Link building is one of the most powerful weapons of internet marketers to websites to rank higher in Google. In addition to external link building, which involves securing high-quality links to the website, the internal link structure of a website is also very important. Improving this internal link structure is also known as internal link building. In this article, you will read why internal link building is so important for rankings in Google and what you need to consider when building an internal link structure.
Link building helps your visitors and the search engine
The idea behind internal link building is quite simple. By creating internal links between different pages on a website, visitors can easily navigate the site and therefore quickly find the right information. A proper internal link structure consequently increases the usability of a website.
Internal link building not only ensures a good user experience for website visitors, but also provides Google with more insight into the website. Links between the various pages on a website tell Google which pages are important and which pages are related to each other. As a result, by scanning the source code, Google gets a good picture of the website's structure. By guiding Google through the website using internal links, a site ranks higher in search engine results.
Over the years, a website builds authority with Google. This happens, among other things, thanks to links from other websites pointing to a single website—in other words, external link building. Often, these external links are linked to a website's homepage, meaning that only this page builds higher authority with Google. If the website has a poor internal link structure, authority will not be distributed effectively across the site, which can lead to disappointing results in Google. Therefore, good cooperation between internal and external link building is of great importance.
5 tips for internal link building
To ensure that Google can properly index the website and distribute the built-up authority effectively, it is important to establish a good internal link structure. But how exactly do you do that? The tips below will help you build your own internal link structure. Important: the internal links should be created for the visitors and not directly for Google. Google places great value on natural behavior. Unnatural behavior is immediately penalized.
1. Determine the structure of the internal links in advance
Write down in advance which pages you want to link together. It is important to start with the homepage and then link to the underlying pages. Think of the pages located under the menu buttons. Next, take it a step further by linking from the menu pages to the underlying submenu pages. In this way, you build a hierarchy of pages. Your internal link structure is born!
2. Use the right keywords in the anchor text
It is important to carefully consider the keywords for which you want your website to rank better in Google. Next, incorporate these search terms into the anchor text of the links you create. Anchor text is the word or phrase used to create a link to another page. Be careful not to use the same keyword too often. Therefore, use different variations or combinations on a single page.
3. Place a maximum of 5 links on one page
If you use too many links, Google may notice that you are intentionally creating internal links. This actually has a negative effect on your rankings in Google, which is exactly what we want to avoid. Our advice is therefore to place a maximum of 5 links on a single page.
4. Create natural and relevant links
Following on from the previous point: it is important for Google that links are created in a natural way. This means not only that there should not be too many links on a single page, but also that the link must actually provide added value to the visitor. In other words, the link must ensure that the visitor finds what he or she is looking for. For example, if you refer to 'company information', then ensure that this link leads to the About Us page of the website.
5. Go beyond just placing links in the text
In addition to placing links within the website's text, there are other ways to improve the internal link structure. These include placing links in the website's footer or using breadcrumbs. Implementing an XML and HTML sitemap also benefits the internal link structure. A sitemap provides Google, in particular, with a clear picture of the website, allowing the search engine to easily navigate through it.
Would you like more information about internal link building and everything involved? Our internet marketers would be happy to tell you about the possibilities. Contact us. contact Get started with Best4u and discover what internal link building can mean for your website.