Internal Links: Ultimate Guide + Strategies

Jan 22, 2025 07:11 PM - 2 weeks ago 22306

Internal links are hyperlinks that lead users to different pages connected the aforesaid website. They guideline users to related contented and thief hunt engines understand a site’s structure. 

Here’s what an soul nexus looks for illustration connected a unrecorded page:

Internal nexus illustration shows a matter building successful a different color, indicating a nexus to different page.

And a sample of the codification for that soul link:

<a href="https://www.example-site.com/">fixing crawlability issues</a>

Different soul links service different purposes. Common types include: 

  • Navigational links: Appear successful main menus aliases sidebars 
  • Contextual links: Embedded wrong on-page text
  • Image links: Hyperlinked images 
  • Footer links: Placed successful the site’s footer area
  • Sidebar links: Located successful the sidebar for easy navigation 
  • Breadcrumb links: Show a page’s location wrong the tract hierarchy 
  • In-content call-to-action (CTA) links: Prompt conversions aliases actions wrong the text 

Internal links direct users from 1 page of your tract to another. They amended navigation, walk nexus authority among your pages, and thief hunt engines crawl your site. These links support visitors wrong your domain, which tin summation personification engagement and conversion rates. 

External links point from your tract to a page connected different domain. They thief you mention references and supply other context. They besides build spot and authority erstwhile you nexus to reputable sources. Getting outer backlinks from different websites tin amended your domain authority and rankings. 

Here’s a speedy comparison table:

Feature

Internal Links

External Links

Domain

Same domain

Different Domain

Purpose

Navigation, personification engagement, SEO

Credibility, authority, referral traffic

SEO Impact

Improves crawlability, distributes nexus equity

Boosts credibility, tin lead to backlinks

Examples

Links wrong a blog aliases ecommerce site

Links to investigation articles aliases different websites

Internal links thief hunt engines find and scale each tract pages. They show really your pages subordinate to each other, which tells Google which pages are astir important. This distribution of nexus equity tin boost the visibility of little salient pages. 

Users besides use from a clear way to much information, which increases the full clip they walk connected your site. Google sees longer personification engagement arsenic a affirmative ranking signal. 

Let’s return a deeper look.

1. They Help Search Engines Understand Your Site’s Structure

By linking applicable pages together, you show really topics connect. Google’s crawlers observe caller pages by pursuing these links. 

As Google explains: “Some pages are known because Google has already crawled them before. Other pages are discovered erstwhile Google follows a nexus from a known page to a caller page.”

Here’s a ocular practice of really this works:

Google discovers pages done soul links amongst pages.

2. They Pass Authority

Internal links walk PageRank from pages pinch tons of outer authority to different soul pages. A page that earns galore backlinks (and frankincense has higher authority) tin fortify different pages done soul links. 

Let’s opportunity Page A has tons of outer links pointing to it, which intends it apt has much authority via PageRank. This authority tin past beryllium passed to Page C and different connected pages by measurement of soul links.

Like this:

PageRank is passed from pages pinch much authority to pages pinch lesser authority via soul links.

Identifying these pages tin thief you make the astir of the authority coming into your tract to amended wide rankings. 

However, support successful mind that only portion of that authority is passed, and contextual relevance matters—links are astir effective erstwhile they’re aligned pinch personification needs and contented topics.

3. They Help Users to Navigate Between Relevant Pages

Internal links promote visitors to research related pages. This keeps them connected your tract longer, increases the likelihood of conversions, and helps them find the nonstop accusation they need. 

Let’s opportunity a personification lands connected an article connected your tract astir “how to build a PC.”

You tin see soul links to applicable merchandise pages pinch PC parts aliases to related contented for illustration an article astir “how to hole a PC fan.”

The extremity is to support users connected your tract truthful they complete your desired action, for illustration making a purchase, filling retired a form, aliases buying a product. 

Showing users relevant, useful contented connected the correct pages is the cleanable measurement to do that.

How to Build Your Internal Linking Strategy

A clear strategy ensures you’re making the astir of each link. 

In this adjacent section, we’ll item that seven-step process. And see a template to simplify your process. 

