The Power of Internal Linking in SEO: How to Rank Higher in Search Results

Internal relinking can help you make your site more user-friendly and rank higher in search engine results. However, this process is not as simple as some advanced people believe. There are many subtleties here that everyone should be aware of. So in this article, we'll explain how it works and how to do it properly.

On-site linking refers to linking from one page to another. For an online store, it could be links from the main page to product catalog categories, and then to the products. For a blog, start with the main page and progress to thematic sections, then articles. This link system connects all of the site's sections and pages, allowing users to discover new information.

Let's say someone wants to purchase a refrigerator. Intuitively, it is clear that to find a refrigerator, you must first select the section "Home Appliances" and then "Refrigerators" and proceed to the link. If links to the sections were created randomly, without internal logic, the visitor would have spent a long time searching for the product or would have gone to a competitor's site. That’s why internal linking is important for SEO.

In addition to intra-site linking, external linking refers to the placement of links to the site from other websites. For example, someone who reads this article may want to share it and link to it on their blog.

Proper internal hyperlinks are one of several factors that influence a website's search engine ranking.

It's worthwhile to participate if you:

• Create a website from scratch and want to immediately make it convenient for people and search engine robots;

• Have already tried other methods of promoting the site or specific pages and want to improve the results;

• You see negative indicators in analytics services. People view a few pages, do not take targeted actions, quickly leave the site, or spend a long time searching for what they need, but ultimately leave with nothing.

Here are the problems that site interlinking solves for website promotion:

A page's authority, or link weight, is one of the factors that influence its search ranking. The more links that point to a specific page, the higher its authority in the eyes of search engines, and the higher it will appear in the results. Internal URLs allow you to achieve the necessary distribution of link weight across the site's pages: transfer it to the pages that need to be promoted in search, demonstrating to searchers their importance.

A link anchor is the text formed by a link that, when clicked, takes the user to another page. If you use the correct search query in the anchors of links leading to a specific page, its ranking in the search results for that query may improve.

If you link from an indexed page to a newly created page, search engines will index the new page more quickly. Furthermore, the number of links can tell search engines which pages are important and should be indexed more frequently, and which can be ignored. For an online store, it is critical that search engines bypass category pages and instead look for new products. To prioritize the search engine, the category page should have more links than the individual product pages.

Internal links on the site that are well-placed make it easier for users to navigate and find products or information. If we use internal links to show the user something else interesting, he can click on the links indefinitely, read new articles, or add product after product to his cart. Thus, linking influences the behavior of site visitors. The amount of time a user spends on the site and the depth with which they browse increase, while the bounce rate decreases.

Internal links can direct users to pages with the highest conversion rates, such as the most popular articles or products. The more pages a user views, the more likely he or she is to perform the desired target action, such as finding the ideal product and purchasing it or signing up for a newsletter after reading several interesting articles.

So, answering the question “Is internal linking good for SEO” our reply is unambiguous – 100% yes.

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Some think that internal linking is only useful for SEO purposes. But, as we can see, while SEO benefits are a key reason for on-site linking, the practice also contributes to a better overall user experience and can support business objectives like higher engagement and conversions.

Cross-page links make it easier for both users and search engine robots to navigate the website. When Google robots examine the page of an online store, for example, they recognize that there is a section on the site dedicated to refrigerators and should direct the user there.

There are the following types of links:

This refers to the placement of links using CMS tools or special plugins. This method is commonly used to create menus, site maps, and "Related Materials" blocks. It is easier to generate them automatically, especially if the site is large and the list of sections, products, or articles changes frequently. Automated linking is faster than manual linking. The site administrator determines where the navigation element will appear on the site as well as how new links will be added. The CMS or plugin generates and updates navigation elements.

The disadvantage of such relinking is that the likelihood of errors increases: the algorithm may select irrelevant links or make an error in the wording of the anchor. As a result, automatically generated links should be verified for accuracy after placement.

