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Internal Linking - Best Practices

Updated by Jaiya Motaye

Internal Linking - Best Practices

  1. Create text link using descriptive anchor text
  2. Add appropriate Number of Links per page
  3. Update Old Articles with New Internal Links
  4. Add Links Where It Makes Sense
  5. Link to High Converting Pages
  6. Link to relevant pages
  7. Link deep within your website
  8. Keep your internal linking structure organized

1. Create text link using descriptive anchor text (also known as link text)

When linking to other pages on your website, use descriptive anchor text that accurately describes the page being linked to. This not only helps search engines understand the content of your website but also helps users navigate your website more easily.

NOTE: Your internal links should use anchor text, but not just any anchor text will do. Include phrases that describe what the target link is about.

3 Things NOT to do with your Internal Linking

  1. Do NOT try to create an exact match between the anchor text and the link target. This technique known as ‘exact match anchor text’ had been associated with SEO penalties
  2. Do not use phrases like ‘click here’. This adds no value. Anchor texts needs to be related to the linked page in some way.
  3. Do not link more than one sentence or a paragraph. Just stick to a few words or a phrase when using anchor text to point to an internal link.

While it's important to link to relevant pages on your website, it's also important not to go overboard. Too many internal links can make your content appear spammy and can negatively impact user experience.

When you write a new piece of content, you should includeat least three internal links pages that have potential SEO value (like blog, solutions page) to old articles. This is really important to your internal linking strategy and how the search engines review and rank your content.

[Pinging old pages with a new link helps to boost its likelihood of increasing rank in the SERPs. In the eyes of the search engines, readers who follow your internal links are actually “refreshing” your older content by showing it’s still relevant.]

3. Update Old Articles with New Internal Links

You’ll get the most power from internal linking if you combine it with another SEO technique - updating old content.

Why?

When you update old content, Google’s crawler sees it again, indexes it again, and may increase its ranking in the SERPs.

How?

Good process to follow on your old blog articles:

  • Add a new paragraph of content at the beginning, explaining your updates.
  • Add several new paragraphs throughout, adding additional or updated information.
  • Remove or replace outdated stats or information
  • Add several new internal links to content you’ve recently created
  • Add links in places where it’s logical and value-added

What will it accomplish?:

1. It updates old content, which improves its ranking value.

2. It creates an internal link between an old establishes page on the site and a new not-so-established page.

Look for areas in the Content where the subject matter overlaps. These are logical points of connection to create an internal link.

For examples:

You can add links to define complex terms or explain a related topic.(e.g Reference point)
Do not ADD link at the end of page For e.g ‘For more content, click here‘.

5. Link to High Converting Pages

Links to pages on your website that convert visitors more than other pages. You can link to the high converting blog pages, which have compelling content and powerful CTA. Make sure to link internally to these pages. This is where internal linking has more than just SEO value. It can have revenue value. The more visitors you can drive to a high-converting page, the more conversions you’ll have.

6.  Link to relevant pages

Only link to pages that are relevant to the content of the page being linked from. This helps ensure that users are presented with information that is related to their interests and helps search engines understand the context of your content.

7.Link deep within your website

Linking to deeper pages on your website can help distribute page authority and improve rankings for those pages. This is especially important for larger websites that have a lot of pages. (We need to create links in and among long-form articles, not homepage, about us or contact page)

What Are Long-Form Articles?

Long-form articles refer to pieces of content that are longer than your typical run-of-the-mill post. While standard post length hovers around 1,100 words, long-form articles are usually a minimum of 2,000 words and often extend up into the 2,500+ word territory. Long-form articles are about telling stories and engaging readers.

8.Keep your internal linking structure organized

A well-organized internal linking structure makes it easier for both users and search engines to navigate your website. Use a clear hierarchy and try to link to pages that are higher up in the hierarchy from pages that are lower down.

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