Why Internal Links Matter for SEO and User Experience
What's the Deal with Internal Links?
So, you know how when you're browsing a website, and you click on a word or phrase that takes you to another page on the same site? Those are called internal links.
They're different from external links, which take you to pages on other websites. Think of internal links as little pathways that keep you within the same website neighborhood.
What Do They Look Like?
Alright, so imagine you're on a webpage, and there's a link that says "Learn more about fixing crawlability issues." When you click on that link, it takes you to another page on the same website. That's an internal link in action.
Behind the scenes, it's just some code that tells your browser where to go when you click on it. It might look something like this:
<a href="https://www.example-site.com/">fixing crawlability issues</a>
Why Should You Care?
Now, let's talk about why internal links are kind of a big deal, especially when it comes to making your website friendlier to search engines (SEO), helping users find their way around, and boosting the importance of your pages.
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They Help Search Engines Figure Out Your Website's Layout
Picture this: You've got a bunch of pages on your website, and they're all connected through these internal links. When search engines like Google see these links, they get a better idea of how your website is organized. It's like giving them a roadmap to explore your site and understand what each page is about. Here’s a visual representation of how this works:
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They Pass on Some Good Vibes (Authority)
Okay, so Google has this thing called PageRank, which basically measures how important a webpage is. When you have a page with lots of links pointing to it (external links), it's like a popularity vote. Internal links can then share some of that love with other pages on your site, helping them climb the ranks too. Here’s a visual representation of how this works:
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They're Like Signposts for Your Visitors
Ever find yourself lost in a sea of web pages? Internal links can be like helpful signs that guide visitors to where they want to go. Let's say someone's reading an article on your site about building a PC. You can sprinkle in links to other pages about PC parts or fixing common PC problems, making it easier for them to explore and find what they need.
In a Nutshell
So, internal links are like the secret sauce that makes your website more friendly to search engines, easier to navigate for users, and ultimately, more successful in achieving your goals, whether it's making a sale or just sharing useful info. So, next time you're sprucing up your website, don't forget to give those internal links some love!
image credit: www.semrush.com