This is where the site administrator manually adds links. In most cases, manual linking occurs in textual content. This is a more time-consuming method of linking, but the links created manually will be as relevant as possible. Manual linking also allows you to place the link in the text where it appears to be most meaningful, as well as create the anchor and linking text yourself. Automatic linking does not always provide such an opportunity.

To begin, there are two types of linking: anchor and non-anchor links. Anchored links are those created with keywords. Non-anchored links are those that contain words with no independent meaning, such as "here", "here", "on the site", "more details", and so on. It may be the URL of the linked page or a picture. In terms of link weight, links with anchors are more valuable than links without them. The anchor text informs search engines about the content of the page to which the link leads.

Links are also divided into:

• Through linking: Through links are links that appear on every page of the website, such as in the menu or footer. The advantage of through links is that they appear on all pages of the site, so the weight is transferred from each page;
• Contextual linking: Contextual links are typically found anywhere in the text and allow the user to navigate to related pages. Furthermore, contextual links include links in blocks labeled "Similar materials," "Read also," "This product is purchased with this product," and similar. Contextual links are more likely to be clicked because they direct the user to pages that are more likely to interest him.

There are no restrictions on the site's ability to use multiple types of linking at the same time. For example, you can create the site menu automatically using CMS and then manually place individual links in the appropriate locations, with some links anchoring and others remaining unanchored. The main goal is to make it easy for site visitors to use in the end.

When it comes to the importance of internal links, simply linking from one page to the next is insufficient. You must ensure that the links facilitate navigation throughout the site, assist search engines in indexing it, and indicate which pages are the most important and should be ranked higher.

Let's explain how to do such URLs correctly:

The right linking structure makes it easier for users to find what they need on a website and for search engines to index it.

Here are some tips for creating it:

1. Structuring: Determine which pages of the site will be most important to the user, as well as which sections and subsections, articles, or products will be featured. Consider the user's path: which pages or sections will help him find what he needs on the site?
2. Accessibility: Ensure that you can navigate to other important pages and categories on the site, as well as all products or articles, from the home page, and that you can return to the category or the main page from any page;
3. Simplicity: Do not create a large nesting of pages. The user should not have to click through subsections to find the desired product or article; otherwise, he will leave the site. If possible, avoid placing pages more than three clicks away from the main page. You can accomplish this by including all sub-sections on the main menu.

There are a few common relinking schemes. If you create a website from scratch, you can select the most appropriate. When reworking a ready-made site, it is easier to choose a scheme that fits the existing structure:

• Ring linking scheme: In this scheme, each page links to a neighboring page of the same level, and the final page closes the ring by referring back to the first. You can choose one of the most important pages and make it the conditional center of the ring, with links to other pages. This scheme is used when you need to evenly distribute link weight across multiple pages in order to promote them in search results. When linking to such a scheme, make sure that the URLs are up to date. If at least one page disappears, the ring collapses, users are unable to access the subsequent pages, and the site's ranking may suffer as a result;

• Cross-linking scheme: In this scheme, each page contains links to other pages within the resource. This increases the speed with which the site is indexed. Furthermore, there is no risk of the entire scheme failing due to the loss of a single page, as in the previous case. For example, an industrial company sells five different types of chimneys on-site. In this case, the pages for each type of chimney can be linked to the other four. The cross scheme is not appropriate for large sites or sites with sections that have very different meanings;

• Hierarchical linking scheme: Under this scheme, the site's pages link to one another in descending order. For example, the main section focuses on several large sections, those on subsections, and subsections on specific products or articles. This method is most appropriate for relinking an online store with a large number of products or a large blog. With this relinking scheme, it is critical to monitor the performance of pages at the top of the pyramid: if one of the pages fails, it will lower the ranking of the pages to which it refers.

