The Ultimate Guide to Internal Linking for SEO Success

Posted by Samara Kamenecka, in Blog

If you want to boost your SEO, improve the user experience, and keep visitors engaged and on your site longer, internal linking is a strategy you simply cannot afford to ignore.

Although link building can often steal the spotlight in SEO discussions, an internal linking strategy that is well-structured is equally as important for improving a website’s rankings and authority.

Why internal links?

Internal links are an essential part of any well-rounded SEO strategy.

They help search engines discover and index your content, distribute link juice throughout your site, and create a logical structure that supports user navigation. 

Optimized internal linking can increase your pages’ visibility in search, which in turn can lead to higher organic traffic and better engagement metrics.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about internal linking for SEO. 

You’ll learn:

• Why internal links are an essential component for improved search rankings and user experience
• Best practices for implementing an effective internal linking strategy
• The most common mistakes to avoid that could hurt your SEO

What are internal links?

Internal links are hyperlinks that connect one page or post of a website to another page or post, on the same site. These links help users navigate a website and help search engines to understand how a site is structured.

For example, if a blog post entitled “Things to do in London” links to another post called “Best Hotels in London” on the same website, that’s an internal link. 

These links are very important, as they guide users to relevant content and ensure that all the pages on a site are discoverable by search engines.

Internal vs. external links

As we explained, internal links connect pages on the same website, but external links (also known as outbound links) connect two different websites. 

Both types of links are important for SEO, but they serve different purposes. Below is a table that compares the two.

A balanced SEO strategy will include both internal and external links, but internal links are especially valuable as they guide users and search engines through a website’s content in an intentional and structured way and can keep users on your site for longer.

Here’s a real-world example:

Imagine you own an online bookstore. You have a blog post titled “Top 10 Mystery Novels of 2025.”

• Internal link example: In the blog post, you mention The Silent Witness (one of the books on your list) and link to its product page on your website where users can buy it. This internal link helps users navigate your site and encourages them to buy the book.
• External link example: You also reference an article in The New Yorker reviewing the same book and link to that article. This external link directs users away from your site to another domain.

Using the correct combination of internal and external links can improve SEO, UX, and engagement as it provides relevant pathways for readers to explore.

Internal linking in SEO

Internal linking is an extremely important part of SEO as it allows search engines to  understand, index, and rank your website. 

Using a correct internal linking strategy will enable search engines to discover your content, improve the structure and crawlability of your site, and distribute link equity (also known as link juice) across your most important pages.

How they work

Google, and other search engines, rely on internal links to navigate a website and discover new pages. 

When a search engine crawls a page, it follows the internal links on that page to find additional content. 

This is known as crawling and indexing, and it ensures that all important pages on a website can be included in search engine results.

If you publish a new post on your blog or website but don’t link to it from any other page on your site, it might be hard for search engines to find it. 

But if you link to it from your homepage or from a blog post in the same content cluster, essentially you’re helping search engines discover and index that page faster.

Impact on site structure and crawlability

A solid internal linking strategy improves a website’s structure, which will make it easier for search engines to understand which pages are the most important.

Aim to follow a pyramid format where:

• Your homepage links to the main category pages
• Your category pages link to subcategories or individual pages
• Your individual pages link to related content

This structure helps ensure that you don’t have any orphan pages, i.e. content with no internal links pointing to it, and that search engines can efficiently crawl and ultimately understand the relationships between different pages.

Here’s a real-world example:

Imagine you have an e-commerce site selling shoes:

• The homepage would link to the main categories, like Men’s Shoes and Women’s Shoes.
• The Men’s Shoes category would link to subcategories like Running Shoes and Sandals.
• The Running Shoes subcategory would link to a specific product page.

This structure makes it much easier for search engines—and users—to navigate the site and find the content that’s most relevant for them.

Internal links and link equity

Link equity refers to the value passed from one page to another through links. When a high-authority page links to another page, it shares some of its ranking power, which in turn helps the linked page rank higher in search results.

Internal links give website owners some control in how link equity is distributed across their site. 

