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 links to parked pages: places where a website used to be and a placeholder now sits instead. The full list of rows is on the hub.
The row is based only on what this tool finds when it follows a link. It is not linked to any search engine or third-party score, and a parked flag is not a judgement from one.
What this part of your LinkSignal measures
A link is parked when the page it lands on is a domain placeholder: a “this domain is for sale” notice, a parking company’s advert page, or a registrar’s holding page. Two things are looked at. The first is where the link ended up, because some hosts only ever serve parking and for-sale pages. The second is the title and the start of the visible text, which are compared with a short list of phrases such as “buy this domain” or “domain parking”.
The phrases are only trusted on short pages. A long article that happens to discuss domain names is not treated as parked. This is deliberate, because a false flag would cost a site points it did not deserve.
How it is counted
The rule is published: 4 points each, up to 12. Each parked link costs 4 points, up to a limit of 12. The reason given is: “The site you linked to is gone and visitors land on an advert.”
| What is looked at | What counts as parked |
|---|---|
| Where the link ended up | A host that only serves parking or for-sale pages |
| Page title and start of the visible text | A short list of phrases such as “buy this domain” or “domain parking” |
| Page length | The phrases are trusted only on short pages |
Parked is the first priority in the fixed order, so a parked link is charged here and nowhere else. If a parked page also returns an error, it is still counted once, as parked.
A worked example
A site with two parked links, one of which also returns an error, loses 8 points, all on this row, and scores 92, which is Strong. With five parked links the row would stop at its limit of 12 points (5 × 4 would be 20), and the site would score 88.
How it appears in your report
- In the score card, under How this is worked out, the row reads “Links to parked pages”, with the count and the points taken. Selecting it opens those links.
- In the Findings tab, the Parked tab lists them, and by default it comes first among the priority tabs because parked is the first priority.
- Each link shows the domain, the page it was found on and the anchor text, so the fix is a matter of opening the page and editing one link.
How to get the points back
- Open the Parked tabIt names the page carrying each link.
- Decide what the link was forIf the site moved, the new address is usually easy to find and the link can be updated. If the site closed, remove the link, or replace it with another source that does the same job.
- Edit the page and publishUpdate every page that carries it, not only the first one listed.
- Re-checkA re-check reads again just the pages that carried the flagged links. Use rescan and compare after a wider clean-up.
- Let monitoring catch the next oneSites change hands, and a live link today can be a for-sale page next year. Monitoring will say when one appears.
What it does not mean
- It does not mean the domain is dangerous. A parked page is usually just an advert, though the same domain could later be put to worse use.
- It does not mean the domain is unregistered. A parked domain is registered by someone, which is why it sits in its own row. A domain nobody has registered is in unregistered and expired links.
- It is not a perfect test. A parking page with unusual wording, or a long one, may not be recognised. See accuracy and limits.
Questions
A link goes to a real site that mentions domains. Is it parked?
No. The phrases are only trusted on short pages, and a full site is judged by what it is, not by one phrase.
Why is a parked link worth more than a broken one?
A broken link is a dead end that visitors recognise. A parked link sends them to an advert that looks like part of your recommendation.
Is a newly registered domain the same thing?
No. A new domain is a different note, covered in new domains. It may be perfectly fine.
Will the link still be listed after I mark it nofollow?
Yes. The row counts the link, and the points stay. Only the ranking credit panel changes.
A scan follows every outbound link and lists the ones that end on a parked page.
