If you want to boost your website's SEO and user experience, internal linking is a strategy you can't afford to overlook. Internal links are links from one page on your website to another page on the same site. They guide users and search engines to relevant content, helping both to understand the structure of your site. But how can you use internal linking to its full potential? Here are some best practices for internal linking in SEO.
Why is internal linking important in SEO?
Internal linking is vital in SEO for various reasons. It helps in spreading link equity (also known as link juice), guides visitors to high-converting pages, and helps search engines understand the context and relationship between different pages.
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Spreads link equity: When a page has inbound links, it accumulates link equity. Internal links can help spread this equity to other pages, boosting their ranking potential.
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Guides visitors to high-converting pages: You can use internal links to guide visitors to your high-converting pages, potentially increasing your conversions.
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Helps search engines understand context and relationships: Internal links help search engines understand the content of a page and how it relates to other pages on your site.
Best practices for internal linking in SEO
Here are some best practices you should follow when incorporating internal links into your SEO strategy:
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Use descriptive anchor text: Your anchor text should give the reader and search engines a clear idea of what the linked page is about. Avoid generic phrases like 'click here' or 'learn more'.
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Link to relevant content: The pages you link to should be relevant to the content of the page with the link. This helps improve the user experience and the context for search engines.
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Use dofollow links: By default, all links are dofollow, meaning that search engines will follow the link and pass on link equity. Unless you have a specific reason not to, always use dofollow links for internal linking.
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Don't overdo it: While internal linking is beneficial, too many links can be overwhelming for your visitors and may be viewed as spammy by search engines. A good rule of thumb is to only include links that add value for your readers.
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Regularly check for and fix broken links: Broken internal links can harm your SEO and user experience. Regularly check for broken links and fix them promptly.
To help you visualize, here's a table summarizing the best practices for internal linking in SEO.
By following these best practices for internal linking, you can enhance both your SEO and the experience for your users.
