SOP 010: Internal Linking
Why Internal Links Matter
"Internal linking is the most underrated SEO tactic. It's free, you control it, and it works immediately." — Matt Diggity
Internal Linking Fundamentals
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| LINK EQUITY FLOW |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| [Homepage] |
| (Most PR) |
| | |
| +---------------+---------------+ |
| | | | |
| v v v |
| [Category] [Category] [Category] |
| Page Page Page |
| | | | |
| +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+ |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| v v v v v v v v v |
| Posts Posts Posts Posts Posts Posts Posts Posts Posts |
| |
| Link equity flows DOWN through your site structure |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+The Hub and Spoke Model
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| HUB AND SPOKE MODEL |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| [HUB PAGE] |
| +-----------|(Pillar)|------------+ |
| | | | |
| v v v |
| [Spoke]<------>[Spoke]<-------->[Spoke] |
| (Post) (Post) (Post) |
| |
| Hub = Main topic page (high volume keyword) |
| Spokes = Supporting articles (long-tail keywords) |
| All spokes link to hub AND to each other |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+Internal Link Rules
| Rule | Reason |
|---|---|
| Link from high-authority pages | Passes more equity |
| Use descriptive anchor text | Helps Google understand topic |
| Link early in content | Higher in page = more weight |
| Don't overlink | 100+ links dilutes equity |
| Update old content with new links | Keeps link graph fresh |
Finding Internal Link Opportunities
Method 1: Site Search
Google: site:yoursite.com "target keyword"
Find all pages mentioning your target keyword that could link
to your target page.Method 2: Ahrefs Internal Link Opportunities
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| Ahrefs -> Site Audit -> Internal Link Opportunities |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Shows: Source page -> Keyword -> Target page |
| |
| Automates finding pages that mention keywords but don't link |
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+---------------------------------------------------------------------+Method 3: Link Whisper Plugin (WordPress)
Automates internal link suggestions as you write content.
Anchor Text Strategy
Internal Link Anchor Text Distribution
| Type | Example | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Exact match | "best coffee makers" | 30-40% |
| Partial match | "top coffee makers for home" | 30-40% |
| Branded | "our coffee guide" | 10-20% |
| Generic | "read more", "this article" | 10-20% |
Key Insight
Internal links have MORE anchor text freedom than external links. Google expects you to use descriptive anchors on your own site.
Priority Page Linking
Boosting Money Pages
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| PRIORITY PAGE STRATEGY |
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| |
| 1. Identify your 5-10 most important pages (money pages) |
| |
| 2. Find your highest-traffic pages (Search Console) |
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| 3. Add contextual links from high-traffic -> money pages |
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| 4. Link from navigation/footer if appropriate |
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| 5. Create new supporting content that links to money pages |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+Internal Linking Mistakes
Avoid These
- Orphan pages - Pages with no internal links pointing to them
- Linking to noindexed pages - Wastes crawl budget
- Too deep - Important pages 4+ clicks from homepage
- Broken internal links - Lose link equity
- Only navigation links - Need contextual links too
Audit Your Internal Links
Using Screaming Frog
- Crawl your site
- Check "Inlinks" for each page
- Sort by pages with fewest internal links
- Add links to orphan/low-link pages
Link Depth Analysis
| Depth | Importance |
|---|---|
| 1 click | Highest priority pages |
| 2 clicks | High priority |
| 3 clicks | Standard content |
| 4+ clicks | May struggle to rank |
Internal Linking Checklist
- [ ] Every page has at least 3 internal links pointing to it
- [ ] Money pages linked from high-authority pages
- [ ] Hub pages link to all spoke pages
- [ ] Spoke pages link back to hub AND each other
- [ ] No orphan pages
- [ ] Anchor text is descriptive and varied
- [ ] Navigation includes key category pages
- [ ] Footer links to important resources
- [ ] New content links to existing relevant content
- [ ] Old content updated with links to new content
See Also
- 011 - Anchor Text - External anchor strategy
- 009 - Technical SEO - Site structure basics