A site with a deliberate internal linking strategy gives both users and crawlers a clear signal about which pages matter most.
But poor internal linking can lead to issues like orphaned pages, redirect chains, pages buried too deep in your site, and more — all of which can hurt your site’s visibility.
Below, we’ll cover what internal links are, why they matter for search and AI, how to build a link structure from scratch, and how to audit and fix the internal linking problems already living on your site.
What are internal links?
Internal links are hyperlinks that lead users to other pages on the same website and help search engines and AI crawlers understand a site’s structure.
Here’s what an internal link looks like on a live page:
And a sample of the code for that internal link:
<a href="https://www.example-site.com/">fixing crawlability issues</a>
Types of internal links
Internal links fall into two groups: structural links, which stay the same across your site, and contextual links, which change with your content.
Types of structural links include:
- Navigational links: Appear in your site’s main menu
- Footer links: Placed in the site’s footer area
- Breadcrumb links: Show a page’s location within the site hierarchy
- Sidebar links: Located in the sidebar for easy navigation
And types of contextual links include:
- Call-to-action (CTA) links: Prompt conversions or actions within the text
- Image links: Hyperlinked images
- In-content links: Links within content like blog posts and web pages
Internal links vs. external links
Internal links direct users from one page of your site to another whereas external links point from your site to a page on another domain.
Internal links improve navigation, pass link authority among your pages, and help bots crawl your site. These links keep visitors within your domain, which can increase user engagement and conversion rates.
External links help you cite references and provide extra context. They also build trust and authority when you link to reputable sources. Getting external backlinks from other websites can improve your domain authority and rankings.
|
Internal Links |
External Links |
|
|
Domain |
Same domain |
Different domain |
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Purpose |
Navigation, user engagement, search engine optimization, and answer engine optimization |
Credibility, authority, and referral traffic |
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Impact |
Improves crawlability and user experience, and distributes link equity |
Boosts credibility |
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Examples |
Links within a blog or ecommerce site |
Links to research articles or other websites |
Why are internal links important for SEO?
Internal links help search engines, AI search platforms, and users navigate your site and pass authority to weaker pages.
- Search engines: Internal links show how your pages relate to each other, which tells Google which pages are most important. This distribution of link equity can boost the visibility of less prominent pages.
- AI search platforms:These systems retrieve and cite passages, not whole pages. When your cluster pages consistently point to one pillar, that pillar becomes the page most likely to get cited as the source on that topic.
- Users: A clear path to more information keeps users on your site longer, which gives them more chances to get familiar with your brand and convert
Let’s take a deeper look.
1. Internal links help search engines understand your site’s structure
Internal links help search engines understand your site’s structure as Google’s crawlers discover your pages by following internal links.
As Google explains: “Some pages are known because Google has already visited them. Other pages are discovered when Google extracts a link from a known page to a new page.”
Here’s a visual representation of how this works:
2. Internal links pass authority
Internal links pass authority to other internal pages, and a page that earns many backlinks (and thus has higher authority) can strengthen other pages through internal links.
Let’s say Page A has lots of external links pointing to it, which means it likely has more authority via PageRank. This authority can then be passed to Page C and other connected pages by way of internal links.
Like this:
Identifying these pages helps you spread the authority your backlinks have already earned across the rest of your site.
However, keep in mind that only part of that authority is passed, and contextual relevance matters — links are most effective when they’re aligned with user needs and content topics.
3. Internal links help users navigate between relevant pages
Internal links encourage visitors to navigate relevant pages which keeps them on your site longer, increases the likelihood of conversions, and helps them find the exact information they need.
Let’s say a user lands on your article about “how to build a PC.”
You can link to product pages for the parts you mention, or to related content like an article about “how to fix a PC fan.”
The goal is to keep users on your site so they complete your desired action, like making a purchase, filling out a form, or buying a product.
Showing users relevant, useful content on the right pages is the perfect way to do that.
How to build your internal linking strategy
Building an internal linking strategy comes down to a few key moves, starting with your site structure and ending with the links you place on the page.
In this section, we’ll walk through the seven-step process.
Grab our free topic cluster template to map your own structure as you go.
1. Plan your site structure
Planning your site structure (how your content is organized and linked) gives you categories and a logical hierarchy to help users and search engines move through your site.
A pyramid-like structure often works best:
- Top: Homepage or main pillar pages
- Middle: Subcategories or cluster pages
- Bottom: Specific content pages
Like this:
This structure is often called hub-and-spoke — the homepage or pillar acts as the hub, and the pages below are the spokes that link back up. You’ll also see silo structures, which take the same hierarchy and keep each topic’s pages linking mostly within their own category.
Whatever the label, the goal is the same: keep your most important pages just a click or two from the homepage, and organize supporting content into clear topics rather than scattering it across unrelated categories.
For more on structuring your site, see our guides to silo SEO and website architecture.
2. Identify pillar pages
Identify pillar pages (a comprehensive resource that covers a broad topic) that can link to more specific pages (known as cluster pages) to strengthen your site’s structure.
