What is internal linking in SEO?
Internal SEO linking refers to all the internal links that connect the different pages of a website to each other. These links create a real site structure that makes it easier for users to navigate and helps search engines like Google to better understand your content.
In concrete terms, if you have a “Services” page and several blog articles related to your offerings, internal links allow you to direct readers to the right resource and show Google which pages on your site are strategic.
It is important not to mix up internal networking with netlinking. The former focuses solely on links that connect pages within the same site, while the latter corresponds to backlinks, i.e., external links pointing from other sites. The two are complementary, but internal linking has the advantage of being completely controllable: you decide where to place the links, with which anchor text, and how to structure the flow of authority.
For Google and other search engines, well-designed internal linking is essential. It makes it easier for robots to crawl the site, improves content indexing, and allows the popularity of already visible pages to be transferred to those that need a boost. This transfer of “SEO juice” or internal PageRank is at the heart of SEO strategy and can really change a site's visibility.
In short internal linking issues is a powerful tool: it improves search engines' understanding of your site and makes your content more accessible to internet users.
Building effective internal SEO linking requires a clear vision of the site structure and strategic pages. As a freelance SEO consultant, I support companies that want to optimiser optimize their internal linking situation to improve the visibility of their website. Contact me to discuss your project.
Why is internal linking essential for natural referencing?
SEO internal linking issues are not just about linking pages together. When used correctly, it becomes a real performance lever in search optimization.
First, it improves navigation and user experience. When a user reads an article or service page, internal links help them continue reading naturally, without having to return to the main menu. It's a way to guide the user through a logical path, while giving them access to strategic pages on your site.
Next, internal networking helps Google and other search engines better understand the structure of the site. The clearer the links are, the easier it is for crawlers to understand which pages are most important and how they relate to each other. This promotes faster and more efficient indexing.
An asset for search engines and internet users alike
A well-designed internal link structure makes life easier for both users and search engines. Users can access strategic pages on a website more quickly, while search engines can better identify priority content and its role in the overall structure. It is precisely this dual benefit that makes it a major lever in natural referencing.
Another major advantage lies in the transfer of authority. Each page has a certain “strength” depending on its content and visibility. Thanks to internal links, this authority can be shared with other pages. Historically, this transfer was called PageRank, but today we refer to it as “internal popularity” or “SEO juice.” Even though Google no longer publishes this data, the principle remains central toSEO optimization.
Finally, good internal linking helps reinforce the presence of essential content. Cornerstone articles, services, or product pages receive more links, which sends a strong signal to Google that this content is a priority. As a result, these strategic pages are given greater prominence in search results.
In short, internal linking is beneficial for both your users and your SEO. It improves the browsing experience, clarifies the website structure, and maximizes the visibility of what really matters.
Best practices for building an effective internal network
Effective internal SEO linking is not just a matter of adding links everywhere. To ensure that the site structure is clear and effective, certain best practices are essential.
Identify the strategic pages of your website
Not all pages are equally valuable. Some are essential to your business: service pages, product pages, pillar articles, etc. These are the ones that should receive the most internal links. On an e-commerce site, for example, linking category pages to products helps Google better understand the importance of this content. I myself applied this logic to a site with over 80,000 pages: by prioritizing key categories in the link structure, we significantly increased their visibility.
Use relevant link anchors
The clickable text, or anchor, is crucial. Google analyzes these words to understand the subject of the target page. The classic mistake is to always repeat the same optimized anchor. It is better to vary between main keywords, similar expressions, and natural formulations. For example, instead of systematically using “SEO audit,” you can alternate with “analyze your site,” “check your natural referencing,” or “SEO diagnosis.” This makes the linking more natural and effective.
Create a clear and logical hierarchy
A well-designed internal network should reflect a simple architecture. Strategic pages (e.g., your main offerings) should be at the top, linked to complementary content such as blog posts or case studies. This “satellite” content feeds into the main page and strengthens it in the eyes of search engines. The goal is to avoid orphan pages (without any internal links), as they are much more difficult to index.
