What is internal linking? Internal linking is the practice of linking one page on your website to another page on the same website.
It matters for SEO because internal links help search engines discover your pages, understand your content structure, and identify related topics. They also help readers move from one useful page to the next without getting lost.
In this guide, you will learn how internal links work, why they matter, where to place them, and how to build a simple internal linking strategy for SEO.
What Is Internal Linking in SEO?
Internal linking means adding links between pages on your own website.
For example, if you write an article about keyword research and link to another article about keyword difficulty, that is an internal link. Both pages are on the same domain, so the link stays inside your site.
Internal links are different from external links. An external link points from your website to another website. Meanwhile, an internal link points from one page on your website to another page on your website.
This matters because search engines use links to find and understand pages. In addition, users rely on links to continue learning without needing to search your site manually.
For example, this article could naturally link to a Scale Xpert guide on what is keyword difficulty in SEO when explaining keyword research and content planning.
Why Internal Linking Matters for SEO
What is internal linking useful for in SEO? It helps search engines and readers understand which pages on your website are connected.
If an important page has no internal links pointing to it, search engines may have a harder time finding it. These pages are often called orphan pages.
Internal linking helps SEO by:
- Helping search engines discover important pages
- Showing the relationship between related topics
- Supporting topic clusters and pillar pages
- Helping users find related content faster
- Giving important pages more visibility inside your site
- Improving navigation and content flow
- Reducing the chance of useful pages being buried
For example, if you publish a pillar page about organic traffic, you can link to supporting articles about keyword research, content refreshes, backlinks, and internal linking. As a result, the whole topic becomes easier to navigate.
For a related example, you can internally link to [how to increase website traffic organically with SEO] when discussing topic clusters and content structure.
Internal Links vs External Links vs Backlinks
Internal links, external links, and backlinks all help users move between pages, but they are not the same.
| Link type | Meaning | Example |
| Internal link | Links to another page on your own website | Blog post to related guide |
| External link | Links from your website to another website | Blog post to Google documentation |
| Backlink | Another website links to your website | Industry blog links to your article |
Internal links help shape your website structure. External links help support your content with outside references. Backlinks can help show that other websites reference or trust your content.
A strong SEO strategy usually uses all three. However, internal links are the easiest to control because they are fully inside your own website.
How Internal Links Work
Internal links can appear in many places on a website.
Common internal link types include:
- Contextual links inside blog content
- Navigation menu links
- Footer links
- Breadcrumb links
- Related post links
- Sidebar links
- Button links
- Image links
The most useful internal links are often contextual links inside the main content. These links appear naturally inside a paragraph and help the reader continue learning about a related topic.
The clickable text in a link is called anchor text. For example, in the phrase “read our internal linking guide,” the words “internal linking guide” are the anchor text.
Good anchor text should describe the linked page clearly. Therefore, avoid vague anchor text like “click here” when a descriptive phrase would help the reader more.
Internal Links Examples for Beginners
Internal links are easier to understand with examples.
Here are simple internal links examples:
- A blog post about SEO tools links to a guide about keyword research.
- A beginner SEO guide links to a glossary page about backlinks.
- A product page links to a comparison article.
- A pillar page links to supporting articles inside the same topic cluster.
- An old blog post links to a newly published guide.
- A traffic growth article links to a guide about internal linking.
- A backlink article links to a guide about link building outreach tracking.
Each internal link should have a clear purpose. If the link helps the reader understand the topic better or take the next step, it is likely useful.
For example, a section about backlinks could naturally link to backlink outreach mistakes or link building outreach tracking] if those guides help the reader continue learning.
What Is Internal Linking Strategy?
What is internal linking strategy? It is a planned way to connect important pages on your website so users and search engines can move through your content clearly.
Without a strategy, internal links can become random. However, with a clear plan, each link supports your content structure.
A good internal linking strategy for SEO should connect:
- Pillar pages to supporting pages
- Supporting pages back to pillar pages
- Related blog posts to each other
- High-traffic pages to important conversion pages
- Old content to new content
- New content to relevant older pages
- Beginner guides to more advanced tutorials
For example, if you publish an article about how to increase website traffic organically, you can link to related pages about keyword research, content refreshes, backlinks, keyword cannibalization, and internal linking.
This creates a stronger path for readers and helps search engines see how the content connects.
Internal Linking Best Practices
Internal linking best practices are simple when you focus on users first.
Use these rules when adding internal links:
- Link to relevant pages only
Add links where they help the reader continue learning. Do not add links only for SEO if the destination does not fit the section. - Use descriptive anchor text
Instead of “click here,” use text like “keyword cannibalization guide” or “SEO content checklist.” - Link from old content to new content
After publishing a new article, update older related posts and link to the new page. - Link from new content to existing pages
Before publishing, add links to relevant articles already on your site. - Prioritize important pages
Give more internal links to pages that matter most for traffic, leads, conversions, or topic authority. - Avoid forcing too many links
Too many links can distract readers. Instead, add links where they support the section. - Fix broken internal links
Broken links create a poor user experience and can waste crawl paths. - Review internal links during content updates
A page that was not relevant last year may become useful after you publish new supporting content.
