Visitors should be able to tell whether a link opens another page on your site or sends them to a third party. Use recognizable names and descriptive link text. For downloads, state the file type or destination. Check external destinations periodically and remove links that redirect to unrelated, unsafe, or outdated pages.
Google’s Publisher Policies overview notes that page content includes links to other sites or apps. That means external links belong in a whole-page review. It does not mean every outbound link is prohibited; the publisher should ensure the link is relevant, accurately described, and appropriate.
Example: “Official application” should link to the provider’s actual application page, not an affiliate landing page that looks like a form. Disclose commercial relationships and label the destination so visitors can make an informed choice.
Use SiteReadyScore to find pages for link review; open the external destinations manually and verify what they show. A crawler cannot guarantee that a third-party page will remain unchanged.