Finding the right balance in the number of links
Content should contain enough internal links to guide the user, but not so many that they dilute their value. Too few links isolate a page, while too many links weaken their impact. There is no universal number, but a simple rule of thumb is to adapt the number of links to the length and purpose of the page. A 1,500-word blog post could have 6 to 8 links, while a short product description would only need 2 to 3.
By applying these best practices, internal linking becomes a powerful tool for both users experience and the overall SEO performance of the site.
Common errors in internal linking
Setting up internal SEO linking is only effective if certain mistakes are avoided. Unfortunately, these mistakes are still very common and can limit the impact of natural referencing.
One of the most common mistakes is over-optimizing anchor text. Many websites repeatedly use the exact same keyword in their internal links, thinking that this will boost their visibility. In reality, this can appear artificial to search engines and reduce overall relevance. Variety remains the best strategy: mix main keywords, synonyms, and natural phrasing.
Another common problem is internal redirect chains. When page A redirects to page B, which itself redirects to page C, the user experience deteriorates and the authority passed on is diluted. This type of configuration should be avoided as much as possible, especially on strategic pages.
It also happens that some important pages are buried too deep within the website structure. If a user or Google has to click through four or five times to access them, these pages will have a much harder time ranking. Ideally, priority pages should be limited to a maximum depth of three clicks.
Finally, certain non-essential pages, such as automatic archives or poorly configured tag pages, sometimes siphon off some of the internal authority. By multiplying internal links to content that is of little use, you disperse the effectiveness of the network instead of strengthening the pages that really matter.
Avoiding these mistakes ensures that your internal linking serves both the user experience and SEO, without losing value or sending conflicting signals to Google.
Tools for analyzing and improving your internal linking
Some SEO tools allow you to quickly analyze a site's internal SEO linking structure. Their usefulness is not limited to simply counting internal links: they also highlight how pages are linked to each other and how far they are from the home page. This distance is called crawl depth.
Screaming Frog is one of the most widely used tools for this type of audit. It simulates search engine crawling and identifies the number of internal links per page, orphaned (unlinked) pages, and crawl depth. This indicator shows how many clicks are needed to reach a page from the home page, a key factor for indexing and visibility.
Solutions such as Semrush and Ahrefs also offer reports on internal link distribution and page depth through their site audits. This information helps identify strategic content to strengthen and weaknesses in the site structure.
For large websites, more specialized tools exist to visualize internal linking in the form of complete graphs, but in most cases, an audit with Screaming Frog or Semrush is sufficient to identify areas for improvement that need to be addressed as a priority.
Crawl depth and its impact on internal SEO linking
Crawl depth therefore corresponds to the number of clicks needed to access a page from the home page. The deeper a page is, the more likely it is to be poorly crawled and appear less frequently in search results.
A well-designed internal link structure can reduce this depth. Strategically important pages should ideally be accessible within a maximum of three clicks. By intelligently linking content together and adding relevant links to priority pages, it is possible to reduce crawl depth and increase the SEO weight of these pages.
This is an essential aspect of implementing an SEO strategy that directly contributes to the accessibility of the site, user satisfaction, and overall understanding by search engines.
Seeking support to optimize your internal network
Setting up effective internal SEO linking takes time, a comprehensive understanding of the site structure, and a good command of SEO optimization tools. For many companies, this is a complex task that requires specialized support.
An SEO consultant—or freelance SEO – can analyze the existing situation, identify the strategic pages of a website, and propose a coherent linking plan. Their role is to prioritize important content, correct common errors, and define a strategy tailored to each project. This type of support is often preferred by SMEs and startups, as it is more flexible than an agency. Freelancers provide personalized support and can work directly on setting up internal linking, in line with content strategy and business objectives.
An SEO agency, on the other hand, generally has multidisciplinary teams (consultants, writers, analysts). This approach is particularly suitable for large websites or projects requiring large-scale management. However, it can sometimes lack the personalization offered by an independent professional.
In any case, relying on an SEO expert saves time, avoids mistakes, and, above all, maximizes natural search engine optimization results. Optimized internal linking directly contributes to better visibility in search engines and smoother navigation for users.
Would you like to boost the visibility of your strategic pages through optimized internal linking? I offer a custom SEO plancustomized SEO plan, from SEO auditing to the practical implementation of optimizations. Feel free to contact me to discuss your SEO plan.
