Internal links are one of the most important on-page SEO factors that can make or break your blog’s rankings and organic traffic.
We’ll explain what internal links are, why they are crucial for SEO, and how to strategically use internal linking to boost your blog’s search performance.
What Are Internal Links and Why Do They Matter?
Internal links, or inner site links, refer to hyperlinks connecting different pages within the same website. For example, linking one blog post to another related blog post on your site is considered an internal link.
Optimizing these internal connections serves multiple purposes:
- Helps search engines crawl and index pages – By linking pages together, you create a path for search engine bots to discover and crawl all pages on your site more efficiently. This improves indexation.
- Passes authority and “link juice” – When you link from authoritative pages to new or lower-authority pages, you pass on ranking power, trust, and authority. This SEO concept is known as link juice distribution.
- Creates relevancy – Internal links tell search engines how your blog content relates and help establish topical authority. Related posts reinforcement improves SEO.
- Enhances user experience – Well-structured internal linking helps readers navigate your site easily to find relevant information quickly. Improving site architecture and site mapping allows for seamless user journeys.
Types of Internal Links
There are a few different types of internal links you can include on your blog:
Contextual Text Links
These are hyperlinked phrases or keywords embedded within the body content of a post that leads to other relevant articles on your site. For example:
“If you want more tips, check out my previous article on how to take professional photos for your blog.”
Contextual text links help establish topical authority and relevancy for search engines.
Footer or Sidebar Links
Many blogs include link lists (like blog rolls or related posts widgets) in the footer or sidebar areas of posts. These commonly link to other articles on your site and are a convenient internal linking option.
Navigation Menu Links
Your primary site-wide navigation menu is a great place to incorporate internal links. Pages like “Blog” or “About Us” help search bots crawl your site architecture.
Affiliate Links
If you mention or recommend products/services in posts, linking to relevant pages on your site with more info establishes your expertise and helps conversions.
Internal Link Building Best SEO Practices
When creating internal links, there are some best SEO practices to follow:
Link to Related Posts Within the Same Topic
Try to link to other posts that focus on the same or similar topics. For example, if you wrote a “Benefits of blogging for businesses” article, linking to other articles with similar subjects reinforces your authority.
Use Keywords in Anchor Text
Incorporate relevant keywords in the clickable anchor text links pointing to related articles. However, don’t over-optimize or stuff unnatural keywords. Find a balance.
Link to Cornerstone Content Frequently
Identify pillar articles or other authority pages on your site and link to them often from new content. This passes “link juice” and boosts new pages by linking to already established pages.
Embed Links Naturally Within Paragraphs
Work internal links into sentences fluidly within paragraph content. Don’t just add a list of links at the end of posts. Linking to other resources within posts helps establish context and relevancy.
Vary Your Anchor Text And Use LSI Keywords
Avoid repeating the same anchor text links throughout your site. Vary them using related long-tail keywords, LSI keyword variations, or partial main keywords. Use branded terms for recognition too.
Link to Resources or Landing Pages
In addition to linking between blog posts, link to relevant landing pages or site resources, like your “Services” page or lead magnet content offers. This connects your content to conversions.
Technical SEO Tips for Internal Links
Here are some technical best practices when inserting internal links:
- Use relative links instead of absolute links whenever possible. Relative links won’t break if you change domain names.
- Check for any broken internal links leading to 404s occasionally and fix them. Broken links hurt user experience.
- Evaluate click-through rates on important links – if they are low, reconsider the anchor text or if the link is needed.
- Be mindful of your overall information architecture and create a logical internal linking structure site-wide.
- Don’t over-optimize with excessive internal links. Google may interpret unnaturally high linking as manipulative.
Linking to Landing Pages and Assets
In addition to linking between your main blog content, also consider linking to other important pages and assets on your site:
- Link relevant blog posts to high-value landing pages to generate more conversions. For example, we link a blog about local SEO strategies to our list of the best SEO blogs or top SEO companies to learn from industry experts.
