Definition

Internal linking refers to all the links that connect pages within the same site. It plays two major roles: it helps user navigation and transfers PageRank (authority) between pages. Strong internal linking also helps search engines understand the site’s thematic structure.

Key principles

• Strategic pages should receive more internal links than secondary pages
• Anchor texts should be descriptive and varied, yet consistent
• Every page should be reachable in a few clicks from the homepage
• Avoid orphan pages (no internal incoming link)

Internal linking and semantic SEO

Internal linking supports topic clusters: groups of thematic pages that strengthen each other. This structure helps rank on long-tail queries and feeds entity understanding by LLMs.

Best practices

• Regularly audit broken links and redirect chains
• Use breadcrumbs (with Schema BreadcrumbList)
• Cross-check internal links with XML sitemap and indexing data
• Add contextual links inside article bodies, not only in the footer