Use Links For Better SEO. Internal Links Vs. External Links
Links are a fundamental part of the internet. They allow users to navigate between different websites and pages, and they also play an important role in search engine optimization (SEO). There are two main types of links: internal links and external links.
In this blog post, we want to go over each link term in detail & explain why it's relevant to your SEO rating & how it helps your business.
Internal Links
Internal links are links that connect one page on your website to another page on your website. They are a great way to help users navigate your site and find the information they are looking for.
These types of links are good as a form of inbound marketing to keep users further engaged on a website, this benefits the metric "time on site" for a higher SEO rating. Examples of where to link to would be blog posts, products, services, contact forms, or other types of landing pages.
Internal links can also act as a CTA to prompt users to become part of an online sales funnel. It's also beneficial to the user to have internal links set up to navigate throughout the website easily. Like directions on a map.
Internal links can also help search engines understand the structure of your website and the relationships between different pages. The more clear & organized your website is, the more likely Google is going to want to show people your website in SERPs.
Here are some examples of internal links:
Links in your website's navigation menu
Links in the sidebar or footer of your pages
Links in your blog posts that point to other relevant posts on your site
Links in your product pages that point to related products
External Links
External links are links that connect one page on your website to a page on another website. They are a great way to provide your users with additional information and resources, and they can also help you build relationships with other websites.
These types of links are part of an outbound marketing strategy in which a network effect is built from one organization to another. These network connections either have relation to one another based on the industry or more tangible connections such as two organizations linking to each other out of support for their business (Ex: Blog links to E-commerce sites.).
Here are some examples of external links:
Links in your blog posts that point to other relevant blog posts or research studies
Links in your product pages that point to reviews or ratings on other websites
Links in your contact page that point to your social media profiles
How These Links Help in SEO
Both internal and external links can help to improve your website's SEO.
Internal links help search engines understand the structure of your website & the relationships between different pages. This can help your pages rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
External links are a signal to search engines that your website is authoritative and that your content is valuable.
When other websites link to your pages, it tells search engines that your content is worth reading and sharing. This can also help your pages to rank higher in SERPs.
How to Use Internal Links Effectively
When using internal links, it is important to be strategic. You should only link to pages that are relevant to the current page and that provide additional value to your users.
Examples include links to other blog posts, product pages, the homepage, a contact form, etc.
You ought to avoid using too many internal links on a single page, as this can overwhelm users and make it difficult for them to find the information they are looking for.
Here are some tips for using internal links effectively:
Use relevant anchor text.
The anchor text of a link is the text that is displayed when the user hovers over the link. It is important to use anchor text that is relevant to the page that the link is pointing to. This will help users to understand where the link will take them and will also help search engines to understand the relationship between the two pages.
Link to high-quality pages. You should only link to pages on your website that are high-quality and informative. Avoid linking to pages that are under construction or that contain outdated information.
Avoid using too many internal links. It is important to use internal links sparingly. Too many internal links can overwhelm users and make it difficult for them to find the information they are looking for.
How to Use External Links Effectively
When using external links, it is important to only link to high-quality websites and pages.
You should also avoid using too many external links on a single page.
Here are some tips for using external links effectively:
Link to high-quality websites. You should only link to websites that are authoritative and that provide valuable information to your users. Avoid linking to websites that are spammy or that contain low-quality content.
Use relevant anchor text. Just like with internal links, it is important to use relevant anchor text for external links. This will help users to understand where the link will take them and will also help search engines to understand the relationship between the two pages.
Avoid using too many external links. It is important to use external links sparingly. Too many external links can make your page look cluttered and unprofessional.
Conclusion
Internal and external links are both important for SEO. By using internal and external links effectively, you can improve the structure and navigation of your website, provide your users with additional value, and build relationships with other websites. This can all lead to higher rankings in SERPs and more traffic to your website.
Additional Tips
Here are some additional tips for using internal and external links effectively:
Use a variety of link types. There are different types of links that you can use, such as text links, image links, and button links. Using a variety of link types can make your content more visually appealing and can also make it easier for users to find the links they are looking for.
Use link building
References:
-Ahrefs. (2023). External Links SEO Glossary. Ahrefs.com. https://ahrefs.com/seo/glossary/external-link#:~:text=Also%20known%20as%20an%20outbound,sometimes%20called%20external%20incoming%20links.
-Toonen, E. (2023, July 12). Internal linking for SEO: Why and how? Yoast. https://yoast.com/internal-linking-for-seo-why-and-how/
Disclaimer: This post is not intended to serve as financial or professional advice & is created for the sake of entertainment & informational purposes. External links are provided to give credit to original information holders. The use of affiliate links & Googe Ads is used in this blog post & we may be compensated for placement.
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