- Connect blog content topically to your site’s crucial product or service pages so readers can learn more or purchase.
- Link to downloadable gated content offers, like ebooks, whitepapers, or free tools that require email signup. This grows your email list.
- Create resource pages that aggregate helpful content like infographics, calculators, or worksheets and link to them from blog posts if relevant.
Measuring and Improving Your Internal Linking Strategy
Use analytics to understand better how your internal linking is performing:
- See which pages drive the most organic goal completions or conversions from internal links. Double down on linking to high-converting paths.
- Monitor top exit and landing pages – if they don’t align, reconsider link placements.
- Check click-through rates on internal links. Low numbers may indicate ineffective anchor text or irrelevant connections.
- Continuously audit new blog posts and identify where to add new contextual internal links to reinforce topics.
- Ask for user feedback on the site navigation experience. See if they have issues finding related content easily.
Key Takeaways for Internal Link Building
- Strategic internal linking is crucial for SEO success by reinforcing relevancy, passing authority, and enhancing organic rankings.
- Optimize inner page links using relevant anchor text and embedding them contextually within content for the best SEO and user experience impact.
- Measure internal link performance with analytics to identify successes, broken links, low-converting paths, and new linking opportunities.
- A well-architected internal site structure plays a major role in allowing pages to rank for desired keywords by establishing topical relevance through linking.
Focus on creating an intuitive internal site navigation experience while keeping search engine crawling and indexing in mind with your internal links. You can elevate any blog’s organic search performance with strategic inner page linking best practices.
Answering Common Internal Linking Questions
Let’s explore some frequently asked questions about using internal links for SEO:
Do internal links improve SEO?
Yes, high-quality inner page links can significantly improve your blog’s SEO in multiple ways:
- Helps pages get crawled and indexed for better discoverability
- Passes link equity between old and new content
- Increases topical relevance signals for ranking
- Enhances user experience by connecting related content
So thoughtfully linking internally has a significant impact on overall SEO and traffic.
How do I use internal linking for SEO?
Focus on creating contextual links between closely related content using relevant anchor text phrases. Link to pillar pages often to pass authority. Include links naturally within paragraph content. Follow technical best practices and track link performance with analytics to continuously improve.
How do I improve SEO with links?
The two main types of links to improve SEO are inner page links between your content and external links from outside sites back to your content (backlinks). Optimize both strategically with relevant, high-quality placements using anchor text carefully.
How many internal links should appear in a blog post?
There is no definitive ideal number but aim for 2-4 well-placed contextual internal links per 1000 words of content as a general rule of thumb. Avoid excessive linking and focus on relevance.
Are too many internal links bad for SEO?
Over-optimization with too many links on a single page can appear unnatural and manipulative. Moderation is key – link to relevant content to support the topic rather than force links.
Do inbound links make a big difference to SEO?
Yes, earning high-authority external backlinks remains one of the strongest off-page SEO signals. But quality over quantity applies – build links slowly from reputable sites naturally.
What are the four main steps when it comes to internal SEO?
The key phases are:
- Planning architecture
- Creating content
- Interlinking content
- Optimizing technical elements
Is internal linking the same as backlinks?
No, internal links connect pages within your website, while backlinks refer to external websites linking back to your content. Focus on both for the best results.
How can I improve my internal linking?
Conduct an audit to identify new linking opportunities between related content. Fix broken links. Analyze click-through rates and conversions to optimize. Ask for user feedback on site navigation. Add related links naturally in future content.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Optimizing internal link structures should be a priority for any blogger or site owner looking to improve SEO. Well-planned inner-page linking builds relevance between content topics and distributes authority across old and new pages. Additionally, it provides better on-site navigation for users and gives search spiders what they need to crawl and index your important pages properly.
Remember to incorporate contextual text links smoothly within your content, be strategic with anchor text variability and phrases, and constantly measure and refine your internal connections. Your blog’s organic performance and user experience hang in the balance of getting your internal linking right!