The Importance of Internal Linking
All great SEO strategies depend on a good internal linking plan. Content and linking go hand in hand, and yet content often gets all of the attention while internal linking is somewhat ignored, and in some cases completely forgotten.
Although you might be able to get away with not crosslinking your content, you are definitely not going to get the kind of SEO results youâd hoped for. So, if your goal is to create a solid SEO strategy, you need to know your way around a perfect link.
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What is Internal Linking?
Internal linking should be seen as the bridge that creates good connections between your webpages. The very idea behind internal linking is that it is used to help the search engine to move easily from one page to the next and in doing so create logical patterns regarding how the content connects.
Internal linking can also be a huge help to website visitors, as it will assist them with navigating across your website while they are reading through your content.
The Benefits of Internal Linking
When you have a proper internal linking strategy in order you will, within a few short weeks, start to see a dramatic change in your online rankings. From a marketing point of view, crosslinking is going to work wonders and really make your website a lot more visible.
But aside from that, there are other reasons why implementing a plan and also knowing how to properly create a strategy and the actual link is well worth the time and effort that you are putting in.
To help you gain a bit more appreciation for the capabilities of crosslinking, these are the best benefits you can experience.
It lowers the bounce rate of your site
Because internal linking helps your website users get to where they need to be faster, the bounce rate on your website is lowered. This means people are going to hang out a little longer on your website which in turn improves the chances of them buying from you.
It ensures you rank for the right keywords
If you practice a good internal linking process, you will be able to really show Google which keywords you are targeting. This will improve the websites visibility for keywords that you actually want to rank for as opposed to the random keywords that Google might assume you want but is really just guessing.
It can drive home your point
When you are linking in your content, you can save your reader time by directing them to something on your website that will drive home the point you are trying to make. This can also help to improve your authority on whatever it is that are talking about, because a well-placed link will direct people to the information they are actually looking for.
It gives some love to your older posts
If you have had a website for a while, you probably have loads of pages and blogs, all full of helpful (and hopefully evergreen) content. Using internal linking, you can direct website visitors to those older pages, where they can get more insight and information.
It can build your industry authority
Crosslinking is not just something that you can do across your websiteâs pages, it can also be something that you use to connect your website with another, related site. This can really help to build on your authority, and unlike backlinking, when you crosslink to another site, you increase your chances of receiving a high-quality link in return.
So just how do you build that perfect crosslink?
Even if you are brand new to SEO, you will find that creating a crosslink that will actually work for your website is going to be a lot easier than you think. And to get you going with your first link, hereâs a simple step by step guide:
Step 1: Think about the structure of your site
The links that you build internally are going to create a structure, one that it will help to draw out beforehand. To get an idea of what your websiteâs internal linking structure will look like, imagine that your website is a pyramid, with the homepage being at the top. Below that will be sections and categories, and below that your posts and pages. All of these can be linked together using internal links, creating a map of sorts showing which pages have more authority than the others.
Step 2: Think amazing content
The content that you will link to first is called your cornerstone content and it is considered the best content on your site. This content is usually close to the top of a page, and it will give website visitors the best impression of your business. Once you have found this content, you can go to the next step.
Step 3: Place your link
The first thing to do will be to look for your keywords. Your keywords can be short and sweet, or they can be a longer version, with the long tail keyword often being the better option for linking. This keyword is going to be your anchor text. Ideally, a keyword should be closer to the top of the page but it is not a train smash if it is not. Keep in mind that you can have a variety of links on a single page, so long as they have good anchor text and they are relevant.
Creating a link is really as simple as this.
To get the most out of your linking, it will certainly be beneficial to not go in blind but to rather always have a linking strategy to guide you. And once you get the hang of it, you will become an internal linking pro.
