A trusted link is a link that Link Signals flagged and that you have said belongs on the page. Typical examples are a client’s logo, a partner’s page or a sponsor’s banner. The choice is yours because Link Signals cannot tell a genuine client logo from injected spam: both can look unrelated to the page that carries them. Trusting is available on paid plans, and it is saved per account and per site, up to 200 links for one site.
Why it matters
A genuine link that is flagged every time costs attention and drags down your headline numbers and LinkSignal for something that is not a problem. Trusting it records your decision once, so later scans stop listing it, without turning off the checks that would notice if the link changed.
How Link Signals treats it
- It is still read. Every later scan and monitoring check judges the link again. Trusting does not change your site or the link.
- It is counted as safe while what it would be reported as is no more serious than when you trusted it. It carries the note “Trusted by you. It would have been reported as:” and the original reason, and it is not listed as a finding, nor counted in the headline, priorities, LinkSignal or emails.
- It is flagged again if the destination becomes more serious, or if the link becomes one that cannot be trusted: a parked page, a domain that is not registered or has expired, or a link hidden from visitors.
- It takes effect from the next scan or monitoring check. The report where you trusted it records that scan as it was.
| Can it be trusted? | Example |
|---|---|
| Yes | A link flagged as Out of context or Needs review that you put there on purpose, like a client logo |
| No | A broken link, a parked page, a domain nobody holds or an expired one, and any concealed link |
The LinkSignal is Link Signals’ own metric, based only on this tool’s findings, and it is not connected to any search engine or third-party score.
Common misunderstandings
- Trusting is not fixing. Nothing is removed, and a rescan lists the link as “Trusted by you, so no longer counted”, never as fixed or no longer flagged.
- It is not the same as marking a finding reviewed, which still counts as open and is checked again, or ignoring one on a monitored site.
- It is not a permanent pass. If the link gets worse, it is flagged again with a note saying why.
- On the free plan you cannot trust a link. Saved trusts are kept, paused, if you drop to the free plan, and apply again when you return to a paid one.
Questions
How do I trust a link?
Open a finding and choose Trust this link under “Is this link meant to be here?”. The steps are in trust a link.
Can I take it back?
Yes, on any plan. Choose Stop trusting this link in the finding, or Stop trusting in the Trusted links panel at the bottom of a report.
Run a scan and find where these show up on your own site.
