Are internal links a ranking factor?

You always hear about internal linking. But how important are they?

Do internal links affect search rankings, and if so, how can you best optimize them for SEO?

That’s what we’ll explore by diving into Google Search Central, patents, tweets, and office hours videos.

The claim: internal links as a ranking factor

What are internal links?

Internal links are simply hypertext links that connect two pages on the same domain. For example:

A link from one Search Engine Journal article to another within the searchenginejournal.com domain would be an internal link. A link from a Search Engine Journal article to a Google Search Central article would be an external link.

Read articles from top SEO blogs and experienced marketers. You’ll likely find tips on how to properly optimize internal links to increase the visibility of your key pages in search results. For example:

Evidence of internal links as a ranking factor

Google page activated How the search works explains how links help Google discover new content.

“Because the web and other content is constantly changing, our crawling processes are always running to keep up. They learn how often content they’ve seen before seems to change and revise as needed. They also discover new content as new links to these pages or information appear.”

In 2017, Gary Illyes, head of Sunshine and Happiness at Google, was asked if route navigation links were worth it. Your answer:

“We like them. We treat them as normal links, for example, in the PageRank calculation.”

It appears to have confirmed that internal links could influence a page’s performance in search results.

Does Google look at the anchor text of internal links? John Mueller, Google’s Search Advocate, tweeted an answer to this question later 2017:

“Most links provide some additional context through their anchor text. At least they should, right‽”

During a Google Webmasters HQ conversation a 2018Mueller was asked if updating the anchor text of internal links to help users could affect rankings.

He responded that if you make your anchor text more useful to users, it will also be more beneficial to search engine crawlers.

later on 2018when asked about ranking changes related to mobile indexing, Mueller said, “…if your mobile site doesn’t have all the content you need to rank (including internal links, images , etc.), this could have an effect.”

On Twitter, in response to a question about the results of a Lighthouse audit a 2020said Mueller, “…internal links with useful anchor text help users and help search engines.”

At a later Google Webmasters HQ 2020, Mueller was asked how internal linking would work for two pages about cheese on the same website. He noted that there was no need to change the anchor text that separated a page to buy cheese from a cheese guide.

In 2021during Google’s SEO office hours, Mueller discussed how Google might choose a website’s home page, category page, or other pages as most relevant to a search result for a word specific key

It suggests using internal links to let Google know about the most important pages on a website. For example, if you have a product that is more important to your business than others, link specifically to it from your home page and other essential pages on your website.

This would help Google recognize that a product is more important than others on the site.

Mueller answered another question about internal links 2021. Are internal links diluted if you use too many on a page?

Mueller’s answer ultimately came down to the structure of the site. If Google can still understand the structure of the site and see the differentiation in the importance of some pages over others, then the number of internal links is acceptable. Give a similar answer to this question again 2022.

In 2022, Mueller was asked whether placing a link in a header, footer, or content makes a difference. He replied that he didn’t want to say anything. He answered similar questions during future office hours.

Later, in March 2022, Mueller was asked if internal linking is still crucial for SEO if there is structured data for breadcrumbs. He states that “…internal linking is very critical for SEO”. He calls it one of the most important things you can do on a website to guide Google to your most important content.

The evidence is pretty straightforward. Internal links help people and search engines understand your site. Google gives weight to internal links and uses them to determine which pages are the most important.

So what makes a good internal link?

[Learn More:] Google ranking factor statistics

Google tips for effective internal linking

Many of the responses from Google employees focused on improving the user experience and helping search engines understand your site. What are the most effective ways to point to your essential pages through internal linking?

Google’s documentation provides clear answers.

Google’s explanation How search works for site owners reiterates the role that links play in helping Google discover new content.

“The first stage is to find out which pages exist on the web. There is no central record of all web pages, so Google must constantly search for new and updated pages and add them to its list of known pages. This process is called “URL discovery”.

Some pages are known because Google has already visited them. Other pages are discovered when Google follows a link from a known page to a new page: for example, a central page, such as a category page, links to a new blog post.”

They recommend that creators use Google Search Console to learn how to make their site more accessible to crawlers. offered by GSC reports which help website owners identify their top-linking pages and pages with the most internal links.

Official Google Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). discusses internal linking, starting with the use of breadcrumbs.

“A navigation path is a row of internal links at the top or bottom of the page that allows visitors to quickly return to a previous section or to the root page. Many breadcrumbs have the most general page (usually the root page ) as the first link, further left, and list the more specific sections on the right. We recommend that you use the navigation path structured data markup when displaying bread sizes.”

The guide also refers to internal links as part of a naturally flowing hierarchy.

“Make it as easy as possible for users to move from general content to the more specific content they want on your site. Add navigation pages when it makes sense and work them effectively into your internal linking structure. Make sure -you that all pages on your site are accessible via links and do not require internal search functionality to find them. Link to related pages, where appropriate, to allow users to discover similar content.”

As for tips on how to help your website’s SEO, Google recommends writing good link text.

“Links on your page can be internal, pointing to other pages on your site, or external, leading to content on other sites. In either case, the better your anchor text, the more it’ll be easy for users to navigate and for Google to understand what the page you’re linking to is about.”

Keep on:

“In general, you can think of linking in terms of pointing to external websites, but paying more attention to the anchor text used for internal links can help users and Google navigate your site better.”

Of course, Google also warns against using “excessive keyword-laden or long search engine-only anchor text” or links that don’t help users navigate the website.

In a Google Search Central blog article from 2008Google talks about the importance of link architecture.

“Link architecture, the method of internal linking to your site, is a crucial step in site design if you want your site to be indexed by search engines. It plays a critical role in Googlebot’s ability to find your site’s pages and ensure your visitors can navigate and enjoy your site.”

The article continues to answer questions about internal linking. The answers, in short:

Google does not recommend using nofollow with internal links for PageRank sculpting or separation. Google has no problem with internal cross-topic links, such as a website that talks about cycling and camping.

Under Advanced SEO documentationGoogle talks about the importance of internal links for your website’s sitelinks in search results.

“Make sure the anchor text of your internal links is concise and relevant to the page they point to.”

In another Google Search Central blog article from 2010 offering advice on websites for non-profit organizations, Google noted that:

“20% of our submissions could improve their sites by improving the anchor text used in some of their internal links. When writing anchor text, keep two things in mind:

Be descriptive: Use words relevant to the landing page, avoiding generic phrases like “click here” or “article.” Make sure the user can get a snapshot of the overall content and functionality of the landing page by reading the anchor text. Keep it concise: Anchor text that contains a few words or a short sentence is more engaging and comfortable for users to read than a paragraph-long sentence or link.”

Does the number of internal links matter?

Matt Cutts, former head of Google’s web spam team, answered this question in a Google Search Central video at 2013. He replied that internal links would not cause problems. Website templates and architecture will naturally lead to many internal links with matching anchor text. As long as it’s natural and for the user experience, it’s fine.

[Deep Dive:] Your Complete Guide to Google Ranking Factors

Our verdict: Internal links are a ranking factor

Google’s documentation on how search works and its initial guide on how site owners can help Google understand their content explain the importance of internal links.

You can also find tips on Twitter and YouTube from Google representatives about optimizing internal links to help Google determine the most important pages on your website.

Internal links are part of the ranking factors that help determine where your web pages will rank in search results.

Featured image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal

[ad_2]

Source link