1. Plan Your Site Structure

Site building is really your contented is organized and linked. Establish categories and a logical level to thief users and hunt engines move done your site. 

A pyramid-like building often useful best: 

  • Top: Homepage aliases main pillar pages 
  • Middle: Subcategories aliases cluster pages 
  • Bottom: Specific contented pages 

Like this: 

A schematic of pyramid building website architecture. Starting pinch the homepage, followed by class pages and subcategory pages.

2. Identify Pillar Pages

A pillar page is a broad assets that covers a wide topic. It links to much circumstantial pages (known arsenic cluster pages). 

Pillar pages thief you build topic clusters, which are groups of related content. Creating pillar pages and taxable clusters besides helps tract architecture. 

A pillar is astatine the halfway and pages linking from that page are portion of the cluster.

Pillar pages often target broad, high-volume keywords. Consider your pillar page the apical of the marketing funnel. It provides wide accusation and sparks interest. 

For example, a unit tract mightiness person a pillar page for “washing machines.” That page would nexus to sub-pages astir circumstantial washing instrumentality types. It’s valuable because the keyword “washing machines” gets 18,100 searches per month.

Volume metric for the keyword is highlighted.

Each conception covers a different type of washing instrumentality and past links to moreover much circumstantial merchandise categories. These merchandise categories whitethorn nexus retired to individual merchandise pages. 

Category pages are displayed by type and nexus to individual products wrong those categories.

Avoid making pillar pages excessively narrow. You request capable cluster pages to support them. 

3. Create Topic Clusters

Topic clusters grow connected your pillar taxable successful much detail. For example, if your pillar is “copywriting,” you mightiness person clusters connected “what is copywriting?” aliases “email copywriting tips.” Each cluster links backmost to the pillar page to reenforce topical relevance. 

You tin besides create clusters wrong clusters. For instance, the “email copywriting” cluster mightiness see sub-pages astir taxable lines and calls-to-action (CTAs). These pages should nexus backmost to the main pillar page to show that it’s the superior assets connected the topic. 

Start by mapping retired your taxable clusters and listing applicable supporting pages successful a spreadsheet. Like this: 

Topic cluster strategy template allows you to constitute the pillar page, clusters, and supporting pages successful 1 visual.

For much in-depth instructions, cheque retired our Ultimate Guide to Keyword Research.

Your astir charismatic pages person high-quality backlinks from outer websites. Google views backlinks arsenic votes of confidence. A page pinch galore “votes” tin walk immoderate of that authority (or nexus equity) to different pages via soul links. 

To do this effectively, place your astir charismatic pages utilizing Semrush's Backlink Analytics tool.

Enter your domain and click “Analyze.”

Domain is entered into the tool.

Click the “Indexed Pages” tab.

Indexed Pages tab is highlighted.

This study will show a database of your website pages, which are (by default) sorted by number of referring domains.

Domains file is highlighted.

These are your astir powerful pages.

Export your results arsenic a .csv aliases .xlsx file. Paste astatine slightest 10 of your high-authority pages into your strategy doc.

List of higher authority pages successful the taxable cluster strategy template.

Add soul links from these pages to little charismatic pages connected your site. 

This process helps amended wide rankings by distributing authority to pages that request a boost. 

5. Support New Content

A beardown soul linking building is captious erstwhile you person fewer aliases nary charismatic backlinks. 

To start, take a caller portion of contented aliases a page that needs amended performance. Then, look for applicable interlinking opportunities. 

Use Google’s “site:” search operator to find pages that mention your target keyword. For example, we mightiness hunt for “site:semrush.com soul links” to find related articles.

Example of Google tract hunt successful the hunt bar.

Collect each applicable pages from the hunt results. 

List of tract hunt results.

Paste those URLs into your strategy document. 

URLs are pasted into the strategy document.

Add links from each of those pages to your caller document. Track your advancement arsenic you go. 

Added soul nexus container is checked for URLs.

This method helps you walk authority to your caller page. 

6. Choose the Right Anchor Text

Anchor matter is the clickable matter successful a hyperlink. Like this:

Example of anchor matter shows a matter building successful a different colour and underlined wrong the assemblage text.

You person afloat power complete anchor matter connected your ain site. 

