1. What the error means

When a page has no external links (sometimes called outbound links) it means:

1. The page doesn’t link to any other domains beyond your own.
2. From an SEO and credibility standpoint this is a missed opportunity: linking to reputable external resources helps signal trust, context and relevance. 
3. (Semrush, Yoast, Mediavine)

While external links don’t directly guarantee higher rankings, they do help improve user experience, demonstrate that you’ve done research, and align with what Google expects in terms of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).

2. Why you should fix it

Here are some reasons to add external links:

1. Credibility boost: Linking to authoritative external sources shows you’re backing up claims and providing value to readers. 
2. User experience: If you mention a statistic, study or external topic, linking out gives readers a pathway and helps them trust your content. 
3. SEO relevance context: Search engines look at who you are linking to as part of how they evaluate content relevance and connectivity. 
4. Avoid the “island” effect: A page that only points inward may appear insular; linking outward shows you’re part of a broader, interconnected web of knowledge.

3. How to identify pages with no external links

Here’s a step-by-step you can follow:

1. Run a site audit with a tool that discovers pages and checks external links. For example, you can use tools like Tapita SEO & Speed (perfect for Shopify stores), Screaming Frog SEO Spider or a dedicated SEO audit tool. 

1. For each identified page ask:
1. Does the content reference any external facts, resources, data or research?
2. Is it an article, blog post or page that would naturally benefit from a citation or further reading link?
2. Mark pages that are intentionally “closed” (for example private landing pages, limited-access offers) — these may not need external links.
3. Prioritize pages that are publicly accessible and meant to provide value to users (blog posts, resource pages, guides).

4. Steps to fix the error

To fix the No external link error, add relevant, high-quality outbound links to trusted sources within your content to boost credibility, user trust, and SEO value. 

Here’s a practical fix-list you can apply, with tips:

A. Review & decide

For each page flagged with “no external link”, evaluate why there aren’t any outgoing links. Perhaps the content is:

1. A bare-bones landing page with no references
2. A blog draft without full development
3. A list of products/services that doesn’t provide context

Ask: Does this page need to link out? If it’s more of a marketing/landing page rather than informational content, you might choose either to leave it (if linking doesn’t make sense) or convert it into more value-oriented content.

B. Add relevant, high-quality external links

If you decide to add outgoing links:

1. Find credible sources: Use authoritative websites, research papers, official bodies, reputable news outlets. 
2. Integrate naturally: Embed the link where it makes sense in context. For example, when you mention a statistic or refer to industry data, link to the original source.
3. Use descriptive anchor text: Avoid “click here”. Instead, use anchor text that describes what the reader will find (e.g., “2024 industry benchmark report from [X]” rather than “see here”). 
4. Avoid low-quality or spammy targets: Linking to shady or irrelevant sites can harm your credibility and possibly your SEO.

C. Maintain balance & best practices

1. Don’t over-link: You don’t need dozens of external links per page. Focus on a handful of well-chosen links that add value. Over-linking to unrelated external sites can dilute user experience and possibly be seen as spammy. 
2. Consider attributes like rel="nofollow": If you link to a site you don’t fully trust or paid/sponsored content, you might use nofollow. In general though, linking to credible authority sites with “follow” is fine. 
3. Open external links in a new tab: This can help keep visitors from fully leaving your site when they click out, preserving engagement.

D. Monitor and update

1. Periodically check that your external links are still live and relevant — broken links can hurt user experience. 
2. Track whether the linked-pages target has moved, changed, or become obsolete; update or remove links accordingly.
3. Review over time whether pages with added external links perform better in terms of engagement, bounce rate, time on page, credibility etc.

5. Tips & best practices

1. Quality over quantity: A few strong, relevant external links are better than many weak or irrelevant ones.
2. Relevance is key: Ensure the target source is genuinely connected to your content topic and adds value for your reader.
3. Anchor text matters: Be descriptive and context-rich.
4. Be mindful of the “link neighborhood”: Who you link to can influence how your content is seen. Linking out to high-authority sites is positive; linking to questionable ones may drag you down. 
5. Regular audits: Make external-link review part of your content maintenance workflow.
6. Transparency helps: If you link to studies or statistics, clearly reference and attribute them. It helps your credibility and trustworthiness.
7. Don’t link externally to everything: Some pages (like application forms, minimal landing pages) may not need external links. The goal is to add value, not just link for linking’s sake.

6. A sample workflow

1. Use a SEO Audit tool to scan all URLs of your site + external link counts.
   

Tapita SEO & Speed categorizes pages into current errors on your site, so you can manage them easily. 

Tapita SEO Audit identify which pages have SEO errors

1. Export a list of pages from your site (for example blog posts, resource pages).
2. Audit and filter those with zero outgoing external links.
3. For each such page:
1. Decide if it needs external links (does it make sense?).
2. If yes: Identify 1–3 high-quality external sources relevant to the page.
3. Insert links in context, using descriptive anchor text.
4. Ensure the link opens in a new tab (optional but user-friendly).
5. Save and republish / update the page.
4. After a month or two, revisit the updated pages: check analytics for bounce rate, page-time, click behaviour; check that links are still valid.
5. Repeat this process periodically (e.g., every 1-3 months) to maintain a healthy external link profile site-wide.

Now you know how to fix the error ‘No internal link’ to maintain your website’s ranking and user experience. If you have any questions on this, please contact us via in-app chat or via support@tapita.io