The video is in the works. Until then, the guide will get you there.
Step-by-step guide
Where to find the Outbound links report
In the side menu, click "Behavior".
A submenu opens. Choose "Outbound links" there.
The Outbound links report opens.
What counts as an outbound link?
Whenever a visitor clicks a link that leads them away from your website and onto a foreign domain, Trustlytics counts that as an outbound click. So the link to your partner, the button to your Instagram profile, the link to the external store. Anything that does not stay on your own website.
The period being analyzed always follows the date selection at the top. Set a different period there, and the entire report adjusts immediately.
When you should check here
Whenever you set external links and want to know whether anybody clicks them at all. A partner link does you little good if nobody uses it. And an unremarkable link that gets clicked all the time tells you exactly where your visitors actually want to go.
Fits questions like: does anybody use my social media buttons at all? Is the link to my partner doing anything? And which external link draws the most attention?
The domain list
The main table shows every external domain your visitors clicked through to, with these columns:
| Column | What is behind it |
|---|---|
| Domain | The external domain that was clicked (with a small icon). |
| Unique clicks | Counts each visitor only once per domain. |
| Clicks | Counts every single click. |
The difference in brief: "Unique clicks" tells you how many different visitors used a link. "Clicks" counts every single click. If the same visitor clicks the same link five times, that is 5 clicks but only 1 unique click.
Why does that matter? If the two numbers are far apart, a few visitors are clicking the same link very often. That can mean the destination is really important or that the link does not open cleanly and people try it several times.
Looking into a domain
Click a domain row to see which individual target addresses belong to it. The view switches to a list of the clicked links for that domain ("Clicked links on …") with the same metrics: Unique clicks and Clicks.
This is where it gets practical. In the domain list, you only see where the clicks went. In the drill-down you see which exact address. Link by link.
"Back to outbound links" (arrow at the top) takes you back to the domain list.
What you can set here
Both in the domain list and in the URL drill-down:
- Sorting: click a column heading to sort ascending or descending.
- Entries per page: at the bottom, you choose how many rows are shown (10, 25, 50, or All).
- Paging: with long lists, you page through at the bottom.
Aha moments you will recognize
And sometimes one look is all it takes, and suddenly everything makes sense:
- An external link pulls more than you thought. Maybe the link to a trade article or to your partner store. If something like that gets clicked all the time, you know: that is what your visitors are really looking for. Maybe that destination belongs somewhere more visible on the page.
- Your social media buttons hardly interest anybody. Uncomfortable, but good to know. Either nobody finds them, or they sit in the wrong place. Check where the buttons are. Often they sit too far down.
- Clicks and unique clicks are far apart. Few visitors, many clicks. That sounds like a link that does not open cleanly. Test it yourself once, calmly.
What is in it for me?
The Outbound links report shows you where your visitors head once they leave your website. And that often reveals more about their intent than any page view:
- See where your traffic flows. Every external click is a visitor you hand over to somebody else. Sometimes on purpose (a partner, a booking tool), sometimes not. Here you see in black and white who benefits from your reach.
- Check whether your links are worth it. You send visitors to a partner and agreed on something in return? Then you want to know how much you actually deliver. That number is here.
- Expose dead links. An external link nobody ever clicks is wasted space. Maybe it is in the wrong place, maybe nobody needs it. Either way, you notice it here instead of overlooking it for years.
In short: an external click is a small signpost. It tells you where your visitors wanted to go next. And that is knowledge you can use to place your links more deliberately.
Common questions
Are links inside my own website counted too?
No. This is only about clicks that lead away from your website onto a foreign domain. How visitors move around inside your site you see in other reports.
Do I have to set up outbound links first?
No. Trustlytics detects clicks on external links automatically. You do not have to place a marker or add any extra code. As soon as somebody clicks a link to a foreign domain, it shows up in the report.
Why does a link not show up even though I placed it?
Usually because nobody clicked it in the selected period. Check the date selection at the top first. It is also possible that the link points to an intermediate page on your own domain and only leads outward from there. Trustlytics then counts the click differently.
Does it count when the link opens in a new tab?
Yes. Whether the external link opens in the same window or in a new tab makes no difference. The click gets counted either way.
Why do "Clicks" and "Unique clicks" differ?
Because they measure two different things. "Clicks" counts every single click. "Unique clicks" counts each visitor only once per domain. If somebody clicks the same link five times, that is five clicks but one unique click.