You can choose which pages to link to in several ways:

• Assigning maximum link weight to pages that are important for SEO: For example, if you own an online clothing store, pages with product categories will be useful for promotion. Links to these categories can be added to the main menu. It appears on every page, implying that a portion of the link weight from all pages on the site will be transferred to the category pages;

• Directing users to pages that maximize conversion: For example, if you discover that after reading a specific blog article, you frequently order services, you can include additional links to this article in the sidebar, "Popular Materials" block, or manually from other relevant articles. For an online store, you can do the same with the most popular products;

• Imagine the user's path through the website: What content should you show him to keep him browsing? Assume a user browsed the website of an online electronics store and looked at a smartphone card. He will most likely want to purchase a case and protective glass for his new smartphone, which you can offer in the "This product is bought with this product" block. If the user does not fit the model, you should give him the option to choose another: add a block with similar products to the page.

We stated above that anchor links are more valuable than non-anchor links. It is preferable to use keywords that are used to promote a specific page in search as anchors for links to that page. As a result, before you begin selecting anchors for linking, you must first compile a list of relevant keywords.

When choosing keywords, consider the frequency of requests for them:

• Use high-frequency queries on first-level pages, with the home page being the most competitive;
• For second-level pages, use medium-frequency queries;
• For third-level pages, use low-frequency queries.

There are several standard locations to place links:

• The navigation elements;
• Block "Related Materials";
• Site Map;
• Articles;
• Pictures.

Link building is a concept that can be put to use for companies to appeal to customers, boost the search rank of their site, and increase the awareness of the brand. Link building is about gaining links from sites and resources that will drive relevant traffic.

Therefore, the company publishes guest posts on popular blogs, on social networks, and on open channels with high traffic. In this case, the search engines notice that the company is often referred to in various resources, and therefore they advance the site.

But like any other means of promotion, link building has both its advantages and disadvantages.

Pros:

• Long-term effects: Adding internal links is a good strategy in SEO because such a large and high-quality reference mass enhances the site’s authority in the eyes of the search engine and it can keep the site first in search results;
• Engagement of potential customers: More information can be shared about the company or its specialist’s products and services;
• Save money on your budget: Generally, free external links are available. It reduces the cost of paid promotion and contextual advertising.

Cons:

• Time is costly: Site selection and content creation require a lot of human resources;
• A delayed effect: In that case, you need to wait till the search engine starts indexing the backlinks.

Any kind of promotion requires a well-thought-out plan of action otherwise you might not actually be promoted at all. The plan also includes a long-term goal on how to do internal linking for SEO. Link building is the act of increasing the resource’s visibility and reputation. The method of achievement may be different.

In any case, there are some surefire strategies that will help you:

Best strategy. Write articles you’d like to share and publish as expert articles. Informative or educational materials, entertaining content, research, and instructions. Practice SEO link building and create useful content for popular SEO queries.

Outreach involves searching for suitable sites manually and offering backlinks to them. High-quality websites or content must be present. If you are contacting site owners, let them know your purpose, as well as why you think backlinking is good and useful.

In this circumstance, you will be qualified to collect links from news sites. High authority resources are typically such resources and backlinks from them are valuable for search engines. With this, your website will capture a much larger audience for advertising.

Share news about a new collaboration, event, product launch or product, or charitable project. Waiting for your event to be noticed, is just waiting. Ask the site’s editors directly for them to pick up the news.

Make your site so frequent that it increases the likelihood of you becoming an industry leader. Distribute useful materials, publish research findings and analytics, give interesting cases, and spread educational projects. If your people trust you (believe in your expertise), they’ll follow you and share your publications.

When deciding on a strategy, it is critical to avoid "gray" methods such as buying links, establishing a network of sites, and spamming comments. Remember that the quality of the link mass is far more important than the quantity. There is only one guaranteed way to attract users, improve your site's search ranking, and increase brand recognition: contact us.

For many years, our company has developed an effective intra-site linking strategy to improve the site's structure and position in search engines. Proper onsite linking and thoughtful cross-linking improve traffic flow and boost the authority of your homepage. We understand the importance of online and digital tools in modern marketing, and we are ready to assist you in making your website more effective and successful. Contact us for professional assistance and to maximize the benefits of internal URLs!