Pillar pages help you build topic clusters, which are groups of related content.
Pillar pages often target broad, high-volume keywords. Consider your pillar page the top of the marketing funnel. It provides general information and sparks interest.
For example, a retail site might have a pillar page for “washing machines.” That page would link to sub-pages about specific washing machine types.
You can check the search volume for a candidate pillar topic in Semrush’s Keyword Overview — “washing machines” gets 14,800 searches per month, which is exactly the kind of volume that justifies a dedicated pillar page.
Each section for the “washing machines” pillar topic covers a different type of washing machine, and then links to even more specific product categories. These product categories may link out to individual product pages.
Avoid making pillar pages too narrow. You need enough cluster pages to support them.
3. Create topic clusters
Creating topic clusters expands on your pillar topic in more detail, where each cluster links back to the pillar page to reinforce topical relevance.
For example, if your pillar is “copywriting,” you might have clusters on “what is copywriting?” or “email copywriting tips.”
This structure also serves AI search platforms well: When a system breaks a query into related sub-questions — a process called query fan-out — a pillar-and-cluster structure signals which page holds the deepest, most authoritative coverage of the topic.
You can also create clusters within clusters. For instance, the “email copywriting” cluster might include sub-pages about subject lines and CTAs. These pages should link back to the main pillar page to show that it’s the primary resource on the topic.
Clusters can get complex and messy without planning. So, start by mapping out your topic clusters and listing relevant supporting pages in a spreadsheet. Like this:
Or, use Semrush’s Keyword Strategy Builder to generate a pillar-and-cluster structure automatically from a single seed topic, rather than mapping it by hand.
For more in-depth instructions, check out our Ultimate Guide to Keyword Research.
4. Use authority pages to pass link equity
Authority pages (pages with high-quality backlinks) pass link equity to the pages they link to, meaning you can strengthen weak pages by including internal links from high-authority pages to weaker, relevant ones.
To do this effectively, identify your most authoritative pages using Semrush’s Backlink Analytics.
Enter your domain and click “Analyze.”
Click the “Indexed Pages” tab.
This report will display a list of your website pages, which are (by default) sorted by number of referring domains.
These are your highest-authority pages.
Export your results as a .csv or .xlsx file. Paste at least 10 of your high-authority pages into your strategy doc.
Add internal links from these pages to less authoritative pages on your site.
5. Support new content
Support new content by linking to it from relevant high-authority pages. New pages have few backlinks of their own, so internal links are what get them discovered and ranked.
To start, choose a new piece of content or a page that needs better performance. Then, look for relevant interlinking opportunities.
Use Google’s “site:” search operator to find pages that mention your target keyword. For example, we might search for “site:semrush.com internal links” to find related articles.
Collect all relevant pages from the search results.
Paste those URLs into your strategy document.
Add links from each of those pages to your new document. Track your progress as you go.
Alternatively, Google Search Console’s Links report shows which of your existing pages already discuss related topics, giving you another way to surface interlinking candidates beyond a manual site: search.
6. Choose the right anchor text
Choosing the right anchor text (the clickable text in a hyperlink) helps search engines and AI search platforms identify what the linked page is actually about.
Unlike backlinks, internal anchor text is entirely yours to control — so make it count.
Good internal anchor text is:
- Brief: Limit anchor text to five words or fewer
- Relevant: Avoid vague, clickbait phrases like “click here”
- Optimized: Exact-match anchor text is acceptable for internal links if it’s relevant. The goal is not to employ keyword stuffing techniques.
Keep internal links “followed” by default. That’s the standard setting, where search engines pass authority through the link to the destination page. Reserve rel=”nofollow” for low-value utility pages like login or cart pages — it tells search engines not to pass authority through that link.
With these best practices in mind, assign anchor text to your pillar and cluster pages based on keyword research.
7. Add navigational links
Adding navigational links makes it easier for bots and users to find your site’s most important pages.
Navigational links are among the most important internal links because they appear permanently across your site — in the top menu, sidebar, or footer. This main navigational structure usually features product categories, services, or core content topics.
Like this:
Getting your nav right comes down to two things: staying consistent and staying visible.
Keep nav consistent across pages. If your menu changes from page to page, bots and users can lose the map they’ve built of your site.
Keep your nav crawlable, too. AI crawlers don’t execute JavaScript the way Google does — so if your menu renders via JavaScript (common with dropdowns and hamburger menus), most won’t see it at all. Test that your nav appears in view-source, not just in the rendered page.
Once your nav is consistent and crawlable, the last question is how many links to include. There’s no hard limit anywhere on the page, and more isn’t automatically better. Prioritize navigational links to your most important pages, and let relevance set the number everywhere else — a few links that genuinely help a reader get somewhere useful beat a crowded set that doesn’t.
Auditing your site’s existing internal links
Auditing your site’s existing internal links helps you understand your current site structure so you can identify (and fix) any issues.
