Internal Link

An internal link is a hyperlink that connects one page on a website to another page on the same website. Unlike external links (which point to other websites), internal links keep users within your domain, helping them navigate your content more easily.

Internal links are a key part of SEO because they help distribute page authority, guide search engine crawlers, and improve overall site structure and user experience.

Example of an internal link in HTML

<a href="/blog/seo-checklist">Check out our SEO Checklist</a>

This link points from one page on the website to another page in the /blog section of the same domain.

Types of internal links

• Navigational links – Found in menus, footers, or sidebars to help users move around your site.
• Contextual links – Placed within the content (e.g., blog articles) to guide users to related or supporting pages.
• Breadcrumbs – A trail of links that shows users where they are in the site’s hierarchy.
• Call-to-action links – Buttons or links that direct users to take an action (e.g., “Read more” or “Contact us”).

Why internal links matter for SEO

• Help search engines discover and index pages – Google uses links to crawl your site. Internal links help bots find and understand your content.
• Distribute link equity (ranking power) – Pages with more incoming links tend to be seen as more important. Internal links can pass SEO value from high-authority pages to others.
• Improve user experience – Internal links keep visitors engaged by directing them to relevant content, increasing time on site and reducing bounce rate.
• Support topic relevance and structure – Helps Google understand how pages relate to one another and what your site is about.

Best practices for internal linking

• Use descriptive anchor text – Make it clear what users can expect when they click the link.
• Link to relevant content – Don’t just link for the sake of SEO — link to genuinely helpful and related pages.
• Avoid orphan pages – Make sure every page is linked to from at least one other page on your site.
• Keep links up to date – Broken internal links hurt usability and SEO.
• Use a logical structure – Group related content into hubs or categories with pillar pages and supporting posts.

How to audit internal links

Use tools like:

• Google Search Console – View internal link reports.
• Screaming Frog or Sitebulb – Visualize site structure and find orphaned pages.
• Ahrefs or Semrush – Analyze internal link distribution and page authority.

In summary, an internal link connects two pages within the same website. It’s essential for helping both users and search engines navigate your site, improving SEO performance, and strengthening your content strategy.