Internal Linking! This unsung hero of SEO holds the power to catapult your website to the top ranks. Want to know how? Stay with us as we unveil 5 game-changing tips to master internal linking and boost your online visibility. Whether you are a seasoned marketer or an SEO newbie, these insights are your lifebuoy in the turbulent waters of online competition. You can also seek the support of an SEO company in Perth for faster and smoother results.
Now, let’s get started.
First Step: What is internal linking?
Internal hyperlinks refer to links within a single domain, directing users from one page to another. This stands in contrast to external links, which lead to pages on different websites.
Internal linking is a fundamental aspect of site design and architecture, expected by search engines. Websites typically adopt a structured layout, like the commonly used silo model, to organise content logically.
Consider your website’s homepage, where the top navigation often includes links to internal pages such as About, Shop, and Contact. This internal linking framework plays a vital role in SEO by establishing site architecture and bolstering link equity.
So, it’s crucial to connect multiple pages within your website through internal linking, especially if your site encompasses various pages. By doing so, you enable search engine crawlers to index a broader range of content, thereby enhancing your chances of ranking higher in search results.
Best Practises in Internal Linking
1. Establish Connections Between Content-Rich Pages
Optimal internal linking entails linking between articles, fortifying a robust internal structure within the website. That means a well-designed site architecture ensures sufficient links to primary pages like the homepage, About, and Contact pages, obviating the necessity for excessive linking to these pages.
However, when aiming to boost conversions through a squeeze or sales page, judicious linking is advisable if the context aligns. Primarily, integrating links within extensive articles facilitates the organic dissemination of internal links.
2. Employ Descriptive Text Links as Anchor Text
For optimal SEO performance, it’s imperative to utilise internal links with descriptive anchor text. What constitutes descriptive anchor text, you ask?
Anchor text refers to the specific words or phrases that serve as hyperlinks to another page. Typically, these appear as blue text to readers, indicating their clickable nature. Descriptive anchor text involves employing phrases that succinctly describe the content of the linked page.
For instance, if directing users to an article discussing Google’s algorithm updates, an SEO company in Perth might use the following format:
“Explore the latest insights on Google’s algorithm changes.”
Notice how the anchor text mirrors the topic of the linked content, enhancing relevance. Additionally, refrain from hyperlinking entire paragraphs; a concise phrase suffices. Avoid generic phrases like “click here,” as they offer little informational value.
3. Maintain an Optimal Quantity of Links per Page
Is there such a thing as too many internal links on a single page? Absolutely.
An excessive number of internal links can diminish their effectiveness. As highlighted in a Zyppy survey, while increased internal linking correlates with higher traffic, there’s a threshold. The survey revealed that URLs containing 50 links or more witnessed a decline in traffic.
When deciding how many links to include on a page, consider your audience’s browsing experience. Usually, a professional SEO company in Perth takes a conservative approach, starting with around 5 internal links and incrementally adding more if they enhance the user’s journey.
Furthermore, remember to account for header, footer, and menu links in your overall tally of on-page links.
4. Revitalise Outdated Articles with Fresh Internal Links
Often, SEO companies in Perth maximise the impact of internal linking by complementing it with another effective SEO strategy: refreshing old content.
By updating older articles, you prompt Google’s crawler to reevaluate and potentially elevate their rankings in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Here’s a systematic approach to revamping your archived blog posts:
- Introduce a new paragraph at the outset, outlining the updates made.
- Incorporate additional or revised information throughout the article with several new paragraphs.
- Remove or update outdated statistics or information.
- Integrate multiple new internal links to recently created content.
- Strategically place links where they enhance the reader’s experience and offer value.
5. Place Links Thoughtfully
While it might be easy to simply tack on links after an article with a generic prompt like “For more great content, click here,” it’s best to avoid this practice, or at least not rely solely on it.
Instead, seek out natural intersections within your content where topics align. These points of convergence serve as ideal opportunities to incorporate internal links. For instance, expert SEO companies in Perth focus on seamlessly integrating links to clarify intricate terms or delve into related subjects.
Final Word:
Now equipped with the knowledge of leveraging internal links for SEO effectively, it’s crucial to sidestep certain practices that could hinder your optimisation efforts.
- Steer clear of keyword stuffing in the anchor text.
- Refrain from embedding internal links within header text, as this can raise red flags with Google crawlers.
- Always double-check your internal links to ensure they are functional.
For better guidance, feel free to reach out to a reliable SEO company in Perth, such as Make My Website. The experts at MMW will help you follow the right practices to navigate the realm of internal linking and bolster your website’s SEO.