Here’s a real-world example:

• If your homepage has a high domain authority and it links to a new blog post, that post will receive some of the homepage’s authority.
• If that blog post then links to other articles, ideally in the same content cluster, it then passes some of its equity to them, which in turn boosts their rankings too.

User experience and engagement

A well-structured internal linking strategy also plays a key role in user experience (UX) and engagement. 

When you use internal links strategically, you make it easier for visitors to move around your site, encourage them to stay longer and explore more content, and ultimately convert them into customers. This is because it’s easier for them to find related information or the information they’re looking for, without having to look for it manually.

Here’s a real-world example:

Let’s imagine a user lands on a blog post about “How to Paint Your Bedroom.” If the post includes internal links to:

• A guide on choosing the right paint colors for your home
• An article with painting do’s and don’t

… the visitor is more likely to click on one of those links and continue exploring your website, rather than leaving.

The key is to ensure that every page includes relevant internal links that guide users naturally to the next logical piece of content.

Dwell time and bounce rate

Dwell time refers to how long a visitor stays on your site before returning to search results, while the bounce rate can be defined as the percentage of visitors who leave your site after visiting just one page.

When you use a solid internal linking strategy, users are encouraged to stay longer since you’re providing them with additional valuable content. 

Ideally, instead of reading one article and leaving, they’re more likely to click on a related post and continue engaging with your site.

This is important because:

• If you have a high bounce rate, this may indicate that they don’t think your content is useful or engaging.
• Google takes into account lots of engagement metrics, including dwell time, when it ranks websites.

When users stay on your site for longer and engage with your content, they’re more likely they are to take action. That might mean signing up for a newsletter, buying something, or asking for a demo.

Internal links can help drive conversions in the following ways:

• If you have an e-commerce site, your product pages should link to related products (“You may also like…”).
• If you have a SaaS website, blog posts should link to case studies or feature pages, which should then drive users toward sign-ups.
• If you have a service-based business, your articles should link to consultation booking pages.

Here’s a real-world example:

A fitness website has a blog post entitled “How to Build Muscle Fast.” Inside that article, there are internal links to:

1. A free workout plan that users can download (lead generation)
2. A supplement store page (monetization)
3. A personal training consultation page (service upsell)

This internal linking strategy not only keeps users engaged, but it also guides them towards more points of conversion.

Performing an internal link audit

Before you can establish or improve your internal linking strategy, first you need to look at your current links and identify any areas for improvement. 

Performing an internal link audit can help you find any gaps, broken links, and any other structures that may be hurting your SEO.

The best tools for an internal link audit

While it’s true that there are several SEO tools that can help you analyze your internal links, Link Whisper is the best comprehensive tool for this.

For your internal link audit, first you’ll want to identify any orphan pages you have.

Orphan pages are pages on your website that aren’t linked from any other page. Since search engines and users have no way to discover them, they often remain unindexed or underutilized.

How to fix them: Identify orphan pages using Link Whisper and integrate them into your content by using relevant internal links.

The next thing you’ll want to do is find broken or inefficient internal links.

Broken internal links lead to 404 errors, which worsens the user experience and SEO. 

Inefficient internal links include:

• Links pointing to redirected pages (301 or 302 redirects)
• Links to outdated or low-value pages

How to fix them: Use Link Whisper to identify broken links and update or remove them.

Define your internal linking goals

Now that you have a clear view of your existing internal links, the next step is to define your strategy.

You will want to prioritize your key pages. Not all pages need the same level of internal linking. 

With that in mind, you will want to focus on:

Pillar content: This is your high-value, in-depth content that serves as a hub for all of the related topics.

High-converting pages: These are pages that drive sales, lead generation, or other important conversions for your business.

Recently-published content: Ensure that new pages get discovered and indexed as quickly as possible.

Go ahead and make a list of your most important pages and plan where they should be linked from across your website.

Keep in mind that your internal links should flow logically so that they:

1. Guide users from high-level content to detailed content, for example, from a category page to a blog post to a product page
2. Evenly distribute link juice across your site so as to improve rankings for your most important pages
3. Help search engines understand the relationships between your pages

Using the right anchor text

Anchor text refers to the clickable text of a hyperlink, and using it effectively can significantly improve your SEO.

