Key Takeaways:
- Internal links distribute link power and help Google identify your most important pages
- A flat site hierarchy with maximum three clicks to any page is optimal
- Descriptive anchor texts improve both SEO and user navigation
External backlinks get all the attention. Yet a powerful SEO tool sits right in front of you: internal linking. You control it completely, it costs nothing, and it can noticeably improve rankings.
Large websites like Wikipedia demonstrate how it's done. Every article links to dozens of related topics. This helps users discover content and signals thematic relationships to search engines. Your website can benefit from the same strategy.
Why Internal Links Matter
Google follows links to discover new pages and re-evaluate existing ones. Without internal links, important subpages can remain invisible – so-called orphan pages that nobody finds.
Every link transfers part of the link power from the source page to the target page. Your homepage typically has the most power because most external links point there. Through smart internal linking, you direct this power to the pages you want to rank.
User navigation also benefits. Someone reading an article about SEO basics is probably interested in meta tag optimization too. A relevant link keeps visitors on your website longer and reduces bounce rates.
The Optimal Site Structure
A flat hierarchy means every important page is reachable with few clicks. The rule of thumb: Maximum three clicks from the homepage to any subpage.
| Hierarchy Level | Example | Link Power |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Homepage | Highest |
| Level 2 | Category pages | High |
| Level 3 | Individual articles | Medium |
| Level 4+ | Deeply nested | Low |
Pages at level 4 or deeper receive less link power and get crawled less frequently. If important content is buried that deep, reconsider your structure.
Crafting Anchor Texts
The anchor text is the clickable part of a link. It should describe what the user can expect. Avoid generic phrases like "click here" or "learn more."
Good vs. Bad Anchor Texts
| Poor | Better |
|---|---|
| Click here | Learn how to optimize meta tags |
| More info | Keyword research guide |
| Read more | Understanding technical SEO basics |
Google uses anchor texts to better understand the target page's content. A link with the anchor text "improve Core Web Vitals" clearly signals what the linked page is about.
Vary your anchor texts slightly. If hundreds of links with the exact same text point to a page, it can appear unnatural. Natural variation is better.
Strategies for Different Page Types
Blog articles should link to thematically related articles. At the beginning, you can reference foundational articles; at the end, point to advanced topics. Three to five internal links per 1000 words is a good benchmark.
Category pages link to all associated subpages and highlight the most important ones. A brief introduction with links to the category's most popular articles helps both users and search engines.
Product pages in e-commerce benefit from links to related products, category pages, and helpful guides. "Customers also bought" or "Goes well with" are classic formats.
The homepage should link to all important category pages and selected highlight content. It's the starting point for users and crawlers alike.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Orphan pages occur when new content is published but nobody links to it. With every new article, check which existing pages could link to it.
Broken links frustrate users and waste crawl budget. Regular checks with tools like our Link Checker uncover problems.
Too many links on a page dilute link power. A page with 500 links distributes its power across 500 targets. Focus on the most important links.
Nofollow on internal links is almost never useful. This attribute tells Google not to follow a link. With internal links, you're wasting potential.
Practical Implementation
Start with an inventory. Which pages have many internal links? Which have none? Tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console help with analysis.
Identify your most important pages. Which should rank? These deserve the most internal links from strong pages.
Create a plan for regular updates. With every new article: Which existing pages do you link to? Which existing articles should link to the new one?
Check your website structure with our SEO Analyzer and get specific linking recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many internal links should an article have?
There's no fixed number. Orient yourself by value to the reader. For a 1500-word article, five to ten internal links are common. More important than quantity is relevance: every link should offer genuine value to the reader.
Should I go back to old articles and add links?
Absolutely. Retroactively linking from old to new articles is one of the most effective SEO measures. Plan regular time to update existing content with links to new articles.
Are links in the footer or sidebar equally valuable?
Links in the main content carry more weight than links in navigation, footer, or sidebar. These site-wide links appear on every page and are evaluated differently by Google. For your most important pages, prefer contextual links within content.