How important are outbound links?

**Stan30** · 10-03-2006, 04:46 PM

I recently started a directory on a domain i wasnt using.
When people add their site they are asked to link back to me but its not required. I want to keep my directory for the people who use it, i don't plan on charging for adding a site and i dont want to force people to link back to me if they dont want to.
So what im wondering is will the amount of outbound links do me favours or would it really be worth insisting on a backlink?
Comppared to backlinks, how effective are outbound links to the site that hosts them?

Also, i wrote a mod that displpays the last referrer in the footer of everypage.
Im hoping that if people have their link displayed in the footer of every page they might be more inclined to link back.

**Pearse** · 10-03-2006, 08:33 PM

Get ready to get hit with and delete alot of spammy links. It has been my experience that outbound linking can be a benefit if you are linking to authority sites or sites that offer value to the net while linking out to toss aways can and will hurt a sites net rep.

**imported_webangel** · 10-03-2006, 11:24 PM

I think outbound links are just as important as inbound links... Most webmasters focus so much on getting inbound links... that they forget the relevance of outbound links. Outbound links give your site more prominence.. and i think it should be given attention as well. :yes:

**A.N.Onym** · 10-04-2006, 12:23 AM

When it comes to freely obtained links, every spammer on Earth will try to get that.

When it comes to outgoing links, it matters if links are on the same topic as your website. In your case, it doesn't matter.

What matter is the quality of the sites you link to. If you link to anyone practicing illegal tactics, you'll get hit as well.

**Manish Pandey** · 10-04-2006, 05:16 PM

Outbound links are really very useful and helpful... not only for your site but also SEO wise... link to your internal pages through optimized anchor text in the outbound links... and those pages shall also do very well..

**Pearse** · 10-04-2006, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manish Pandey

Outbound links are really very useful and helpful... not only for your site but also SEO wise... link to your internal pages through optimized anchor text in the outbound links... and those pages shall also do very well..

not quite an outbound link if its an internal link in my book

**brookville** · 03-04-2008, 01:20 AM

Outbound link should be kept less as much as possible.