---
name: citations
description: "Use when auditing metadata, crawlability, structured data, or indexability related to Cite authoritative external sources. Verify the rendered HTML and HTTP response rather than relying only on source files."
metadata:
  category: seo
  priority: medium
  difficulty: beginner
  estimatedTime: "10"
  source: frontendchecklist.io
  url: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/seo/citations
---

# Cite authoritative external sources

Citing authoritative sources is a key trust signal for E-E-A-T, demonstrating that your content is well-researched and grounded in verifiable information.

## Quick Reference

- Link to reputable, high-authority websites to validate factual claims, data, or quotes
- Ensure citations are highly relevant and provide extra value to the reader
- Use descriptive anchor text when linking to external research, studies, or official sources

## Check

Review the content for any factual claims that should be backed up with a link to an authoritative source.

## Fix

Add external links to reputable websites (e.g., .gov, .edu, or industry leaders) to support your data points.

## Explain

Explain how citing external sources contributes to the 'Trustworthiness' pillar of Google's E-E-A-T framework.

## Code Review

Review metadata generation, rendered HTML, structured data, and response headers related to Cite authoritative external sources. Flag exact routes or templates where search-facing output violates the rule, and describe how to verify the final page output.

---

For full implementation details, code examples, and framework-specific guidance,
see `references/rule.md`.

Rule page: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/seo/citations