One of the most important items to consider when constructing your website is internal linking. Whether you have individual users or bots scanning your website, internal links are able to ensure that whoever is perusing your site is able to obtain the optimum amount of information. Although external links are one of the main influencers of our rankings, internal links are able to increase the amount of time and interest spent on your site by users which is, of course, ideal. 

The following are a number of ways in which internal links can be used in order to increase the functionality and success of your website. In addition, each of the following uses will include information on how better to take advantage of the benefits of the internal link:

Finding Additional Material

Internal links are an excellent way to link the reader with additional information on a particular topic. These links should be provided within the text and are excellent in allowing search engines such as Google to understand your pages and categorize them appropriately. When using these types of internal links, make sure to provide the appropriate descriptive text for the link as opposed to simply saying “click here for more information”. In the same vein, more specific segments of the site should provide an internal link that will connect the reader back to the more general topic or homepage. This is what is known as “breadcrumbing” 

If you choose to use an image instead of text as a link, ensure that you provide the appropriate alt text and perhaps make the file name of the image match this descriptive text. A great example is having the website’s logo return the user to the website’s homepage. In general, however, it is better to use text as an anchor for a link as opposed to an image as they are more apparent and need less of an explanation for a reader. 

Keep in mind that, when creating internal links, it is important to remain consistent when it comes to linking. For example, there are several ways to hyperlink such as using url.com/index.htm and url.com. You want to make sure that you are using the simplest hyperlink format. Although not all human readers will notice, Google and other search engines frown upon using different formats and forcing redirection. 

Website Maneuverable Structure

Any website needs to have a structure that can be easily maneuvered. Do not create random content that can only be reached through one portal. Create a single page for each category of information and create internal links so that this information can be accessed. This will allow readers to be able to search your site and find the information that they desire. For example, create a New Arrivals page that you update frequently instead of having a different page for each new piece of information. 

Depending upon the site, a great way to increase maneuverability is to divide the menu into main page navigation and sub navigation. The former would provide internal links to general information such as the sitemap, contact information, “about us” information, etc. The more specific sub navigation menu would include additional information such as lists of services, blog material and topics, sales information, etc. This information would of course depend upon the purpose of the website. 

When creating a menu, it is generally recommended to use a CSS dynamic menu as opposed to Javascript simply because many search engines are not as able to read Javascript although improvements are being made. Using a CSS dynamic menu, you are able to utilize search engine optimization and other useful tactics as, unlike with Javascript, the coding is included in the page itself. 

Allowing Readers to Scan Recent Information with Ease

A great feature to include when using internal links, particularly for news updates and blogs, is a previous/next option. This will encourage readers to keep reading if the post they happen to be looking at sparks his or her interest. This is both useful for the readers as well as for bots who are then able to scan the entire archive of posts with greater ease. 

Once the website has been structured in a way that is conducive to both readers as well as bots, creating a sitemap should be the next step. A sitemap will allow users to be able to navigate the site easily. Do not list every single article, post, or page on the sitemap. Instead provide a link that will direct the user to a general topic that may be of interest. 

Above all, make sure that you are not including too many internal links. Although the average bot is able to handle a large number of links, too many will inherently cheapen the value of the link itself. Just include enough to ensure easy navigation. Additionally, make sure that all of your internal links make sense within the context and do not appear out of place. 

Zac Grace works as a link building team leader at Dejan SEO company. You can connect with Zac Grace on Google+.