Internal linking: build useful paths between your pages

What is an internal link?

An internal link connects pages within your website. Navigation, breadcrumbs and contextual links serve different needs. Search engines can generally discover destinations through ordinary anchor elements with an href; a click handler on a non-link element is not an equivalent substitute.

Make useful content easier to reach

Clear paths help people explore a topic and help crawlers discover URLs. A page with no incoming internal links may be difficult to find. However, a single-URL report sees outgoing links on that page; it cannot establish whether a page is orphaned across the whole website.

Start with the reader's next question

On a service page, link to the relevant pricing explanation or preparation instructions. On an article, link to a prerequisite or a deeper guide when it genuinely helps. Do not add a block of unrelated destinations just to increase a link count.

Use your content inventory to find important pages with weak navigation. A handful of well-placed links may be a better change than repeating every destination in the sitewide footer.

1. Write meaningful link text

Describe the destination concisely in context. Replace vague text such as click here when a more useful phrase fits. Image-only links need an accessible name that describes the destination or action. Do not repeat exact-match keywords unnaturally in every link.

2. Check the real destination

Use an anchor with a valid href for navigation. An empty href can reload the current document; a missing href may not be a usable link. Use a button for an action that does not navigate. Keep fragment links when they point to real section IDs.

3. Link directly to preferred URLs

Replace unintended HTTP destinations on an HTTPS site and avoid unnecessary redirect hops. Open each important target and confirm the result. Use the canonical URL where appropriate; do not send users to tracking variants or retired pages.

4. Review nofollow and repetition in context

Routine editorial internal links generally do not need nofollow. It is not access control or a reliable way to exclude the target from indexing. Repeated menu links can be legitimate. Link-volume and duplicate-target observations should trigger a usability review, not a blind purge.

5. Test like a visitor

Follow the links on mobile and desktop, and use the keyboard to reach them. Confirm that the text makes sense with the surrounding paragraph. After a template change, test a second page using that template and check for broken destinations.

Broken or server-error destinations

Site Audit checks observed internal destinations and groups links leading to 4xx or 5xx responses. Open affected source pages and target URLs. Repair the destination or update the links; a temporary server error may warrant another check.

Redirected internal links

A redirect or chain adds steps before a visitor reaches the destination. Site Audit reports observed paths; inspect the final URL, then update important navigation links directly to the intended destination.

Possible orphan pages within crawl coverage

A sitemap page with no incoming links from crawled pages is an orphan candidate, not proof that no link exists anywhere. Check menus, related-content blocks and pages outside this crawl. Add a useful link if the page should be discoverable.

Pages reached through several clicks

Site Audit measures the shortest observed path from its starting URL. A deep-page finding can miss shortcuts outside crawl coverage. For important pages, inspect navigation and add a clearer route when useful to visitors.

HTTP references on an HTTPS site

Site Audit found internal navigation links using HTTP. Open the final destination and replace unintended HTTP references with the correct HTTPS URL in templates or content.

Example: explain the next step

This link tells the reader what the destination offers. Choose the path and anchor text for your own page.

<p>Before booking, read our <a href="/bicycle-repair/prices">bicycle repair prices</a> and choose the service you need.</p>