Internal links are an essential part of a successful SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy. Simple yet complex, internal links are found on almost every page on the internet, and you might not even realize you are using them! Internal links also help users navigate through your digital content and give search engine crawlers more information on how your website works. In this blog, we will discuss what exactly is internal linking and how it helps with SEO.
What Exactly Is Internal Linking?
Internal links are links that point from one page to another within the same website. They are different from external links, which point to pages on different websites. Internal linking is an important part of your user experience and allows your users to find the content they need quickly and efficiently.
All websites that have more than one page should connect using internal linking. When you think of a typical website structure, most websites have a top navigation with a menu that links to other internal pages, like the About, Contact, or Shop pages. A strong internal linking structure is crucial for SEO because it establishes a site architecture and improves your link equity, a search engine factor that is based on the idea that specific links will pass value and authority from one page to another.
Search engines, like Google, also use links to navigate your site. Google follows links to discover content on websites and ranks them in the search results. If a post or page gets a lot of links, this is a signal that the content is of high value. A strong internal linking structure will guide your users and Google to your most important pages.
Now that we have established what internal linking is, it’s time to explore how internal linking can help with SEO.
How Does Internal Linking Help With SEO?
Internal linking can be one of SEO’s most valuable weapons. Google’s search algorithm has changed a lot over the years, and no matter how advanced it may seem, there are some simple changes that can immediately boost SEO.
Here are a few ways internal linking can help with SEO.
- It spreads the strength of the website to internal pages: the more tightly-weaved a website’s structure is through internal linking, the better the overall site will perform in search engine results. For example, when your website receives a link to its homepage, some of the link value, or “link juice”, is passed on to the internal pages. If page 1 links to page 2 and so on, this flow allows for a higher rank in the search engine results page (SERP).
- When paired with anchor text, it improves the value of the internal link: Internal links are a simple string of html that links one webpage to another. When you create an internal link with anchor text, as opposed to an image or navigational text, the value of the link immediately goes up. Not only does anchor text improve the value of the link, it also adds keywords to your content, so when Google searches your website, it looks at the anchor text as part of the link. Anchor text that flows well with your content will improve your SEO overall.
- It provides value to your users: While internal linking can be an SEO technique, ultimately, internal linking provides value for your users. Internal linking on your website increases the value of your content by backing it up and leading users to related information and ultimately carries them to a target destination, and it also allows users to stay on your site longer and builds trust.
In summary, internal linking is an important part of a strong SEO strategy. When done correctly, it can enhance the user experience and help improve your search engine ranking. At JSK Marketing, we believe SEO is a must for your company to invest in. Contact us today to get started on creating an effective SEO strategy that will ensure long-term success!