Internal links, links from one page on your site to another, are one of the few SEO levers entirely within your control. They help search engines discover your pages, understand how topics relate and decide which pages matter most. They also keep readers moving to the next useful page. Here's a practical strategy you can apply this week.
Why internal links matter
- Discovery. Search engines find pages by following links. Pages with no internal links pointing to them, called orphan pages, may be found slowly or not at all.
- Context. The anchor text and surrounding words tell search engines what the linked page is about.
- Importance. Pages linked from many relevant pages are signalled as more important.
- User journeys. Good links answer the reader's next question, which keeps them engaged.
If pages aren't appearing in search at all, start with why your pages aren't showing up in Google.
Build topic clusters
Group content around topics:
- A pillar page covers a broad topic in depth, such as a guide to bookkeeping for small businesses.
- Cluster pages cover specific subtopics in detail: double entry, invoicing, trial balance, profit and loss.
- Links connect them: the pillar links to each cluster page, each cluster page links back to the pillar and to closely related cluster pages.
This structure makes your expertise on a topic obvious, to readers and search engines.
Write good anchor text
Anchor text is the clickable text of a link.
| Weak | Better |
|---|---|
| "click here" | "our guide to XML sitemaps" |
| "this article" | "how to write meta descriptions" |
| "read more" | "the difference between 301 and 302 redirects" |
Use descriptive, natural phrases that tell the reader what they'll get. Vary them; don't force the exact same keyword phrase every time.
Where to place internal links
- In the body text, where the topic comes up naturally. These contextual links carry the most meaning.
- In related-content sections at the end of articles.
- From high-traffic pages to pages you want to rank, sharing their authority.
- From new content to older content, and update older pages to link to new ones.
Fix orphan pages
An orphan page has no internal links pointing to it. To find them:
- Export every URL from your XML sitemap; see the complete guide to XML sitemaps.
- Crawl your site to list every page reachable by links.
- Compare: URLs in the sitemap but not found in the crawl are orphans.
- Link to each from at least one relevant page, or remove it if it's not needed.
Avoid common mistakes
- Broken internal links. They waste crawl effort and frustrate visitors; see broken links are costing you rankings.
- Linking to redirected URLs. Update links to point at the final address.
- Too many links in one paragraph, which dilutes meaning.
- Burying important pages many clicks from the homepage.
- Generic anchors like "here" everywhere.
A 30-minute internal linking audit
- List your 10 most important pages, the ones that make money or generate leads.
- Check each has links from at least three relevant pages.
- Find your 10 highest-traffic pages in Google Search Console and add a relevant link from each to an important page.
- Fix broken internal links and links to redirects.
- Add links from your newest content to relevant older pages, and back.
A topic cluster, mapped
Here's how a bookkeeping cluster might link together:
| Page | Links to |
|---|---|
| Pillar: guide to small-business bookkeeping | Every cluster page below |
| Double-entry bookkeeping explained | Pillar, chart of accounts, trial balance |
| Chart of accounts | Pillar, double entry, balance sheet |
| Trial balance | Pillar, P&L, balance sheet |
| Profit and loss | Pillar, balance sheet, cash vs accrual |
| Balance sheet | Pillar, P&L, trial balance |
Each page links up to the pillar and sideways to its closest neighbours, and the pillar links down to all of them.
Breadcrumbs and navigation
- Main navigation should link your most important sections; keep it focused.
- Breadcrumbs (Home › Journal › Bookkeeping › Trial balance) show hierarchy to users and search engines, and can appear in search results when marked up with structured data.
- Footer links help with discovery, but they're weaker signals than contextual links in the body.
- Related-content blocks at the end of articles keep readers moving and spread links naturally.
Internal linking for e-commerce
- Link category pages from the main navigation and from relevant guides.
- Link related and complementary products from each product page.
- Link from buying guides to the categories and products they recommend.
- Avoid faceted navigation creating thousands of thin, linked URLs; keep filter pages out of the index unless they have real search demand.
Keeping it manageable at scale
- Keep a simple map of your clusters and pillar pages.
- Add links when you publish, not months later.
- Review quarterly: new pages linked from old ones, old pages linked from new ones.
- Use your crawler to find orphans and broken links.
- Prioritise money pages: make sure they have strong, relevant internal links.
Internal links and AI search
Clear structure and descriptive links help AI assistants understand your site too, which matters for being cited in AI answers; see how to get recommended by ChatGPT.
Check your site's structure
Zelvorm's free AI Website X-Ray checks a page's SEO basics alongside speed, accessibility and a UX review. If you'd like help building topic clusters and an internal linking plan, our digital marketing team does this for clients.
The short version
Internal links help search engines discover, understand and prioritise your pages. Organise content into topic clusters, use descriptive anchor text, link contextually from relevant and high-traffic pages, fix orphans and broken links, and review your linking regularly.