Use strategical words and phrases truthful users and hunt engines understand the linked page’s topic. Clear anchor matter helps Google spot really your pages connect. 

SEO-friendly anchor matter is:

  • Brief: Limit anchor matter to 5 words aliases fewer
  • Relevant: Avoid vague, clickbait phrases for illustration “click here” 
  • Optimized: Exact-match anchor matter is acceptable for soul links if it’s relevant. The extremity is not to employment keyword stuffing techniques.

Be observant pinch outer links, manipulating outer anchor matter violates Google’s webmaster guidelines.

With champion practices successful mind, delegate anchor text to your pillar and cluster pages based connected keyword research. 

Navigational links are among the astir important soul links because they look permanently successful your main menu. This main navigational building usually appears successful the apical paper aliases sidebar. And features merchandise categories, services, aliases halfway contented topics. 

Like this:

Navigational links look astatine the apical of a webpage.

Contextual links (or in-text links) look wrong the main assemblage contented of a page. Instead of pointing to a top-level navigational page, they guideline users to different related content.

For example, this astir page includes a nexus (“FossilMedia”) that points to a deeper, related page. 

Contextual links look wrong the assemblage matter of a webpage.

The links are often placed wrong descriptive anchor text (i.e. “FossilMedia”). 

Adding some navigational and contextual links makes it easier for hunt engines and users to research your site. This helps them find what they request and tin amended personification acquisition and tract rankings. 

You astir apt already person immoderate soul links successful spot unless your website is wholly new. To create a beardown soul linking strategy, you must first understand your existent soul linking structure. An soul nexus audit tin help. 

Use the Semrush Site Audit instrumentality to place communal soul linking issues and study really to hole them. 

Let’s reappraisal the main issues you’ll apt encounter. 

Broken soul links nonstop users and hunt motor crawlers to pages that don’t exist. Deleted pages and mistyped URLs often origin these errors. This leads to 404 errors, which walk nary authority. 

Find surgery links successful the “Errors” conception of your Internal Linking report. Then, region aliases switch each nexus pinch a valid nexus that points to a unrecorded page. 

Broken soul nexus issues are highlighted.

Having excessively galore links connected a page tin confuse Google’s crawlers. Hundreds aliases thousands of links besides make it difficult for users (and hunt engines) to spot which links matter. 

Don’t cram links onto a page. Fewer, much targeted links typically supply a amended personification experience. The Site Audit instrumentality flags pages pinch excessive links successful the “Warnings” conception of your soul Linking report. 

Too galore on-page links issues are highlighted.

Identify those pages and region unneeded links. 

Nofollow links person the rel=“nofollow” attribute, which tells Google not to walk authority to the linked page. SEOs often usage nofollow for outer links they don’t want to endorse.

But you typically want soul links to walk SEO value. 

Followed nexus (passes authority):

<a href="https://example.com">Anchor Text</a>

Nofollow nexus (doesn’t walk authority): 

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Anchor Text</a>

Check your Internal Linking study for links pinch rel=”nofollow” nether the “Warnings” section. 

Nofollow attributes successful outgoing soul links issues are highlighted.

Then, region the rel=“nofollow” property from immoderate soul links you want to walk authority.

4. Orphaned Pages

An orphaned page has nary links from different pages connected your site. Google discovers caller pages by pursuing links, truthful orphaned pages are difficult to find. If Google can’t find them, those pages won’t beryllium indexed aliases look successful hunt results. 

Orphan pages are not linked to different pages connected the tract aliases do not person an soul linking building that takes them backmost to the homepage.

Look for “Orphaned sitemap pages” nether the “Notices” conception of your Internal Linking report. 

Orphaned sitemap pages issues are highlighted.

Then, nexus to each orphaned page from a page that’s already portion of your tract structure. Make judge the page you’re linking from isn’t orphaned, aliases the rumor will remain. 

Internal links awesome which pages are important. The much soul links a page has, the easier it is for hunt engines to observe and rank it. Pages pinch only 1 soul nexus are harder to find and whitethorn look little important to hunt engines. 

Use the Site Audit instrumentality to find pages pinch only 1 soul link. Look for the “Pages pinch only 1 soul link” announcement successful your Internal Linking report. 

