Citation Flow evaluates the link popularity of a webpage by analyzing both the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to it. The metric uses a proprietary algorithm from Majestic that assigns a score between 0 and 100, where higher scores indicate greater link authority. Unlike simpler link counting methods, Citation Flow considers the authority of linking domains and the overall link graph structure.
The calculation takes into account both direct links to a page and the flow of link equity through multiple levels of linking domains. This creates a more comprehensive picture of a site's link authority than raw backlink counts alone.
Citation Flow serves as a key indicator of a website's relative authority and potential ranking power. While not a direct ranking factor used by search engines, it helps SEO professionals evaluate the strength of backlink profiles and identify opportunities for improvement. A higher Citation Flow score often correlates with better search visibility and organic rankings.
The metric is particularly valuable when analyzed alongside Trust Flow, another Majestic metric that focuses on the quality and trustworthiness of linking domains. Together, these metrics provide insights into both the quantity and quality aspects of a site's backlink profile.
SEO professionals use Citation Flow to:
Evaluate potential link building opportunities by assessing domain authority
Compare backlink profiles against competitors
Identify potentially toxic or low-quality links
Monitor changes in link authority over time
When analyzing Citation Flow, it's important to consider the score in context rather than focusing solely on the raw number. A moderate Citation Flow score from relevant, industry-specific sites often provides more value than a high score built from irrelevant or low-quality sources.
Real backlink profile data showing Citation Flow in context with other Majestic metrics. This profile shows a healthy balance between Citation Flow (45) and Trust Flow (38), indicating natural link growth from relevant sources.
{
"domain": "example.com",
"majestic_metrics": {
"citation_flow": 45,
"trust_flow": 38,
"topical_trust_flow": {
"technology": 42,
"business": 35
},
"referring_domains": 876,
"external_backlinks": 2341
},
"link_quality_distribution": {
"high_authority": "32%",
"medium_authority": "45%",
"low_authority": "23%"
}
}
A good Citation Flow score varies by industry and website type, but generally scores above 30 indicate decent link authority, while scores above 50 suggest strong link profiles. However, the score should always be evaluated alongside Trust Flow for context. Learn more: Trust Flow
Citation Flow measures the quantity and strength of backlinks, while Trust Flow focuses on the quality and trustworthiness of linking domains. Citation Flow considers raw link power, whereas Trust Flow evaluates the credibility of linking sources. Learn more: Trust Flow
Majestic updates Citation Flow scores regularly as it crawls the web, typically refreshing data every few days. However, significant changes to your link profile may take several weeks to fully reflect in the score.
View Engine targets millions of searches and multiplies your traffic on Google, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and more.
