Definition
Link dilution is an SEO phenomenon where the value (link juice) transmitted by each link decreases as the number of outgoing links on a page increases. According to the original PageRank model, if a page has a PageRank of 10 and contains 100 links, each link passes 0.1 of PageRank. The same principle applies to internal linking: a page linking to 200 other pages heavily dilutes the value of each link. This is why navigation pages with hundreds of links (mega-menus, overloaded footers) dilute internal PageRank. Optimization involves limiting the number of links per page and concentrating links toward strategic pages.
Key Points
- The more outgoing links a page has, the less value each link passes
- Mega-menus and overloaded footers are major sources of dilution
- Concentrating links toward strategic pages maximizes value transfer
Practical Examples
Problematic mega-menu
A mega-menu with 150 links massively dilutes each link's PageRank. By simplifying navigation and reducing to 30 main links, each link passes 5 times more value.
Overloaded footer
A footer with links to every city ('Plumber Paris', 'Plumber London', etc.) containing 200+ links dilutes PageRank and may be seen as spam by Google.
Frequently Asked Questions
Google once recommended a maximum of 100 links per page. Today there is no strict limit, but beyond 100-150 links, dilution becomes significant. Prioritize quality and relevance over quantity.
Historically, nofollow links did not pass PageRank, but since 2019 Google treats nofollow as a 'hint'. PageRank sculpting via nofollow is no longer considered a reliable strategy.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07