When you use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text, it helps search engines understand the context of the linked page, strengthens the SEO relevance for the linked page by reinforcing your target keywords, and improves the user experience by clearly establishing the topic of the page you’re linking to.

When it comes to choosing your anchor text, you should:

• Be descriptive: Use anchor text that accurately describes the content of the linked page.
• Use keywords as naturally as possible: Don’t over optimize with keyword stuffing.
• Avoid generic phrases: Avoid “click here” and instead use something like “Learn more about SEO strategies.”
• Vary your anchor text: Don’t use the exact same anchor text every time.

Use a logical site structure

A well-structured internal linking strategy begins with a clear and logical site hierarchy. 

When your website has an intuitive structure, users and search engines are able to navigate it easily. This, in turn, improves SEO performance and user experience.

Website hierarchy

An optimized website typically follows a top-down structure, where the most important pages can be accessed easily and content is grouped in a logical way.

The ideal hierarchy looks like this:

Homepage → Category Pages → Subcategory Pages (if any) → Individual Content Pages (Articles, Product Pages, etc.) 

For example, a website about digital marketing could have the following structure:

• Homepage
  • SEO (Category page)
    • On-Page SEO Guide (Article page)
    • Internal Linking Strategies (Article page)
  • Content Marketing (Category page)
    • How to Write Engaging Blog Posts (Article page)
    • The Role of Storytelling in Marketing (Article page)
  • Social Media Marketing (Category page)
    • Best Practices for TikTok Growth (Article page)
    • LinkedIn Strategies for B2C Brands (Article page)

This structure ensures that important pages are just a few clicks away from the homepage, and that makes it easier for users and search engines to find them.

Using a silo structure

A silo structure groups related content into themed sections, which reinforces topic relevance and can boost rankings.

The main SEO benefits are that it:

• Helps search engines understand topic relationships
• Enhances crawling efficiency, ensuring that all pages are indexed properly
• Distributes link juice effectively, strengthening key pages

The main benefits for users are that it:

• Makes navigation intuitive, which reduces bounce rates
• Encourages visitors to explore related content, which can increase session duration

Here’s a real-world example:

A fitness website that uses a silo structure might have the following silos:

• Strength training, with articles about weightlifting, resistance bands, and strength programs
• Cardio workouts, which articles about running, cycling, and HIIT workouts
• Nutrition, with articles about meal plans, macronutrients, and diet tips

Each silo links internally to relevant content within the same category, which reinforces topical depth.

How to optimize your site structure

The first thing you’ll want to do is to map out your site hierarchy so that your content is categorized in a logical way.

The next step is to link related pages in each category so you can reinforce the structure.

Your pages should be just three clicks away from the homepage.

Also, always use a tool like Link Whisper to detect orphan pages, broken links, etc.

How to naturally incorporate links without keyword stuffing

Overloading your content with forced links or excessive keyword-rich anchor text can look spammy and, even worse, harm the user experience. 

Follow these best practices to keep your internal linking natural and effective:

Use anchor text that is descriptive and sounds natural

• Do: “Check out our detailed guide on writing compelling meta descriptions to improve click-through rates.”
• Don’t: “Click here for more information.” (This is vague and unhelpful)
• Don’t: “Learn about SEO best practices for ranking higher in search engines (internal linking SEO internal links best practices).” (This is keyword stuffing)

Insert links where they provide context

• Add links where they naturally fit in the flow of the content.
• Avoid forcing a link into every paragraph and only include them when they add value.

Include the “right” number of links

There’s no hard and fast rule, but aim for 1-5 internal links for a 1000-word post and 5 to 10 for a 2000-word post. It’s important not to overwhelm your readers with too many links.

Use “Related Articles” sections and contextual links

It’s a good idea to add a “Related Articles” section at the end of posts or even within the content.

For example, you can include contextual links within your content, for example, “For a step-by-step breakdown, check out our Guide on Weight Loss for Women.”

