Internal linking is a crucial aspect of SEO that many bloggers often overlook. While inbound link building is important, it’s the correct use of internal linking that can significantly impact a site’s algorithmic ranking. Google has emphasized the importance of internal linking for years, with their own John Mueller stating that it is “super critical for SEO success.” As someone who audits multiple sites daily, I can attest to the fact that fixing internal linking mistakes can lead to stronger sites, easier indexing by Google, and higher rankings.
One common mistake bloggers make is using non-descriptive anchor texts. When it comes to internal linking, it’s important to use anchor texts that accurately describe what you want to rank for. Instead of using generic anchor texts like “Click Here” or “See this,” be descriptive and use anchor texts that accurately communicate to both users and Google what the linked page is about. This not only improves SEO but also enhances accessibility for users relying on screen readers.
Another mistake bloggers make is anchor text cannibalization. Using identical anchor texts on multiple posts or pages can prevent them from ranking competitively. To avoid this, differentiate your internal links by varying the anchor texts. For example, if you have multiple chocolate chip cookie recipes, use different anchor texts like “oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe” or “double chocolate chip cookie recipe” to ensure each recipe has a chance to rank.
Footer links are another area where bloggers often make mistakes. While footer links can be useful for directing users to important pages like About and Contact pages, using them excessively or stuffing them with anchor text-rich links can appear spammy to Google. Only include links in the footer that users would expect to see, and avoid using multiple columns of anchor text-rich text.
Linking to noindexed content is another mistake bloggers should avoid. When a page is marked as noindexed, any internal links pointing to that page are essentially wasted. It’s important to ensure that internal links are directed towards indexed content to maximize their impact.
Fixing 404s and 503s is crucial for a positive user experience. Users are unlikely to return to a site if they repeatedly encounter these error pages. While Google has stated that 404s are not necessarily a sign of low quality, widespread and systemic 404 errors can hinder the flow of PageRank and link equity through a site. Using tools like the Broken Link Checker plugin or crawling your site with tools like Semrush or Moz can help identify and fix these issues.
Automating internal linking may seem like a time-saving solution, but it can lead to spammy practices and ignore user experience. Tools that automatically link certain keywords throughout a post can end up spamming anchor texts. Additionally, these tools may not understand the context and relevance of the links, which is something bloggers are better equipped to determine. A slow and steady approach to internal linking is always better than relying on automation.
Changing URLs without updating internal links can create internal permalink redirects, which can impact the flow of PageRank and page speed. It’s important to do a “find and replace” to update all internal links when changing URLs. Tools like Search and Replace or plugins like Yoast or All-In-One SEO can assist in identifying and fixing these internal permalink redirects.
The placement of internal links also matters for SEO. In-content links placed higher on the page are generally more powerful than links in the sidebar, footer, or other areas. Google crawls a page from top to bottom and considers in-content links within the primary area of a page as more relevant. Linking naturally from the top of the page to the bottom is a good strategy for internal linking.
Lastly, bloggers should avoid orphaned content pages, which are internal pages with no incoming internal links. These pages should have a minimum of 3-5 unique incoming links from related content to improve their topical discoverability. Tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, or plugins like Link Whisper, Yoast, or RankMath can help identify and fix orphaned content pages.
In conclusion, internal linking is a crucial aspect of SEO that bloggers should prioritize. By avoiding common mistakes like non-descriptive anchor texts, anchor text cannibalization, excessive use of footer links, linking to noindexed content, ignoring 404s and 503s, automating internal linking, overlooking link placement, internal permalink redirects, and orphaned content pages, bloggers can improve their site’s algorithmic ranking and enhance user experience. Internal linking done correctly is a confidence vote for search engines to understand the relationship between links, entities, and user satisfaction. So, if you’re looking to improve your site’s SEO in 2024, make internal linking a top priority.