Internal linking works best when it feels natural. A reader should understand why the link is there before they click it.
How Many Internal Links Per Page?
There is no perfect number of internal links per page.
A short article may only need 3 to 5 internal links. Meanwhile, a long guide may naturally include 10 or more links if they are helpful.
Instead of chasing a fixed number, ask:
- Does this link help the reader?
- Is the linked page relevant to this section?
- Does the anchor text explain the destination?
- Am I linking to pages that support the main topic?
- Are my most important pages receiving enough internal links?
- Would I still add this link if SEO were not a factor?
If the answer is yes, the link is likely useful.
However, avoid adding links just to increase the count. More internal links do not automatically make a page better.
How to Add Internal Links to a Blog Post
Use this simple workflow when adding internal links.
Step 1: Choose the main topic
Before adding links, identify the main topic of the article.
This helps you choose related pages that actually support the content. For example, an article about internal linking can link to pages about topic clusters, keyword cannibalization, content refreshes, and organic traffic.
Use your website search or Google search operators to find related content.
For example, search:
site:scale-xpert.com internal linking
You can also replace the phrase with your article topic. This helps you find existing pages you can link to.
Step 3: Add links inside useful context
Place internal links inside paragraphs where they make sense.
In most cases, contextual links inside the body content are more useful than random footer links. The link should feel like a helpful next step, not an interruption.
Step 4: Update old articles
After publishing the new article, find older related articles and link back to it.
Because of this, your new page becomes easier to discover and becomes part of your site structure faster.
Step 5: Review links during content updates
Every few months, check whether your internal links still make sense.
Remove outdated links, fix broken URLs, and add links to newer pages where useful.
How to Find Internal Link Opportunities
You can find internal link opportunities manually or with SEO tools.
Start with these methods:
- Search your website for related topics.
- Review old articles in the same category.
- Check Google Search Console queries for each page.
- Look at pages that already get traffic.
- Find orphan pages with no internal links.
- Review your pillar pages and supporting pages.
- Use crawling tools to find broken or redirected links.
For example, if your article about organic traffic mentions keyword difficulty, search your website for your keyword difficulty guide. Then add the link where the topic naturally appears.
This process is simple, but it can improve your site structure over time.
Common Internal Linking Mistakes
Poor internal linking can make your website harder to crawl and harder to use.
Avoid these mistakes:
- Using vague anchor text like “read more”
- Adding too many links in one paragraph
- Linking to irrelevant pages
- Forgetting to link to new articles
- Leaving important pages orphaned
- Using the same exact anchor text unnaturally everywhere
- Linking only from menus and not from content
- Ignoring broken internal links
- Creating multiple pages that compete for the same keyword
- Linking every page to every other page with no structure
For example, if you have three articles targeting the same topic, internal links alone will not fix the issue. Instead, you may need to merge or redirect overlapping pages.
For more help, read our guide on keyword cannibalization.
How to Audit Internal Links
An internal link audit helps you find weak spots in your site structure.
Start by checking:
- Pages with no internal links pointing to them
- Important pages with too few internal links
- Broken internal links
- Redirected internal links
- Pages buried too deep in the site
- Anchor text that is unclear or repetitive
- Old posts missing links to newer guides
- Pages that receive too many irrelevant internal links
You can use tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, Semrush, or WordPress SEO plugins to find internal linking issues.
However, manual review is still important because tools cannot always judge whether a link is useful for the reader.
FAQs
What are internal links?
Internal links are links from one page on your website to another page on the same website. They help readers find related content and help search engines understand your site structure.
Why are internal links important for SEO?
Internal links are important because they help search engines crawl your website, discover pages, understand topic relationships, and identify important content. They also improve user navigation.
How do internal links help SEO?
Internal links help SEO by connecting related pages, supporting topic clusters, improving crawl paths, and reducing orphan pages. As a result, your website becomes easier to crawl and navigate.
How do I find internal link opportunities?
Search your website for related topics, review older articles, check Google Search Console queries, and look for pages that discuss similar subjects. Then add links where they help readers continue learning.
How many internal links should I add per page?
There is no fixed number. Add enough internal links to support the reader, but avoid forcing links. A short article may need a few links, while a long guide may need more.
What is the best anchor text for internal links?
The best anchor text is clear, descriptive, and natural. For example, “internal linking strategy” is better than “click here” because it tells users what they will find on the linked page.
Conclusion
What is internal linking? It is the process of connecting pages on your own website so readers and search engines can understand your content structure more easily.
A strong internal linking strategy helps improve crawlability, supports topic clusters, guides users to helpful pages, and gives your most important content more visibility. Start by linking relevant pages together, using clear anchor text, fixing orphan pages, and updating old articles when you publish new content.
If you want to improve your SEO structure with other beginner and semi-intermediate site owners, join the Scale Xpert community here.
