Good Habits to Improve Your Internal Linking Strategy

A good internal linking structure guides your visitors through the maze of your website, optimizes the user experience, and strengthens your online presence. In this article, we will explore simple yet highly effective habits to improve your internal linking strategy, with concrete examples and practical advice.

What Exactly Is Internal Linking?

Internal linking involves connecting different pages of your site through hyperlinks. This invisible web can significantly improve both site navigation and SEO. It’s the kind of setup where, just like on Wikipedia, you might start with a specific query and find yourself clicking from one page to another, only to realize that 35 minutes have passed.

For a more concrete example: Imagine you run a blog on photography and publish a new article on lighting techniques. Make sure to link this new page to previous articles on camera gear selection. This creates a natural connection between your content and allows your readers to dive deeper into the topic. The longer a user stays on your site, the better it is for your overall performance.

Simple Tips for an Optimized Internal Linking Strategy

Prioritize Your Links: Give priority to links in the main content, as they carry more weight than those in the footer. Place important links where visitors will see them first. Essentially, put the most critical links at the top of the page (whether it’s an article or a landing page) and the less important ones toward the bottom.

Use Relevant Anchor Texts: The anchor text is the clickable part of the link. Avoid generic phrases like “Click here” that don’t provide information about what’s behind the link and don’t help search engine bots either. Instead, use descriptive anchor texts that convey the content of the page you’re linking to (e.g., “comparison of the 5 most popular cameras used by influencers”).

Balance the Quantity: Don’t flood a page with links. Aim for a balance between relevance and readability. Why? Because the more links you include, the more you dilute the importance of those we just mentioned earlier.

A little bonus tip for you: Don’t be afraid to link to older pages. This revitalizes the content and ensures steady traffic flow across your site.

5 Tools to Help Manage Your Internal Linking

Improving your internal linking can be made easier with specialized tools. Here are a few options, ranging from simple to advanced.

• Yoast SEO (Free): If you use WordPress, Yoast SEO is a handy plugin that evaluates your internal linking quality and offers suggestions for improvement. However, the recommendations can sometimes be too generic.
• RankMath (Free): A solid alternative to Yoast SEO, RankMath also offers intelligent suggestions to optimize your internal links. It’s a comprehensive free solution for WordPress sites.
• SEOKey (€49/year): SEOKey, a rising star in the French SEO market, offers a simple but powerful analysis of your internal linking, highlighting improvement opportunities.
• LinkWhisper (From $70 per license – 1 license = 1 website) : LinkWhisper offers a very powerful and systematic approach to internal link building. The tool will automatically create links between different types of content, suggest certain links, and give you comprehensive reporting on the state of your internal linking.
• SEMrush (from €99.95/month): SEMrush provides advanced features that go well beyond SEO. Among them are internal link analysis, PPC campaign management, and social media management.

Our advice: If you’re new to SEO tools and analysis, start with simple ones. They’ll be cost-effective and allow you to grow as your site and business expand. Choose the tool that best suits your skill level and the size of your project.

Improving your internal linking isn’t an isolated task but rather a series of daily habits. By following these simple tips, you’ll strengthen the foundations of your site, offering your visitors a smoother navigation experience and providing search engines with a clearer structure.

One final tip: Regularly revisit your internal linking as your site evolves. New pages and content adjustments may require updated links to ensure optimal navigation at all times.

So, weave those links, strengthen your online presence, and watch your site climb the rankings. A strong internal linking strategy is the key to a robust website, ready to guide your visitors through a rewarding experience and satisfy search engine algorithms. Good luck! And if you need an expert eye, the Ellevate team is here for you.