Calculator inputs
Use manual inputs, or enable the optional URL audit for automatic checks when possible.
Example data table
| Source | DA | Spam | Relevance | Type | Placement | Outlinks | Traffic | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry guide article | 72 | 8 | 88 | Dofollow | In-content | 34 | 42000 | 86 | Excellent |
| Niche community profile | 54 | 18 | 70 | Nofollow | Sidebar | 120 | 9000 | 55 | Fair |
| Directory listing page | 38 | 52 | 40 | Sponsored | Footer | 340 | 1500 | 24 | Toxic |
| Partner case study | 61 | 10 | 82 | Dofollow | In-content | 58 | 18000 | 74 | Good |
These rows are illustrative and show how signals affect outcomes.
Formula used
The calculator builds a Link Quality Score (0–100) from five subscores, then applies multipliers for link type, placement, and visibility.
- Authority = 0.6×DA + 0.4×PA
- Relevance = 0.7×Topical + 0.3×Anchor
- Traffic = 20×log10(Traffic+1), capped at 100
- Freshness maps days to a 25–100 score
- Risk starts at 100 and subtracts penalties
FinalScore = (0.32×Authority + 0.28×Relevance + 0.14×Traffic + 0.10×Freshness + 0.16×Risk) × TypeMult × PlaceMult × FoldMult, capped 0–100.
How to use this calculator
- Paste a source page URL to run the optional audit.
- Optionally add your target URL to confirm the link.
- Enter authority, relevance, spam, and traffic estimates.
- Choose link type and placement based on the opportunity.
- Submit to view the score above the form.
- Download CSV or PDF to share with your team.
Link scoring inputs you can validate
Authority, relevance, traffic, freshness, and risk are measured on a 0–100 scale to keep comparisons consistent. Domain Authority and Page Authority reflect strength, while Topical and Anchor relevance capture contextual fit. Risk subtracts penalties for spam, heavy outbound linking, non-indexable pages, and excessive redirects. Use the optional audit to confirm status, redirects, HTTPS, and outbound link volume.
How the calculator weights each signal
The base score blends five subscores: Authority 32%, Relevance 28%, Traffic 14%, Freshness 10%, and Risk 16%. Authority is computed as 0.6×DA + 0.4×PA. Relevance is 0.7×Topical + 0.3×Anchor. Traffic uses a log scale, 20×log10(Traffic+1), capped at 100, so large sites do not dominate the result.
Multipliers that change real-world value
After weighting, multipliers adjust the score for how search engines and users may interpret the link. Link type uses 1.00 for dofollow, 0.72 for nofollow, 0.62 for UGC, and 0.55 for sponsored. Placement uses 1.00 in-content, 0.80 navigation, 0.75 sidebar, 0.60 footer, and 0.50 comments. “Above the fold” adds a modest 1.03 boost.
Interpreting ratings for outreach decisions
Scores map to practical categories: 80–100 Excellent, 65–79 Good, 50–64 Fair, 35–49 Weak, and below 35 Toxic. Excellent and Good links tend to combine strong authority with clean risk signals and relevant context. Fair links can still be useful for visibility or referral traffic. Weak and Toxic links are usually better avoided or pursued only with strict controls.
Reporting, tracking, and team handoff
Use the export buttons to share a consistent record of what you evaluated. CSV is best for spreadsheets, prioritization lists, and trend tracking. PDF suits client reporting and approvals. When you re-check a prospect later, keep inputs like DA, spam, and relevance updated, and re-run the audit to detect changes in indexability, redirects, or link attributes. To improve repeatability, record the source URL, intended target URL, and expected link location before outreach. That context helps reviewers understand why a score changed and whether follow-up is needed after the link goes live later in production environments.
FAQs
Does the calculator fetch metrics like DA automatically?
Most authority metrics come from external SEO tools, so you enter them manually. The optional URL audit only checks technical signals like status code, redirects, indexability hints, and outbound link volume when the page can be fetched.
What score range should I prioritize for outreach?
Use 65+ as a strong shortlist for scalable outreach. Treat 50–64 as situational, often useful for referrals or brand mentions. Below 50 usually needs a clear strategic reason and careful risk review.
Why does a nofollow link still receive a score?
Nofollow links can drive referral traffic, brand discovery, and natural link profile diversity. The calculator applies a multiplier to reflect reduced passing value, while still scoring authority, relevance, and risk for overall opportunity quality.
How does the optional audit detect noindex?
It checks the X-Robots-Tag header and the page’s robots meta tag for noindex directives. If detected, the tool treats the page as non-indexable, applying a meaningful risk penalty to reflect limited search visibility.
What if the source URL blocks crawlers or times out?
Some sites block automated requests or require advanced rendering. In that case, the audit may fail and the calculator will rely on manual inputs. Use your browser, SEO tools, or a headless crawler to validate those signals.
Can I compare multiple prospects at once?
This single-page tool evaluates one prospect per run to keep the report clear. Export CSV results, then build a comparison sheet by stacking rows for each prospect. Re-run checks periodically to track changes over time.