Internal linking is the practice of linking one page of your website to another page of your website. It helps your users navigate your site, boosts your site authority, and improves your ranking signals. But how can you optimize your internal linking structure to get the most benefits? Here are some tips to follow.
Anchor text is the clickable text that links to another page. It should be descriptive, concise, and relevant to the destination page. Avoid using generic terms like "click here" or "learn more", as they don't tell users or search engines what the page is about. Instead, use keywords or phrases that match the topic and intent of the page you are linking to. For example, if you are linking to a page about SEO tools, use anchor text like "best SEO tools" or "how to use SEO tools".
Diversify your anchor texts from different pages so that you can leverage semantics within the way you internally link to the same pages.
A friendly tip is to use anchor text with your keywords. In that way, you will give relevancy to your page SEO and also show Google that your page has a good web structure.
Extremely underestimated ranking factor - use strong and specific keywords as anchor text data instead of "click here" or "learn more". Example: "Technical SEO Agency X - learn more about us" >> "learn more".
High-value pages are the pages that are important for your site goals, such as landing pages, product pages, or blog posts that generate traffic or conversions. You want to link to these pages often and from relevant sources, as they can boost your site authority and performance. However, don't overdo it and link to the same page from every other page, as this can look spammy and dilute the link value. Instead, link to high-value pages when they provide useful information or context for the user.
Link to pages that offer high-quality, relevant content related to the topic you're discussing. High-value pages often provide in-depth information, analysis, or solutions to common problems. use follow/unfollow and custom meta tags
Your site should have a clear and logical hierarchy that reflects your site structure and navigation. This means that your pages should be grouped into categories and subcategories, and linked accordingly. For example, if you have a site about gardening, you can have a main category for plants, and subcategories for different types of plants, such as flowers, herbs, or vegetables. Then, you can link from the main category page to the subcategory pages, and from the subcategory pages to the individual plant pages. This way, you create a coherent and user-friendly internal linking structure that also helps search engines understand and crawl your site.
Begin by optimizing the overall structure and architecture of your website. Ensure it is user-friendly, with clear navigation and a logical hierarchy. This top-level consideration lays the foundation for a positive user experience and effective search engine crawling. -> Keyword Strategy (Topical Relevance) Conduct keyword research to identify the terms and phrases relevant to your content and target audience. This top-down approach involves understanding the overarching topics and themes that align with your business or website objectives.
Breadcrumbs are the navigational elements that show users where they are on your site and how they can go back to the previous pages. They usually appear at the top or bottom of the page, and consist of links that represent the hierarchy of the site. For example, a breadcrumb for a page about roses on a gardening site could look like this: Home > Plants > Flowers > Roses. Breadcrumbs are useful for internal linking because they provide users with an easy way to explore your site, and they also help search engines identify the relationship between your pages.
Breadcrumbs aren't only useful from an SEO perspective by providing relevant and consistent internal links, they also add great UX to websites - especially within ecommerce.
Additionally: Use Breadcrumbs structured Data! Breadcrumbs structured data is a specific type of schema markup that helps search engines understand the hierarchical structure of a website's pages. Breadcrumbs are a navigational aid that shows users the path they took to arrive at the current page within a website. Implementing breadcrumbs structured data can enhance search engine visibility and improve the display of search results.
Broken links are the links that lead to pages that no longer exist or have moved to a different URL. They create a bad user experience, as they frustrate users who expect to find relevant content. They also harm your site authority and ranking, as they signal to search engines that your site is outdated or unreliable. Therefore, you should avoid broken links by checking your site regularly for any errors, and fixing or removing any links that don't work. You can use tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog to find and fix broken links on your site.
Two good ways to find if you have broken links are using Yoast SEO which is automatic or using the extinction of Google Check My Links on each page you want to check
Use a Plugin or Extension to handle 404 links. For Wordpress i recommend the plugin "Redirection" This plugin is primarily designed to manage 301 redirects, which are permanent redirects, and monitor 404 errors (page not found). It helps in maintaining the integrity of your website's URLs, improving SEO, and ensuring a smooth user experience.
Finally, you should analyze and optimize your internal linking on a regular basis, as your site grows and changes over time. You can use tools like Google Analytics or Ahrefs to monitor and measure your internal linking performance, such as how many internal links you have, how they affect your traffic and conversions, and how they distribute your link authority. You can also use tools like Sitebulb or Visual Site Mapper to visualize your internal linking structure, and identify any gaps or opportunities for improvement. By analyzing and optimizing your internal linking, you can ensure that your site is well-connected, user-friendly, and SEO-friendly.