5 Essential Internal Linking Practices for SEO

Rule 1:

Connect Tools for Monitoring Website Health:

When navigating your website as a user would, you’ll typically only encounter published pages through the menu or an AJAX search. However, if you have links to pages that are no longer accessible, it can signal larger issues. A broken link, or a 404 error, indicates a page that doesn’t exist and isn’t redirected to a valid page. This not only discourages users but also harms your site’s reputation in the eyes of search engines. Poor user experiences—such as high bounce rates and low time on page—can negatively affect your SEO rankings. Since 404 errors aren’t always obvious, it’s crucial to connect your domain with software that can crawl your site for these issues. Here are some key tools to consider:

Google Search Console:

This tool ensures all your pages are indexed and alerts you to any 404 errors. Access it here, but you’ll need admin access to verify your site’s ownership.

SemRush:

This platform provides an overall health score and insights on how technical domain errors affect individual page rankings. You can find it here. A basic user account is required, but you don’t need ownership details, allowing you to assess competitor maintenance as well.

Databox:

This tool helps visualize errors and set automated goals and alerts. Create a client tab for the website you want to analyze, connect it to Google Search Console, and set up a dashboard to monitor these key technical metrics.

Rule 2: 

Implement 301 Redirects for Permanent URL Changes:
A 301 redirect indicates a permanent change, while a 302 redirect is temporary. In most cases, a 301 redirect is the appropriate method to guide users to a new page. This is crucial because it allows search engines to reindex the new page while transferring the page authority from the original page. Using a temporary redirect can lead to ranking loss for both pages. When properly implemented, 301 redirects should not negatively impact your SEO rankings or user experience.

Rule 3:

Avoid Redirect Chains and Loops

A redirect chain occurs when one redirect leads to another, while a redirect loop happens when a link redirects back to a previous URL within the same chain. Redirect loops should be avoided, as they adversely affect SEO. The ideal number of redirects should never exceed three. For instance, if you have an automated redirect from an unsecured HTTP version of a page to its HTTPS version, this should be the first redirect. If necessary, the final redirect should lead to a different URL. Generally, there should be only two redirects between secure URLs.

Rule 4:

Use Canonical Links for Primary Pages

Canonical URLs inform search engines that certain URLs are equivalent, indicating that multiple pages on the same topic should not compete for the same keyword rankings. To determine which pages to link canonically, conduct keyword research. If one page ranks higher for your primary keyword, the other pages should include a canonical link to this preferred landing page. Proper implementation of canonical links can prevent issues related to duplicate content and ensure that your primary page maintains its ranking.

Rule 5:

Utilize Internal Linking

In addition to maintaining healthy links, promoting internal pages through relevant links on your website is vital. Internal linking serves two main purposes: it allows users to access more information that addresses their needs, and it signals to search engines that a page is important if it has numerous internal links pointing to it. This internal linking strategy, combined with external backlinks, can enhance the perceived importance of a page in the eyes of search engines.