Wondering why your SEO isn’t delivering the results you want? Mastering internal linking could be the game-changer your site needs.
Maybe you’ve already optimized your content with keywords, improved your meta tags, and even secured some solid backlinks. But there’s one often-overlooked SEO strategy that can drastically enhance your website’s performance: internal linking.
Yes, internal linking. It’s not as glamorous as building external backlinks, and it’s definitely not something you hear about every day, but it’s crucial for both user experience and search engines.
When done right, internal links can dramatically improve your rankings, increase the time users spend on your site, and guide Google to your most important pages.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the Seven Commandments of Internal Linking that every website owner should follow for top-notch SEO. Let’s get into it.
1. Thou Shall Prioritize User Experience Over Everything
The first and most critical rule of internal linking is to always prioritize the user experience. Links are meant to help users navigate your site, not just for stuffing SEO juice into your content.
Here’s why this matters: If your internal links are irrelevant or look forced, visitors may get frustrated, leading to higher bounce rates. Search engines like Google keep an eye on this.
If users frequently abandon your site without engaging further, Google takes that as a signal that your content may not be that helpful, resulting in a drop in rankings.
Instead, always make sure your internal links are useful and add value. Ask yourself, “If I were the visitor, would I find this link helpful?” For example, if you’re writing a blog about e-commerce strategies and you reference email marketing, linking to an in-depth guide about email campaigns will be valuable to the reader.
Key takeaway: Links should feel natural and guide users to relevant, helpful content that enhances their experience.
2. Thou Shall Link to High-Authority Pages First
Not all pages on your website are created equal. Some pages carry more SEO weight than others. These are typically your top-performing pages or the ones targeting your primary keywords.
The second commandment of internal linking is to funnel authority from these high-ranking pages to other relevant pages.
Let’s say you have a blog post that ranks well for “best marketing strategies for small businesses.” That page has already built up some search engine authority.
Now, you can link from this high-performing page to a new blog post on a similar topic, like “social media marketing tips for small businesses.” By doing this, you help the newer or lower-ranking page climb up the SERPs faster.
Google uses internal links to understand which pages on your website are the most important. So, by linking to key pages, you’re essentially telling Google, “Hey, these are the pages you should pay attention to!”
Key takeaway: Always link from your most authoritative pages to boost the SEO performance of other important, but less authoritative, pages.
3. Thou Shall Not Overdo It
Internal links are fantastic for SEO, but like all good things, there can be too much of it.
The third commandment is about moderation. Cramming 20 internal links into a single 500-word blog post isn’t going to do you any favors. In fact, it might confuse your readers and dilute the value of each individual link.
When it comes to internal linking, think quality over quantity. A handful of well-placed, highly relevant links will always outperform a page overloaded with links that don’t serve the user.
As a general rule, aim for 3 to 5 internal links per 1,000 words of content, but make sure they add value. If you have more than that, double-check that each link is relevant and necessary.
Key takeaway: Use internal links sparingly but strategically, always focusing on relevance and user intent.
4. Thou Shall Use Descriptive Anchor Text
Your anchor text—the clickable text in a hyperlink—is incredibly important. Google uses anchor text to understand the context of the link, and it plays a role in determining how that linked page ranks for certain keywords.
This brings us to our fourth commandment: always use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text.
For example, instead of using vague phrases like “click here” or “read more,” use anchor text that clearly describes the content of the linked page.
If you’re linking to a page about content marketing strategies, your anchor text might be something like “effective content marketing tactics” or “how to create a winning content marketing plan.”
Not only does this help with SEO, but it also makes it crystal clear to users what they can expect when they click the link.
Key takeaway: Make your anchor text specific and descriptive. It should tell both users and search engines what the linked page is about.
5. Thou Shall Link to Deep Content, Not Just Top-Level Pages
Another common mistake people make with internal linking is only linking to top-level pages like their homepage or contact page.
The fifth commandment emphasizes the importance of deep linking. Deep links are links to content-rich pages that are buried deeper in your site structure, such as blog posts, case studies, or detailed service pages.
Why does this matter? Deep linking helps spread the SEO equity throughout your entire site, not just to the top-level pages.
Plus, it makes your site easier to navigate for users. If someone lands on your homepage and wants more specific information, a deep link can guide them exactly where they need to go without making them dig around.
Google also favors websites with strong internal link structures, especially when you’re linking to deep, content-rich pages. It signals that you have valuable, well-organized information across your site.
Key takeaway: Focus on linking to deep, content-rich pages, not just your homepage or category pages.
6. Thou Shall Keep Links Logical and Contextual
Context is everything when it comes to internal linking. If your link is out of place or doesn’t match the context of your content, it’s going to hurt both the user experience and your SEO.
This brings us to the sixth commandment: internal links should always be logical and contextual.
Let’s say you’re writing a blog post about SEO best practices, and you randomly drop a link to your pricing page without any explanation.
That’s not only confusing to the user, but Google will also see it as a disconnected, irrelevant link, which could hurt your SEO efforts.
Instead, make sure your internal links fit naturally within the context of your content. If you mention a topic or concept that’s covered in more detail elsewhere on your site, that’s the perfect opportunity for a relevant, contextual link.
Key takeaway: Internal links should always flow naturally within the context of your content. Never force them.
7. Thou Shall Regularly Audit and Update Links
SEO is not a one-and-done activity, and the same goes for your internal linking strategy. As your site grows, you’ll add more pages, create more content, and possibly even delete outdated pages.
That’s why the final commandment is to regularly audit and update your internal links.
Outdated or broken links can harm both your SEO and user experience. If a user clicks on a link and it leads to a 404 error page, they’re more likely to leave your site, which can increase your bounce rate and negatively impact your rankings.
Make it a habit to periodically review your internal links, especially if you’ve made significant changes to your site.
There are plenty of tools out there, like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog, that can help you identify broken links or opportunities for new internal links.
Key takeaway: Regularly audit and update your internal links to ensure they’re still relevant and functioning properly.
Wrapping It Up
Internal linking is one of the most overlooked but powerful SEO strategies at your disposal. When done right, it improves the user experience, helps search engines understand your site structure, and funnels SEO equity to your most important pages.
By following these Seven Commandments, you’ll be well on your way to a more optimized, user-friendly website.
Remember, internal linking is about more than just sprinkling a few hyperlinks across your pages. It’s about strategically connecting your content in a way that benefits both your readers and your SEO performance.
So, take a few minutes to audit your internal links, update them where necessary, and make sure they’re serving their true purpose: guiding your users to the content they need, when they need it.