If we had to pick one SEO task that's free, quick and almost always overlooked, it would be internal linking. That just means links from one page of your website to another. It sounds too simple to matter. It matters a lot.
Why internal links help
They help Google find your pages. Google discovers pages by following links. A page nothing links to is hard to find and looks unimportant.
They show which pages matter most. Pages with more internal links pointing to them are treated as more important.
They explain what pages are about. The words you use in a link (the anchor text) give Google context about the page it points to.
They keep visitors moving. A reader on a blog post who clicks through to a relevant product or service is a potential customer.
Where to add them
Navigation and footer. Your most important categories and services should be here.
Homepage. Link to key collections, services and your best content.
Blog posts. Every post should link to at least one relevant product, collection or service page, and to one or two related posts.
Product and service pages. Link to related products, the parent collection and helpful guides.
Collection pages. Link to related collections and buying guides. Our collection SEO guide covers this.
Writing good anchor text
Use words that describe the destination. "Our oxidised silver earrings collection" tells people and Google exactly what to expect. "Click here" tells them nothing. Vary the wording naturally rather than using the exact same phrase every time.
A simple process
- List your most important pages: the ones that make money.
- For each, find three to five other pages on your site that talk about something related.
- Add a natural link from each of those to the important page.
- Every time you publish a new blog post, link to it from one or two older related posts as well.
Mistakes to avoid
- Orphan pages that nothing links to
- Links to old URLs that redirect; link directly to the current URL
- Broken links to deleted pages (see fixing 404s)
- Dozens of links in one paragraph, which helps nobody
How to find opportunities
Search Google for site:yourdomain.com keyword to find pages on your own site that mention a topic. Each one is a chance to add a link to the page you want to rank for it.
Every post on this blog links to related guides and services for exactly this reason. If you'd like it done across your site, it's part of our Monthly SEO package. Get in touch.