Contents
What is linking?
Linking is the process of adding links that lead to the pages of your website or external resources. This term comes from the English word "link." Connecting pages through links is one of the key tools for SEO optimization.
In the screenshot, all highlighted or underlined elements are examples of linking that help users and search engines better navigate the structure of the site.
Why is linking needed?
The main goal of linking is to improve the site's ranking in search results. To achieve this goal, linking addresses several tasks:
- Improving page indexing: Search engine bots use links to find and index new pages. The more internal links to a page, the faster the bot will discover it.
- Increasing page authority: If a page is linked to by many authoritative resources, it inherits their "link weight," making it more relevant to search engines.
- Increasing page views: Users who follow internal links visit more pages than they planned, which creates a positive signal for search engines.
- Reducing competition between pages: Linking helps search engines determine the most relevant pages for specific keywords, reducing internal competition.
- Strengthening topical authority: Linking materials helps create thematic clusters, strengthening the site's authority on a specific topic.
Moreover, linking not only improves SEO but also significantly simplifies navigation on the site for users, which can lead to a decrease in the bounce rate and an increase in the time spent on the site, thus enhancing conversions.
Types of linking
Linking can be divided into several types, including internal and external, as well as automatic and manual. Let's take a closer look at each type.
Internal linking
Internal linking involves connecting pages within a single site. These links can be divided into two types:
- Navigation links: These include site maps, menus, breadcrumbs, and links to the homepage that help users and search engines navigate the content structure.
- Contextual links: These are links in texts or recommendation blocks that direct users to relevant products or articles on the site.
External linking
External linking refers to obtaining links from other resources, such as blogs, news sites, or social media. Search engines view such links as an indicator of trust in your site. The more authoritative the resource linking to your site, the more "weight" it gains.
Automatic and manual linking
Automatic linking is carried out using special tools and plugins that automatically add links to keywords in the content. This saves time, especially for large sites, but can sometimes lead to less relevant connections.
Manual linking, on the other hand, requires careful selection of pages to which links will be added. This method is more labor-intensive but allows for creating a more targeted and effective link structure.
How to set up permanent linking
To successfully implement linking, several key steps should be followed:
- Define goals: For example, for a news site, this may be increasing page views, while for an online store, it may be increasing the average order value.
- Conduct an audit: Identify weaknesses in the existing linking using specialized services.
- Develop a strategy: Determine key pages that should receive maximum link weight.
- Select tools: Choose tools that will help effectively achieve the set goals.
- Monitor results: After setting up linking, it is important to track changes in user behavior and site metrics.
If you don't have time to carry out all these steps yourself, consider hiring an SEO specialist who can assist with the audit, strategy development, and effectiveness tracking.