What Is Internal Linking?
Internal linking connects pages within your website. These are clickable links that take visitors from one page on your site to another page on the same site.
Think of your website as a building. Internal links are the hallways and doorways that connect different rooms. They help people move around your site and find what they need.
Your website navigation menu contains internal links. So do links within your blog posts, product pages, and other content areas.
Why Internal Linking Matters for Your Business
Search Engine Benefits
Google uses internal links to understand your website structure. When you link to a page multiple times, you tell Google that page is important.
Search engines crawl your website by following links. More internal links mean better chances of all your pages being found and indexed.
Internal links pass authority from strong pages to weaker ones. Your homepage typically has the most authority. Link from your homepage to important product or service pages to boost their rankings.
Customer Experience Benefits
Visitors stay longer on websites with good internal linking. When someone reads your blog post about kitchen remodeling, link to your kitchen design services page.
Internal links reduce bounce rate. Instead of leaving after viewing one page, visitors click through to related content.
Clear internal linking helps customers find what they want faster. This leads to more sales and inquiries.
Real Impact Data
Studies show internal linking delivers measurable results:
• Adding internal links to homepage footers increased organic traffic by 5% for destination pages
• Strategic internal linking between related location pages boosted traffic by 7%
• Websites with strong internal linking see 40% more page views per session
How to Create Effective Internal Links
Start With Your Most Important Pages
Identify your top 5-10 most important pages. These might include:
• Your main service pages
• Top-selling products
• Contact and about pages
• Key blog posts that drive leads
Link to these pages from multiple other pages on your site.
Use Descriptive Link Text
Avoid generic phrases like “click here” or “read more.” Instead, use descriptive text that tells visitors and search engines what they’ll find.
Good examples:
• “Our kitchen renovation services”
• “Complete guide to bathroom remodeling”
• “Request a free consultation”
Link From Strong Pages to Important Pages
Your homepage usually has the most authority. Link from your homepage to pages you want to rank higher in search results.
Blog posts that rank well also make good linking sources. Add links to your service pages within relevant blog content.
Keep Links Relevant
Only link to pages that provide value to your current page visitors. A blog post about deck building should link to your deck construction services, not your plumbing services.
Add Links to Older Content
Review older pages and posts quarterly. Add links to newer content where relevant. This keeps older pages fresh and helps new pages gain authority.
Common Internal Linking Mistakes
Too Many Links on One Page
Don’t overwhelm visitors with dozens of links. Focus on 3-5 strategic internal links per page for most content.
Using the Same Link Text Repeatedly
Vary your link text. Don’t link to your “plumbing services” page with identical text from every blog post. Mix it up with phrases like “professional plumbing,” “plumbing repairs,” and “plumbing installation.”
Forgetting About Site Structure
Create logical link paths. Visitors should be able to navigate from general topics to specific services easily.
Ignoring Mobile Users
Test your internal links on mobile devices. Make sure they’re easy to tap and don’t interfere with reading.
Simple Internal Linking Strategy for Business Owners
Step 1: Map Your Site Structure
List your main service or product categories. Under each category, list specific pages. This creates your linking hierarchy.
Step 2: Create Topic Clusters
Group related content together. Link between pages in the same cluster and from cluster pages to your main service pages.
Step 3: Add Contextual Links
When writing new content, naturally include 2-3 links to related pages. Make these links helpful for readers.
Step 4: Review and Update Monthly
Spend 30 minutes each month reviewing your internal links. Add new connections and fix any broken links.
Tools to Help With Internal Linking
Google Search Console
This free tool shows which pages link to each other on your site. Use it to identify pages that need more internal links.
WordPress Plugins
If you use WordPress, plugins like Yoast SEO suggest internal linking opportunities while you write content.
Site Crawlers
Tools like Screaming Frog (free version available) show your complete internal link structure and identify broken links.
Measuring Internal Linking Success
Track these metrics to see if your internal linking strategy works:
• Pages per session (should increase)
• Average session duration (should increase)
• Bounce rate (should decrease)
• Rankings for target keywords (should improve)
• Organic traffic to important pages (should increase)
Check these numbers monthly in Google Analytics.
Quick Action Steps
Start improving your internal linking today:
- Review your homepage and add 3-5 links to your most important service pages
- Edit your latest blog post to include 2-3 relevant internal links
- Check your site navigation menu and ensure it links to all key pages
- Set a monthly reminder to review and add new internal links
Internal linking costs nothing but delivers real SEO results. Start with these basics and build from there. Your website visitors and search rankings will thank you.
