When it comes to optimizing a site for SEO and user experience, two main components are internal linking and site navigation. Although they sound alike, they have different functions in improving the structure, usability, and search engine rankings.
In this blog post, we break down the major differences between internal linking and site navigation, why each is essential, and best practices to leverage both. And by the end of this blog, you will know exactly what these two elements are and how you can implement them for better SEO results as well as site performance.
Internal linking is the linking of one hyperlink to another on the same site. They enable both users and search engines to zippity zippity zapp from one piece of content to the next, which enhances the user experience as well as search engine optimization (SEO).
If you’re reading an article about SEO strategies, and halfway through you see a link that takes you to another post about the importance of keyword research, that is internal linking in action.
Our experts found that internal link is important in SEO strategy for a few reasons:
In this regard, we should make a clear distinction between internal and external links.
Both are very important when it comes to SEO, but you have direct control over internal links, and you can direct both users and search engines through your site.
Navigation on a website means the way the site has been structured, consisting of different menus and categories, taking the user from one page to another on the site without any effort. Whereas internal linking is found within content, site navigation is typically built into the design of a website and includes:
Feature | Internal Linking | Site Navigation |
---|---|---|
Purpose | Connects related pages within content | Give structure navigation for users |
Placement | Found in blog, articles, product pages | Found in menus, footers, sidebars, and breadcrumbs |
SEO Impact | Distributes link equity, improves rankings | Help crawlers to understand the website in a better way |
User Experience | Improve user-engagement | Give easy access to key sections |
Customization | Flexible and contextual | Predefined and structural |
Here are best practices of internal linking to follow to maximize its impact:
Avoid generic phrases like “click here” and use informative anchor text like “read more on internal linking SEO.” Which allows you to better understand the content of the links on the page and improve clarity for search engines.
Consider linking to pages that give meaningful content or cause conversions. For instance, a blog post connected to a service page can boost engagement and sales.
Over time, our specialists have learned that the richer guidance can devalue the hyperlink. General rule of thumb is to add 2-5 interlinks for every 1000 words.
There are a few internal linking tools that can make this easier, such as:
For manual internal linking, you could implement an HTML internal link via:
<a href="https://yourwebsite.com/internal-link">Anchor Text</a>
This method is beneficial for developers and anyone who edits WordPress internal links manually.
Internal linking and site navigation are crucial for SEO and user experience, but both serve different roles. Site navigation will provide the method for users to explore a website in an organized manner, while internal linking improves content link, also helps legitimate website SEO.
Proper internal linking combined with good on-site navigation allows you to build a website that is architecture friendly both for your website visitors and search engine crawlers.
The good news is that they can be improved, and so can your internal linking strategy. Auditing your existing links and optimizing them is the first step for better SEO results.
There is no magic number, but Google does state to have a sensible number of internal links. A common guideline is:
To build internal links effectively for SEO, follow these key strategies:
Internal links are important for SEO because they help distribute link equity, improve page rankings, and enhance website structure for search engines. They also improve user experience by guiding visitors to relevant content, increasing engagement and reducing bounce rates.
It’s important to conduct regular audits of your internal links to ensure that your site continues to be user-friendly and is optimized for search engines.
User experience and SEO suffer from broken links. Find and fix broken internal links using a tool like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog SEO Spider.