What is Internal Linking in Digital Marketing?

Internal linking refers to the process of linking one page of a website to a different page on the same website. It's an SEO strategy that connects relevant content together vouching for a seamless user navigation and indexing of webpages by search engines. The provision of such pathways keeps the user engaged on your website for longer and improves overall website authority.

Not to be confused with backlinking, internal links work within your site. In practical terms, an internal link can be a hyperlink in a blog post that directs the reader to another relevant article on your site, or a menu link guiding visitors from your homepage to a product page.

These links are not only crucial for SEO but are also fundamental in the basic navigational structure of a site, forming the cornerstone of an effective website.

Notably, internal linking plays a significant role in digital marketing. Search engines crawl these links to discover content on your website, understand content hierarchy, and index pages accordingly. By thoroughly structuring your pages through internal links, you are bolstering your SEO.

Moreover, internal links improve user experience (UX). They guide visitors to related topics and pages, answering their queries, and keeping them engaged in your content. Reduced bounce rates and increased page views directly influence your SEO performance positively.

Lastly, internal linking structures enable search engines to understand your website content context and the relationships between the content, helping establish your website's authority.

If you've ever clicked on a hyperlink that directed you to another webpage within the same website, you have interacted with an internal link. Blog posts commonly use internal links to guide readers to similar topics that interest them. For instance, a fashion blog post about 'autumn clothing trends' might internally link to an earlier post about 'curating an autumn wardrobe'.

Navigation menus and site footers are other prime examples of internal linking deployed to facilitate smooth navigation. They act as guidelines for users, steering them towards various sections of the website like services, products, about us sections and more.

E-commerce websites often utilize internal links on product pages, linking to related products or brands. They use 'bread-crumb' style links at the top of pages to help users track their navigation.