Internal linking for SEO: Why and how?

ImproveShow Hard Look no further, because in this blog post, we will delve into the world of internal linking for SEO. It's like having a secret weapon in your digital marketing arsenal!

But what exactly is internal linking, and why is it so important? Well, let's start with the basics.

So, why should you bother with internal linking? The benefits are huge! And the best part?

From the basics to the advanced strategies, we've got you covered.

What are internal links?

An internal link refers to any link that connects one page on your website to another page on your website. Users and search engines rely on links to discover content on your website.

Users rely on links to navigate and discover the desired content on your website. Search engines use links to navigate your site as well. If there are no links to it, they won't see a page.

Several types of internal links exist. In addition to links on your homepage, menu, post feed, etc., here are other places where you can include links. You can also add links within your content.

Those links are referred to as contextual links. Contextual links direct your users to engaging and relevant content. Moreover, search engines are able to determine the relevance and value of the content on your site.

The more important it will seem to search engines, the more links a significant page receives. Good internal links are crucial to your SEO, therefore.

What’s an external link?

An external link is a link that connects one website to another. Links from other sites are crucial for referral traffic and SEO, but they are located on external websites.

You can't control them, but internal links are easy to manage. When done well, search engines and visitors are both benefited.

Internal links vs. external links

Even online stores, every website is made up of internal and external links. Internal links are used to connect pages and posts within your website, while external links connect your pages to other websites.

This post focuses on the importance of internal links for SEO. If you want to get more external links pointing to your site, check out our posts on link building.

Why are links important to Google?

Internal linking plays a crucial role for Google and other search engines. But why? To discover content on websites and rank this content in the search results, Google follows links.

If a post or page receives numerous links, it indicates to Google that it is an important or valuable article. This counts for both internal and external links.

As a site owner, you have control over internal linking. Guide visitors and Google to your most important pages with the correct internal links.

Internal links help establish relationships between different pieces of content.

By using a bot called Googlebot, Google crawls websites by following internal and external links. Upon arriving at the website’s homepage, this bot renders the page and proceeds to follow the first link.

Google can establish the relationship between the various pages, posts, and other content by following the links. Using this approach, Google can identify which pages on your site address a similar subject matter.

For example, this post will include links to the tags 'Content SEO', 'Internal linking', and 'Site structure'. By adding these links, we ensure that Google understands the relationship between the content on those pages and the content of this post.

Internal links help search engines better find your content

Orphaned content becomes an issue for many as websites grow in size and complexity. Orphaned content refers to pages on your website that have no internal links pointing to them.

Because there is no internal link to lead the Googlebot to these pages, search engines are unable to find and index them.

Even though websites nowadays have sitemaps that list the URL of most pages on your site, search engines may eventually take a long time to reach these pages.

Especially for very big websites that require a lot of resources to crawl or newly created sites that don't receive frequent visits from Google, this statement holds true.

Adding internal links to your newly published pages provides search engines with additional pathways to access that content.

Link value

In addition to understanding the rationship between content, Google divides link value among all the links on a web page.

The homepage of a website often has the most significant link value due to its abundance of backlinks. That link value will be shared among all the links on that homepage.

The link value passed to the following page will be divided among the links on that page and so forth

Therefore, linking to your newest blog posts from the homepage instead of only on the category page will give them more link value. And if recent posts are linked to from the homepage, Google will find them quicker.

When you understand that links pass their link value on, you’ll realize that more links to a post equate to more value. Because Google considers a page with numerous valuable links to be more significant, you can enhance the likelihood of that page ranking.

Setting up an internal linking strategy and the value of pages.

To evaluate and improve your internal linking strategy regularly, it's crucial for your SEO. One of the ways to improve the fitness of your website is by doing this. By ensuring the following, you make sure Google understands by adding the right internal links: .

To set up your internal linking strategy, there are several things to consider. How you go about it depends on your site and goals, but the following steps are a good rule of thumb.

1.Determine the ideal structure for your site

We always recommend that website owners envision their website as a pyramid. On top of it is your homepage; below are some sections or categories, and further down are individual posts and pages — possibly with subcategories in between.

If you do it well, your website's menu should reflect this structure. In our Ultimate guide to site structure, you can learn how to create the optimal site structure for your website.

2. Improve Engagement Metrics

To get your audience to explore deeper into your site and view more pages, it is important to lay out a clear journey for them.

To keep an eye on, this actively works to reduce bounce rate and increase the time on page — two very important user experience metrics.

3. Drive Users Toward Conversion

Building an internal link structure in your site improves user navigation, ultimately driving your target audience toward a sale for ecommerce brands.

Especially from your early-funnel content, a relevant connection can bring your audience deeper into the funnel and drive conversions.

On your homepage, the links push towards your content marketing. Within that structure, individual blog posts can drive towards gated content, a free trial, or a product page.

Your audience moves from initial awareness all the way to becoming leads and customers, just like that.

To build a link network in this fashion, you need to analyze the buyer's journey. In the same way you would think about content mapping, think about it.

Creating the right content and optimizing it for the right searches is the first step. Then, you can connect it through interlinking in a way that drives your audience forward at their pace and preference.

4. Build Your Website Architecture

The basic structure of your website is its site taxonomy, which refers to how your content is organized within menus and navigation, allowing users to navigate from the homepage to deeper pages. Taxonomies assist Google and users in comprehending the subject matter of your website.

But the structural taxonomy is not the only aspect to consider when it comes to your website architecture. Through the addition of internal links, you create another layer that forms the web of content and pages we've already discussed above.

Your structural taxonomy is likely organized by various topics and subtopics that make sense from a homepage perspective. Your services are located in a different section from your About Us content. What if you need to link from one topic to the other?

It is impossible to achieve within a linear taxonomy. Your internal links, which make up the second layer of your website architecture, play a crucial role in improving your UX design by creating cross-links.

This transforms disconnected pages into a comprehensive online experience.

5. Improve Crawl Efficiency

The idea of crawl depth and crawl efficiency is related to the topic of your site architecture. Search engine crawlers typically operate in a straightforward pattern.

Conclusion

In conclusion, internal linking is a crucial aspect of SEO that should not be overlooked. By strategically placing links within your website, you can improve your user experience and drive more traffic to your pages.

Not only does internal linking help search engine crawlers navigate your site more efficiently, but it also creates a seamless online experience for your visitors.

Implementing internal linking strategies may seem advanced, but with the right tools and guidance, anyone can master it.

Whether you have a best-selling website or a custom-built platform, incorporating internal links will instantly boost your SEO efforts. It reduces bounce rates, increases time spent on your site, and ultimately leads to higher conversions and sales.