At my startup, LSEO, we recently conducted an internal link audit to enhance our growth marketing strategy. With multiple freelancers and staff writers contributing content, our website’s size has more than tripled in the past two years. However, the absence of a centralized internal linking strategy limited the distribution of link authority across our website.
I highly recommend auditing your own internal linking structure to ensure that you are not hindering the ability for a blog post to be crawled or receive "link juice." This is crucial not only from an SEO perspective but also from a business angle, as poorly interlinked content may not reach its full potential in organic ranking or be easily found by users.
Let’s explore some best practices for internal linking and why it remains a crucial aspect of SEO development.
The Function and Benefits of Internal Links
Function
An effective internal linking structure provides SEO and user experience (UX) value for your website. Here are some highlights of internal link functionality:
- Opens access to web pages previously less accessible to search engines.
- Organizes web pages categorically based on the keyword used in the link’s URL and anchor text.
- Enhances user navigation by offering additional interactions with your site.
- Uses anchor text keywords to support user intent.
- Transfers “link juice” between web pages, a factor thought to influence rankings.
- Structures site architecture and signals to search engines which pages are most crucial.
- Supports promotional campaigns by prominently featuring links on key pages.
That said, some links can be missed by search engines:
- Links on pages disallowed in your robots.txt file.
- Links in search bars or submission fields.
- Links in embedded plugins like Java or Flash.
- Links on pages with excessive links (over 150).
User Experience (UX)
Beyond SEO value, interlinking enhances UX. An efficient interlinking structure should include a functional drop-down menu and navigation bar with links to relevant content, satisfying user intent. Clear labels for each link encourage deeper site interaction, boosting user dwell time and session length, thus increasing the chance of conversions.
Imagine landing on a fantastic page from a referral and struggling to find it later. Without optimized anchor text or deep links, locating it through direct traffic can be challenging and frustrating.
Link Authority
While internal links do not directly influence Google’s algorithm like backlinks do, they enhance the flow of backlink authority from one page to another. New blog articles typically start with little authority, but a strategic deep link from a prominent page can increase their indexing speed and ranking.
Interlinking Structure Best Practices
Site Architecture
Your linking structure should resemble a pyramid. The home page sits at the top, with cornerstone or category pages directly beneath, linking to relevant blogs or product pages. Pages within one link of the home page are perceived as most important by search engines.
The aim is to minimize the number of links between any page and the home page, leveraging your home page’s authority to distribute link juice and help all pages rank well. Sophisticated navigation features ensure all web pages remain within two to three links of the home page as your site expands.
Let’s examine effective link placements for enhancing UX and SEO campaigns.
Content Links
Content is not only a place for internal links for indexing purposes but also supports UX. Including a link in content serves as source material, inviting users to click for more information. Bold links stand out, encouraging user interaction. Ideally, link blog posts to other relevant posts, as irrelevant links disrupt UX, causing bounces.
Ensure all pages contain no broken links by redirecting them to relevant pages. Fast-loading pages improve user experience and reduce bounces. Ensure linked pages are within one click of a conversion page and include a call to action.
Experts speculate content links may hold more value than navigational links. The implication of link position on SEO is a subject of debate.
Hyperlink Page Positions
According to John Mueller from Google, the position of internal links on a page is irrelevant to SEO. However, from a UX perspective, place key links on the home page, navigation bar, or drop-down menus. Lower authority pages need not link back to the home or contact pages within the content. Instead, link to relevant posts.
Footer and sidebar links should direct users to relevant products or content. A link in a footer to a cornerstone page isn’t less valuable than one in a navigation bar, but an overly extensive footer is poor UX. End-of-article or sidebar links encourage further interaction, providing positive user signals to Google, which may indirectly affect ranking.
Aiding content indexing with link tags or keyword tags tells search engines the page topic. Breadcrumb links and XML sitemaps further assist user and crawler navigation.
Link Relevancy
Relevancy is key in link-building and internal linking. Optimize anchor text to match the linked page’s title or topic. Irrelevant anchor text may be viewed as spam.
Create keyword variations in anchor text as repetitive use can be spammy and cause keyword cannibalization. Use keyword research and link audits to find opportunities for relevant internal links. Aim for at least three internal links per content piece, adjusting based on length.
Call-to-Action Links
CTA optimization is vital for conversion rates. The CTA button should stand out and be device-optimized. Position CTAs above the fold for effectiveness. Ensure CTAs are always one or two clicks from any web page.
Nofollow Links
Use the rel="nofollow" tag if you don’t want a search engine to count the link juice on specific pages. Often applied in user-generated content to avoid spam penalties, it can inadvertently impact authority flow to linked pages. Google advises against "pagerank sculpting," so use it cautiously on internal links.
Conclusion
We often overlook the SEO and UX value of internal link structures when focusing on link building. While backlinks are invaluable to SEO, their impact can be amplified through a well-planned internal link structure that distributes authority across your site.
