conclusion | Why |
|---|---|
| A link from a page with a hundred other links is weak | Weight is divided among all |
| A link from text is more valuable than a link from the footer | Context and likelihood of transition are considered |
| The donor page must be indexed | Pages outside the index transmit nothing |
| Third-level links have almost no effect on your site | Weight diminishes with each transition — see tier-1 and tier-2 |
| Internal links also transmit weight | And you have full control over them |
How We Measure This
Instead of discussing weight, we check the fact: does a specific site transmit a link without a prohibitive attribute, and is this attribute visible in the rendered DOM. Out of 26 checked sites, 13 transmit weight and 13 do not, and this flag affects placement priority. Details — do links transmit weight.
What Not to Do
Trying to "save weight" by closing some internal links with attributes: this no longer works as described in old guides. It is more useful to simply not create unnecessary outgoing links and direct internal ones to important pages.
Internal Links — An Underrated Resource
You control the weight that already exists on the site: a couple of links from strong pages to a weak one provide an effect comparable to external links and cost nothing. It makes sense to start working on a page with this, and to add external links where internal resources are lacking.