Internal links are links from one page on your site to another page on your site. Simple concept. Often ignored.
Here’s why they matter and what to do about it.
Why Internal Links Matter 🔗
For Google
- Helps crawlers discover all your pages
- Shows which pages are most important
- Spreads ranking power around your site
For visitors
- Find related content easily
- Stay on your site longer
- Navigate without thinking
How to Do Internal Linking Right
1. Link from your strong pages
Your homepage and top-performing pages have the most authority. Link from these to pages you want to boost.
2. Use descriptive anchor text
“Click here” tells Google nothing. “Our guide to keyword research” tells it exactly what to expect on the linked page.
3. Link contextually
Links should make sense for readers. If you mention a topic you’ve covered elsewhere, link to it. Don’t force irrelevant links.
4. Don’t overdo it
A page with 50 internal links looks spammy. Link when it genuinely helps the reader, not just for SEO.
Common Mistakes ❌
- Orphan pages – Pages with no internal links pointing to them. Google may never find them.
- Flat structure – Everything linked from the homepage, nothing else connected. Create topic clusters.
- Generic anchor text – “Read more” everywhere. Be specific.
- Broken internal links – Links to pages you deleted. Check regularly.
The Honest Take
Internal linking isn’t sexy. Nobody brags about their internal link structure at conferences. But it’s foundational work that makes everything else work better.
Connect your content logically. Make it easy for people (and Google) to find what they’re looking for. That’s really all there is to it. 🧭