Internal linking is one of the most powerful yet underrated SEO techniques. It helps Google understand your website structure, improves user experience, and boosts your rankings.
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn what internal linking is, why it matters, and how to use it correctly for maximum SEO results.
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What Is Internal Linking?
Internal links are hyperlinks that connect one page or article on your website to another page on the same website.
Example:
A link from your SEO checklist article → your keyword research article.
These links help users navigate your site and help Google crawl it more efficiently.
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Why Internal Linking Is Important for SEO
✔ 1. Helps Google Crawl Your Website Faster
Internal links guide search engine bots and show which pages are important.
✔ 2. Passes Link Juice (Authority)
Strong articles pass authority to weaker or new pages, helping them rank.
✔ 3. Improves User Experience
Readers stay longer and read more articles.
✔ 4. Builds Topical Authority
Google rewards websites where content is well-connected and organized.
✔ 5. Reduces Bounce Rate
Visitors click to related content, increasing dwell time.
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Types of Internal Links You Should Use
1. Contextual Links
Links inside your article text.
These are the most powerful because they are natural and topic-related.
2. Navigational Links
Menu links, category links, sidebar links.
3. Footer Links
Useful for linking major pages like About, Contact, Sitemap.
4. Silo Structure Links
Linking articles within the same topic cluster.
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How to Create a Strong Internal Linking Strategy
Step 1: Choose a Main Topic Cluster (Silo)
A silo is a group of related articles.
Example (SEO Silo):
Keyword Research
On-Page SEO
Off-Page SEO
Technical SEO
Google Tools
SEO Writing
Link all articles inside the silo to each other.
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Step 2: Link New Articles to Old Articles
Whenever you publish a new post:
Link to older related articles
Update old articles to link back to the new ones
This creates a circular flow of link juice.
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Step 3: Use Keyword-Rich Anchor Text (Naturally)
Anchor text = clickable text.
Examples of good anchor text:
keyword research guide
SEO-friendly blog writing tips
Google Trends keyword method
Avoid over-optimization like exact-match repeating anchors.
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Step 4: Add 3–5 Internal Links Per Article
For beginner blogs:
Minimum: 3 links
Ideal: 5–10 links, depending on article length
Make sure links are:
✔ Relevant
✔ Helpful
✔ Natural
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Step 5: Link Hierarchically (Top to Bottom)
Link like this:
Category Page → Main Article → Sub Articles
Example (SEO Writing):
Main Article: How to Write SEO-Friendly Blog Posts
Sub Article: Long-tail keywords guide
Sub Article: Google Trends keyword research
Sub Article: SEO checklist for beginners
This helps Google understand which pages are most important.
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Step 6: Use Internal Links to Improve Low-Ranking Pages
Find pages stuck on Page 2 or Page 3 of Google.
Boost them by:
Adding 5–10 internal links from high-quality articles
Using keyword-rich anchor text
Refreshing the content around the link
Internal linking can move articles up by 10–20 positions easily.
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Step 7: Use Tools to Audit Internal Links
Free tools:
Google Search Console → Links
RankMath Link Suggestions (WordPress)
LinkWhisper (paid)
Ahrefs Site Audit
These tools show pages with:
No internal links
Too many links
Weak link juice
Fixing these boosts your rankings.
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Common Internal Linking Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Linking randomly just to add links
❌ Using the same anchor text for every link
❌ Linking to irrelevant content
❌ Not linking to deep pages (orphan pages)
❌ Overloading a page with 50+ links
❌ Ignoring silo structure
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Best Practices for Maximum SEO Impact
✔ 1. Use natural anchor text
✔ 2. Keep links relevant
✔ 3. Link top-performing pages to new content
✔ 4. Ensure every article has at least 3 internal links
✔ 5. Use a clear silo structure
✔ 6. Prioritize user experience over SEO
✔ 7. Update internal links every 3 months
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Example Internal Linking Map for JimmySEO
Let’s map 5 articles:
1. How to Do Keyword Research
2. How to Write SEO-Friendly Blog Posts
3. Google Trends for Keyword Research
4. Internal Linking Guide (This article)
5. On-Page SEO Checklist
How they should link:
Article 1 → Articles 2, 3, 5
Article 2 → Articles 1, 4, 5
Article 3 → Articles 1, 5
Article 4 → Articles 1, 2, 5
Article 5 → Articles 1, 2, 3, 4
This builds perfect topical authority.
Conclusion
Internal linking is one of the easiest ways to improve your Google rankings—especially for new bloggers. With a proper silo structure, relevant anchors, and consistent linking, your website can grow faster, gain authority, and attract more organic traffic.