Back in 2016, I wrote a piece on optimizing internal linking structures. In the article, we discussed a variety of topics, including PageRank, link equity flow, anchor text, and more. I wrote the article after conducting an audit on a large e-commerce site called Trophy Central.
Since then, several years have passed, and the site now has a slightly different SEO focus. The owner has kindly allowed me to share the details of that audit, the SEO optimization plan that emerged, and the results.
I provided the owner with two core recommendations after my research, review, and audit. I’ll outline what they were, why, and how they were implemented by the development team.
1. Recommendation: Navigation
At the time of the review, the site lacked drop-down navigation. While drop-down navigation isn’t suitable for every site, it can be beneficial for many e-commerce sites and was effective in this case.
The principle here is to direct PageRank to deeper pages, but there’s a caveat. The more links you add to your navigation, the less valuable each becomes. Each page has a set amount of PageRank to pass along, which is divided among the links on that page. Therefore, the fewer the number of links, the more weight they carry.
Pages with products and categories should limit links to pages of importance. Using keyword research to discover search volumes and the client’s understanding of product set ROI, we decided on a structure that links the most important second-tier categories, followed by the most important third-tier ones. This structure is similar to one from my initial article.
This approach reduces the weight of individual products but strengthens the categories. For this site, where search volume concentrated on categories, it was the logical choice.
2. Recommendation: Smart Link Placement
Initially, Trophy Central’s homepage content area linked to second-tier locations and a few products. We made a simple yet effective addition by including links to sub-categories.
The strategy was to leverage the area’s visibility to pass more weight to these links. While these pages were already accessible via top navigation, their placement in a key, highly visible location on the homepage gave them more prominence.
Both content and links in highly visible locations carry more weight. We aimed to direct more weight to essential sub-categories.
Additional Areas
In the future, we plan to test reducing the number of links in the left navigation on internal pages. There’s no need to pass link equity and page authority to sub-categories with low traffic. Though individual jumps from this adjustment may not be dramatic, collectively, dozens of rankings moving up one position can result in significant traffic gains.
The Results
Did these simple yet significant changes help Trophy Central? Before the results, consider these two insightful questions:
- What did adding a few links to key categories in a visible and "content" area on the homepage yield?
- What does the simple addition of an easy-to-use drop-down navigation contribute to rankings?
The simple answer to both questions is a resounding yes! Here are the results ordered by the change in rankings and current position.
Core Stats
We monitored 381 terms, which I organized into groups for easy analysis and sharing. One month after implementation, here’s how they shifted:
- Top 100: 56 more terms entered the top 100, 24 declined, and 165 improved.
- Top 20: 34 more terms entered the top 20, 5 declined, and 55 improved.
- Top 10: 9 more terms entered the top 10, 3 declined, and 13 improved.
- Top 3: The site started with no top 3 terms and had 2 after the changes.
All these improvements stemmed from straightforward changes to the internal linking structure, demonstrating that sometimes simple adjustments can result in dramatic improvements. Focusing on core SEO elements and site structure can yield substantial benefits.
What to Keep in Mind
There are two critical aspects of internal link weight and distribution to remember:
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Adding Navigation Links and Drop-down Menus: Each additional link dilutes the value of existing links. Limit global links to pages that need PageRank and can drive traffic. This approach benefits both users and search engines.
- Visibility of Links: Links in prominent locations are more valuable than those in obscure places. Google prioritizes content meant for engagement, and links are content. Place links to key pages in visible spots to direct people and PageRank effectively.
These simple, strategic changes generated significant rankings and traffic improvements for Trophy Central, emphasizing the impact of smart internal link building and SEO strategies.
