Internal linking connects pages within your website using hyperlinks. It helps search engines discover and understand page relationships, distributes link equity throughout your site, and guides users to relevant content. Effective internal linking improves both SEO and user experience.
Internal linking connects pages within your website using hyperlinks. It helps search engines discover and understand page relationships, distributes link equity throughout your site, and guides users to relevant content. Effective internal linking improves both SEO and user experience.
What is Internal Linking?
Internal links are hyperlinks that point from one page on your domain to another page on the same domain. They differ from external links, which point to other websites.
Internal link example:
<a href="/keyword-research/">Learn about keyword research</a>
Why Internal Linking Matters
SEO Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Crawlability | Helps search engines discover pages |
| Indexing | Signals which pages to index |
| Link equity | Distributes authority throughout site |
| Context | Shows relationships between pages |
| Rankings | Boosts important pages |
User Benefits
- Easier navigation
- Discover related content
- Deeper site engagement
- Better user experience
- Lower bounce rates
Internal Linking Strategy
Site Architecture
Organize content in a logical hierarchy.
Ideal structure:
Homepage
├── Category 1 (Hub)
│ ├── Subtopic A
│ ├── Subtopic B
│ └── Subtopic C
├── Category 2 (Hub)
│ ├── Subtopic D
│ └── Subtopic E
└── Category 3 (Hub)
Click depth rule: Important pages should be within 3 clicks of the homepage.
Hub and Spoke Model
Create topic clusters with hub pages linking to related content.
Hub page: Comprehensive overview of broad topic Spoke pages: Detailed content on specific subtopics
Linking pattern:
- Hub links to all spokes
- Spokes link back to hub
- Related spokes link to each other
Priority Pages
Identify and prioritize pages that should receive more internal links.
High-priority pages:
- Money pages (services, products)
- Pillar content
- High-converting pages
- Pages targeting competitive keywords
Anchor Text Optimization
Anchor text is the clickable text of a link. It provides context about the linked page.
Anchor Text Types
| Type | Example | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Exact match | ”keyword research” | Use sparingly |
| Partial match | ”guide to keyword research” | Good balance |
| Descriptive | ”learn how to find keywords” | Natural, helpful |
| Branded | ”Semantic.my” | Navigation |
| Generic | ”click here” | Avoid |
Best Practices
Do:
- Use descriptive, relevant anchor text
- Vary anchor text naturally
- Include target keywords where appropriate
- Make anchor text helpful for users
Don’t:
- Over-optimize with exact match
- Use generic anchors like “click here”
- Stuff keywords unnaturally
- Use the same anchor for different pages
Link Placement
Where you place links affects their value and user engagement.
Placement Hierarchy
| Location | Value | User Engagement |
|---|---|---|
| Body content (contextual) | Highest | Highest |
| Navigation menu | Medium | High |
| Sidebar | Medium | Medium |
| Footer | Lower | Lower |
Contextual Links
Links within content are most valuable.
Best practices:
- Link where naturally relevant
- Place early in content for important pages
- Surround with relevant context
- Don’t force irrelevant links
Internal Linking Techniques
Content Audit for Links
- List all existing content
- Identify topic relationships
- Find linking opportunities
- Add relevant internal links
- Track improvements
New Content Linking
When publishing new content:
- Link from new page to relevant existing pages
- Update existing pages to link to new content
- Ensure hub pages include new content
Broken Link Fixing
Regularly audit for broken internal links:
- Use crawling tools (Screaming Frog)
- Check Google Search Console
- Fix or redirect broken links
Common Internal Linking Mistakes
- Orphan pages - Pages with no internal links pointing to them
- Over-linking - Too many links diluting value
- Generic anchors - “Click here” provides no context
- Ignoring deep pages - Not linking to older content
- Same anchor everywhere - Looks unnatural
- Broken links - Waste link equity, hurt UX
- Nofollow internal links - Wastes PageRank
Internal Linking Tools
| Tool | Purpose | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Screaming Frog | Crawl and audit links | Free/Paid |
| Ahrefs | Internal link analysis | Paid |
| Google Search Console | Coverage issues | Free |
| Link Whisper | WordPress link suggestions | Paid |
Internal Linking Checklist
Site-Wide
- Logical site architecture
- Important pages within 3 clicks
- No orphan pages
- Navigation includes key pages
- Footer links to important pages
Per Page
- 3-5+ relevant internal links
- Links to related content
- Descriptive anchor text
- Links placed contextually
- No broken links
Ongoing
- New content links to old
- Old content updated with new links
- Regular broken link audits
- Monthly link opportunity review
Conclusion
Internal linking is a powerful, controllable on-page SEO factor. It helps search engines understand your site structure, distributes authority to important pages, and improves user navigation.
Focus on creating a logical site architecture with clear topic clusters. Use descriptive anchor text that helps both users and search engines understand linked content. Regularly audit and update internal links as your site grows.
Combine internal linking with quality content and technical SEO fundamentals for comprehensive optimization.