Pages pinch only 1 soul nexus issues are highlighted.

Then, place applicable pages crossed your tract and adhd caller soul links to these underlinked pages. 

6. Crawl Depth of More Than Three Clicks

Crawl extent is the number of clicks from your homepage to a circumstantial page. If users must click respective times, hunt engines whitethorn spot that page arsenic little important. According to Google, pages pinch less clicks often rank higher.

In the Site Audit’s Internal Linking report, look for “Page Crawl Depth much than 3 clicks.” 

Pages Crawl Depth much than 3 clicks issues are highlighted.

Then, create nonstop links to these deeper pages—ideally from pages only 1 click from your homepage. This alteration helps users and hunt engines find and scale those pages much easily.

7. Internal Redirects

Internal links that constituent to permanently redirected URLs tin trim crawl budget (the number of pages Google will crawl during a fixed clip frame). If different pages connected your tract still nexus to an aged URL, users will click that aged URL and get redirected. This other measurement is unnecessary.

Here’s what it looks like:

A blog station has an soul nexus to an aged page but that aged page 301 redirects to the caller page.

Internal redirects besides slow load times, which hurts personification acquisition and PageSpeed.

Update your soul links truthful that they lead straight to the caller page. To find soul redirects, unfastened the Site Audit instrumentality and spell to the “Crawled Pages” tab.

Crawled Pages tab is highlighted.

Search for your aged URL successful the hunt bar.

Search container is highlighted.

Click connected the URL successful the results, past click the “# URLs” nether “Incoming Internal Links.” 

Incoming soul links database shows URLs.

You’ll spot a database of pages that still nexus to your aged URL. Change those links truthful they constituent to the caller page alternatively of the old, redirected one. 

Like this: 

Blog station provides an soul nexus straight to the caller page and doesn't nexus to the aged page.

8. Redirect Chains & Loops

A redirect chain occurs erstwhile much than 1 redirect separates the original URL from the last URL. This often happens during tract migrations. 

For example: URL A was /our-mission/. Later, it redirected to /about-us/ (URL B). Then, if you changed URL B to /about/ (URL C), you would create a concatenation of redirects. Instead of going straight to the last page, users walk done aggregate redirect steps.

Here’s what it looks like:

A redirect concatenation is erstwhile URL A redirects to URL B which redirects to URL C.

A redirect loop occurs erstwhile 2 (or more) pages redirect to each other, truthful the personification ne'er reaches a last page. 

Like this:

A redirect loop is erstwhile URL X 301 redirects to URL Y which 301 redirects backmost to URL X.

In your Site Audit Issues report, look for “redirect chains and loops.” 

Redirect concatenation and loops correction is highlighted.

You’ll spot a database of affected pages, positive the redirect type and really galore redirects are linked to each page.

List of pages pinch redirect chains aliases loops.

Correct redirect chains by ensuring there’s only 1 redirect to the last URL.

URL A and URL B some 301 redirect to URL C.

Correct redirect loops by deleting aliases fixing the loop truthful that users and crawlers scope 1 last destination without bouncing back.

Google recommends utilizing HTTPS for a unafraid site. After switching to HTTPS, you whitethorn still person immoderate links pointing to HTTP pages. This creates other redirects and tin trigger information warnings.

To quickly find this error, spell to your Site Audit study and click “View Details” nether the “HTTPS” section.

HTTPS thematic study is highlighted.

Then, scroll down to find the “X link(s) connected HTTPS pages leads to HTTP page” error. Click connected the number of links to spot which pages person the issue.

A nexus is recovered to lead to an HTTP page.

Then update those HTTP links to constituent to HTTPS pages instead.

HTTPS page url is highlighted.

Fix Internal Linking Issues pinch Site Audit

Even pinch a caller soul linking strategy, tally regular audits to drawback caller issues. Schedule a Site Audit each period and reappraisal the Internal Linking report. This helps you support a patient tract building and amended your SEO.

Be judge to tally your Site Audit each period aliases truthful and cheque the Internal Linking Report for issues. This is the champion measurement to support tabs connected your tract wellness and make improvements arsenic needed.

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