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Off-Page SEO

What Is TF and CF (Trust Flow, Citation Flow)?

Trust Flow and Citation Flow are Majestic's two backlink metrics. Citation Flow scores link quantity and Trust Flow scores link quality by proximity to a seed set of trusted sites. They are usually read as a ratio rather than individually.

Why TF and CF (Trust Flow, Citation Flow) matters for SEO

The ratio is the point: high Citation Flow with low Trust Flow suggests many low-quality links, which is a classic profile for a site that has bought them. Neither number is a Google metric, and both describe Majestic's index rather than reality.

Pro tip on TF and CF (Trust Flow, Citation Flow)

Compare the ratio against sites you consider peers rather than chasing a target number. A large gap between the two is a prompt to audit where links are actually coming from.

Related terms

Domain AuthorityAnother third-party model of the same underlying questionBacklinkBoth metrics summarise a backlink profile

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