A site’s external LinkSignal is a score out of 100 for its outbound (external) links, and for the link-related health of the site itself, right now. This page covers its early-warning row: linked domains whose registration runs out within 30 days. Nothing has gone wrong yet, which is why it is the lightest row on the scale. The full list of rows is on the hub.
The row is based only on registry dates that this tool reads for itself. It is not linked to any search engine or third-party score.
What this part of your LinkSignal measures
A domain is rented, not owned. If the owner of a site you link to does not renew it, the name becomes free, and your link would send visitors to whoever registers it next. This row counts the linked domains that are closest to that point: those whose registration date is today or up to 30 days away.
It counts domains, not links. Ten links to one expiring domain are one domain, and cost the same as one link.
How it is counted
The rule is published: 0.5 points each, up to 5. Each domain expiring within 30 days costs 0.5 points, up to a limit of 5. The reason given is: “Fine today, a takeover risk if they are not renewed.”
| Time left | Group in the Inventory list | Costs points? |
|---|---|---|
| Date has passed | Renewal overdue | No |
| 0 to 30 days | Within 30 days | Yes, 0.5 each |
| 31 to 90 days | 31 to 90 days | No |
A domain whose date has already passed is not counted here. If the registry shows it has stopped, it moves to unregistered and expired links. If the registry still lists it as active, it is shown as renewal overdue and costs nothing.
A worked example
A report lists five linked domains with these times left: 5 days, 20 days, 30 days, 45 days and a date 10 days in the past. Only the first three fall inside the 30 days, so 3 domains are counted, costing 1.5 points. The 45-day domain is on the list but not in the score, and the overdue one is a note. The site scores 99, which is Strong.
How it appears in your report
- In the score card, under How this is worked out, the row reads “Linked domains expiring within 30 days”, with the count and the points. Selecting it opens the expiring list in the Inventory tab.
- The Inventory tab shows a panel headed with how many linked domains expire within 90 days. It is the wider list, and it is grouped as Renewal overdue, Within 30 days and 31 to 90 days. Only the middle group counts towards LinkSignal.
- Each row gives the domain, the date, the time left and how many of your links point to it, so the domains with the most links stand out.
- Monitoring emails a warning once when a linked domain comes within 30 days, and again within 7 days. A renewal starts the warnings over. A domain that is already a finding is not warned about separately, because the finding itself alerts. See monitoring alerts.
What to do
- Start with the most-linked domainsThe last column of the list shows how many of your links depend on each one.
- Decide whether the link is still worth havingIf the site is still wanted, nothing needs to change yet. Many owners renew on the last day.
- Choose a plan for eachRemove the link before the date, replace it with another source, or leave it and look again after the date.
- Let monitoring do the rememberingThe 30 day and 7 day emails mean the date does not need a calendar entry. See monitoring.
- Check afterwardsA rescan shows whether the domain was renewed. The points return by themselves once the date moves beyond 30 days.
Nothing needs fixing to get these points back, which is also why they are small. They return when the owner renews, or when the link is removed.
What it does not mean
- It does not mean the domain will lapse. Most are renewed.
- It does not mean the linked site is poor. It is only a date.
- It is not complete. Some extensions publish no expiry date, so a domain on one of them cannot appear here. See accuracy and limits.
Questions
Why does the 90-day list have more domains than the score row?
The list is there for planning, so it looks further ahead. The score only counts the domains that are within 30 days.
Why did my score improve without any edit?
Because an owner renewed. The date moved beyond 30 days and the domain left the row.
Are my own domain’s dates here?
No. Your own domain has its own row, covered in your domain.
Does a nofollow link still count?
Yes. The risk is to visitors, not only to ranking credit.
Monitoring watches the domains you link to and emails at 30 and 7 days.