You can also use a related articles widget at the bottom of the page that shows posts that are in the same topic cluster as your article. 

You can also include links in the sidebar or in an in-post callout, for example, “Want to increase muscle gain? Read our Complete Guide on Building Muscle Mass.”

Utilize navigation and footer links strategically

Internal linking also involves optimizing your navigation menus, sidebars, and footers to improve user experience and SEO. 

A well-structured navigation system helps search engines and users find important pages quickly while maintaining a logical site hierarchy.

When to Use menu, sidebar, and footer links

Each type of navigation link serves a different purpose in your internal linking strategy.

For example, your website’s main navigation menu should link to the most important pages, typically categories, pillar pages, and key landing pages.

Do’s:

• Include core topics or sections (e.g. “Breakfast recipes,” “Gluten-free recipes,” “Dessert”)
• Make sure the menu is clean and minimal, as too many links can overwhelm users
• Use drop-down menus to create deeper categories and avoid clutter

Don’ts:

• Overload the menu with too many links as this can dilute SEO value and confuse users
• Link to every blog post or low-value page from the main menu

Sidebars are great for surfacing relevant content and keeping visitors engaged. They work well for blogs, news sites, and e-commerce stores.

Do’s:

• Include a “Related Articles” section based on the current page’s topic
• Feature popular or trending content to increase pageviews
• Use category filters and product recommendations if you’re running an e-commerce store

Don’ts:

• Stuff the sidebar with too many unrelated links as this can look cluttered and is ultimately unhelpful
• Use the same sidebar on every page; be sure to customize it based on categories to improve relevance

Your website’s footer should link to essential but non-primary pages. This includes:

• Contact, About, and Privacy Policy pages (these are important but not navigation priorities)
• Key resource hubs or pillar content, which helps reinforce SEO value
• Sitemap or category links to help with navigation

Do’s:

• Link only to the most useful pages; avoid listing every category and subcategory
• Consider adding a mini sitemap in the footer for better UX and SEO

Don’ts:

• Create a massive footer link list as Google may see excessive links as spammy
• Use anchor text stuffed with keywords in your footer links

Regularly update and optimize links

Internal linking isn’t a one-time task. 

It requires ongoing maintenance to keep your website optimized. 

Over time, new content gets added, old pages become outdated, and broken links can rear their ugly heads. 

Regularly updating your internal links ensures that your SEO efforts remain effective and your users have a seamless browsing experience.

Refreshing Old Content with New Internal Links

As you create new blog posts and pages, older content may lack links to these fresh resources. 

Updating older articles with new internal links can help new pages get discovered faster by search engines, revive older, high-performing content by increasing engagement, and strengthen topic clusters and reinforce site structure.

When it comes to refreshing old content with internal links, remember to:

1. Identify high-traffic old posts using Google Analytics or Search Console
2. Find opportunities where newer content fits naturally
3. Add contextual links using relevant anchor text
4. Ensure links feel natural and enhance readability

Link Whisper can help you with all of these tasks!

Here’s a real-world example:

If you wrote an article called “Beginner’s Guide to Knitting” a year ago and recently published an article entitled “2025 Knitting Trends,” go back and add an internal link in the older post to guide readers to the newer resource.

Identifying and fixing broken links

Over time, URLs change. This can be due to site restructuring, deleted content, or incorrect formatting, and it leads to broken internal links (404 errors). 

These hurt SEO and user experience.

Finding and fixing broken links is easy with Link Whisper, as all the information you need is available in the Broken Links Report.

Here’s a real-world example:

If a previously linked page called “Best Bike Helmets” has been removed, replace or redirect the broken link to a similar updated resource instead of leading users to a dead end.

Monitoring performance using analytics tools

It’s important to track the performance of your internal linking strategy as it helps identify what’s working and where improvements are needed.

Here are a few of the metrics you should look at:

Bounce Rate – Are users leaving after clicking an internal link?
Average Time on Page – Are readers engaging with the linked content?
Indexing and Crawling Reports – Is Google properly crawling your linked pages?

