Internal linking is one of the most misunderstood or overlooked SEO strategies. Benefits of appropriately using internal linking include the following.
Helps define the Structure of a Website
In terms of SEO, the most significant benefit of internal linking is being able to directly link equity throughout a website. By helping define a website’s structure, internal linking helps users and search engine crawlers determine the most important pages on a website says Chris Poole of Connecticut SEO Company.
Produces Trust and Equity
External links help produce trust and equity for your website, and to the web page they point to. Pages that are directly linked will benefit the most from backlinks; however, by using internal linking, you’ll be able to pass on some of the equity to other pages. Even though the SEO value may be slightly diminished has you move away from an externally linked page, internal links offer a solution for growing the trust and authority of lower funnel pages are those that are less linkable.
Supports Organic Visibility
Internal links from link worthy pages support organic visibility. It’s important to remember that the internal links you create must be relevant. Internal links need to make contextual sense in order to be effective.
Can Be Used as Indicators of Your Most Important Pages
Internal links can be leveraged to spotlight your most important pages. As an SEO strategy, the more internal links you point to the “important” page, the more authoritive the search engine bots will think the page is. Site structure has a key role in how search engine crawlers understand and navigate a website, and they utilize internal links to determine which pages are the most important and that are closely tied to your brand.
Helps Provide a Solid User Experience (UX)
Developed correctly, internal links not only boost the organic rankings for your top converting pages, they improve the user experience. While SEO via internal linking is important, the practice is also critical when it comes to providing a solid UX, in addition to keeping visitors on the website. Take into consideration the different entry points visitors have to your website and use internal links to lay out a journey that efficiently carries them through it. There should always be a desired action or next step for users. Until they convert – search engine optimized internal linking will help make sure they reach the desired destination.
Don’t Overdo It
There’s no set number for the best suited number of internal links used on a given page, but if it doesn’t feel natural, you’re probably overdoing it. Use your best judgment for what would be helpful and relevant to somebody reading the page. All internal links need to lead visitors to a page that’s the next logical step in their journey.
Internal link building plays an important part in any successful SEO strategy. Yes, backlinks are the superior choice when it comes to search engine optimization, but the power of internal links shouldn’t be ignored. That said, a subpar internal linking strategy can also keep your site from ranking better so do your due diligence before trying to do it yourself.