Best practices for internal linking

As you know by now, effective internal linking enhances website navigation, distributes link equity, and helps search engines understand content relationships. 

By strategically linking relevant pages, you can improve user experience and boost SEO performance. 

To make the most of internal linking, follow these best practices:

1. Make sure your link distribution is balanced

One of the most common mistakes in internal linking is either overloading pages with too many links or not distributing them effectively. 

A well-balanced internal linking strategy ensures that your site’s link equity is spread strategically and naturally across your whole website.

Here are some best practices:

• Keep links relevant and only add links that truly enhance user experience.
• Limit internal links to 2-5 per 1000 words, ensuring they provide value.
• Avoid site-wide excessive linking (e.g., every blog post linking to every other post)
• Ensure diversification in linked pages, don’t just point everything to your homepage.

2. Use deep linking to improve indexation

Deep linking refers to linking to internal pages deep within your website’s structure rather than just linking to top-level pages like the homepage or category pages. 

This technique helps search engines discover, crawl, and index your pages more effectively while also guiding users to valuable content that they might not find otherwise.

Beyond that, it can boost your page authority by passing on link juice from higher authority pages to deeper ones, and it improves user experience as it guides them to specific content that’s relevant for them.

Here are some best practices:

• Link to older, high-quality content to keep it relevant and drive traffic
• Ensure deep pages link back to cornerstone content
• Avoid linking only to homepage or category pages and prioritize deep internal pages
• Use related content recommendations to promote internal links

3. Use a natural linking approach

Internal linking should feel organic and intuitive as it seamlessly guides users from one page to another. 

Overloading content with links can disrupt readability, reduce user experience, and even trigger search engine penalties if Google views it as manipulative.

Remember to:

• Prioritize relevance and only link when it genuinely benefits the reader
• Distribute links naturally throughout the content instead of clustering them in one paragraph
• Vary anchor text to avoid over-optimization, so instead of always using the exact keyword, use variations

Real-world example

This sounds natural: If you’re planning a trip to Spain, check out our guide to the best family-friendly activities in Madrid for a fun-filled itinerary.

This sounds spammy: If you’re planning a trip to Spain, check out our best family-friendly activities in Madrid top travel guide for tourists to find the best things to do in Madrid for families.

It’s also worth noting that Google penalizes websites that overuse exact-match anchor text or over-link their content.

This includes:

• Repeating the same anchor text over and over
• Forcing links where they don’t belong (e.g., inserting a link in every sentence)
• Linking to irrelevant pages just to push the internal link count

4. Optimize for Mobile Users

With mobile traffic surpassing desktop usage in many industries, optimizing your internal linking strategy for mobile SEO is very important. 

A poorly designed internal linking structure can frustrate mobile users, leading to higher bounce rates and lost engagement.

Best practices for mobile-friendly internal links:

• Use a clear font size and adequate spacing, and avoid links that are too close together, which makes tapping difficult
• Place important internal links in mobile menus, accordions, or sticky headers
• Avoid excessive linking in long paragraphs as mobile users prefer concise content with easily clickable links
• Test mobile usability with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to ensure that your links work well across different screen sizes

Internal linking is a powerful yet often overlooked aspect of SEO. A well-structured internal link strategy enhances search engine crawlability, user experience, and page authority, ultimately driving better rankings and engagement.

Key takeaways 

SEO is not a one-time task—it requires continuous refinement. 

As your website grows, updating internal links and optimizing your strategy will keep your content relevant and competitive.

Here’s a quick overview of the most important aspects to keep in mind:

• Perform an internal link audit to identify orphan pages and broken links.
  Define clear linking goals by prioritizing key content and establishing an ideal link flow.
  Use relevant, keyword-rich anchor text that feels natural and avoids spammy over-optimization.
  Implement a logical site structure with a clear hierarchy for improved navigation.
  Leverage deep linking to improve indexation and visibility of older content.
  Optimize for mobile users by ensuring links are easy to click and enhancing mobile navigation.

Now it’s your turn! 

Start implementing these best practices and watch your site’s SEO and user engagement improve!