Use the Semrush Site Audit tool to identify common internal linking issues like broken internal links or pages with no internal links.
Here are nine common internal linking mistakes, including how to find them and how to fix them so you don’t hurt your site’s visibility in search and AI.
1. Broken internal links
Broken internal links direct users and crawlers to pages that don’t exist. Deleted pages and mistyped URLs often cause these errors. These links return 404 errors and pass no authority.
In Site Audit, head to the “Thematic Reports” section and click into the “Internal Linking” report.
Find broken links in the “Errors” section. Then, remove or replace each link with a valid link that points to a live page.
2. Too many internal links
Having too many internal links can confuse Google’s crawlers. Hundreds or thousands of links also make it hard for users (and crawlers) to determine which links matter.
While there’s no set number on how many internal links a page should have, fewer, more targeted links typically provide a better user experience.
The Site Audit tool flags pages with excessive links in the “Warnings” section of your internal Linking report.
Identify those pages and remove unneeded links.
3. Nofollow attributes in internal links
Nofollow attributes in internal links tell Google not to pass authority to the linked page. SEOs often use nofollow for external links they don’t want to endorse.
But you typically want internal links to pass SEO value.
Followed link (passes authority):
<a href="https://example.com">Anchor Text</a>
Nofollow link (doesn’t pass authority):
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Anchor Text</a>
Check the “Warnings” section of your Internal Linking report for “Nofollow attributes in outgoing internal links.”
Then, remove the rel=”nofollow” attribute from any internal links you want to pass authority.
4. Orphaned pages
Fixing orphaned pages (pages with no links from other pages on your site) can help you increase site traffic without needing to create new content.
Google discovers new pages mainly by following internal links. Orphaned pages have none, so they’re harder to find.
As a result, these pages usually remain unindexed and don’t get organic traffic.
To find your site’s orphaned pages, look for “Orphaned sitemap pages” under the “Notices” section of your Internal Linking report.
Then, link to each orphaned page from a page that’s already part of your site structure. Or, add it to your site’s navigation if it’s important.
Just make sure the page you’re linking from isn’t orphaned, or the issue will remain.
5. Pages with only one incoming internal link
Pages with only one incoming link are harder to find and may seem less important to search engines.
In Site Audit, look for the “Pages with only one internal link” notice in your Internal Linking report.
Then, identify relevant pages across your site and add new internal links to these underlinked pages.
6. Crawl depth of more than three clicks
Having a crawl depth (the number of clicks from your homepage to a specific page) of more than three clicks may signal to crawlers that the page has little importance. And according to Google, the number of clicks it takes to reach a page from your homepage signals how important that page is.
In the Site Audit’s Internal Linking report, look for “Page Crawl Depth more than 3 clicks.”
Then, create direct links to these deeper pages — ideally from pages only one click from your homepage. This change helps users and search engines find and index those pages more easily.
7. Internal redirects
Internal links that point to permanently redirected URLs can reduce crawl budget (the number of pages Google will crawl during a given time frame). If other pages on your site still link to an old URL, users will click that old URL and get redirected. This extra step is unnecessary.
Here’s what it looks like:
Internal redirects also slow load times, which hurts user experience and PageSpeed.
Update your internal links so that they lead directly to the new page. To find internal redirects, open the Site Audit tool and go to the “Crawled Pages” tab.
Search for your old URL in the search bar.
Click on the URL in the results, then click the number under “Incoming Internal Links.”
You’ll see a list of pages that still link to your old URL. Change those links so they point to the new page instead of the old, redirected one.
Like this:
8. Redirect chains & loops
Redirect chains and loops break your internal linking structure. Instead of passing link equity directly from one page to the next, each hop dilutes it, slows crawlers, and adds friction for visitors clicking through.
A redirect chain occurs when more than one redirect separates the original URL from the final URL. This often happens during site migrations.
For example: URL A was /about-the-company/. Later, it redirected to /about-us/ (URL B). Then, if you changed URL B to /about/ (URL C), you would create a chain of redirects. Instead of going directly to the final page, users pass through multiple redirect steps.
Here’s what it looks like:
A redirect loop occurs when two (or more) pages redirect to each other, so the user never reaches a final page.
Like this:
In your Site Audit Issues report, look for “redirect chains and loops.”
You’ll see a list of affected pages, plus the redirect type and how many redirects are linked to each page.
Correct redirect chains by ensuring there’s only one redirect to the final URL.
Correct redirect loops by deleting or fixing the loop so that users and crawlers reach one final destination without bouncing back.
9. Links on HTTPS pages lead to HTTP pages
Links on HTTPS pages that lead to HTTP versions of a page create an unnecessary redirect on every click — wasting crawl budget, diluting the link equity that internal link was supposed to pass, and breaking the direct link path you intended.
It’s also a lingering side effect of switching to HTTPS: some internal links still point to old HTTP URLs after the migration, which can also trigger browser security warnings.
To quickly find this error, go to your Site Audit report and click “View details” under the “HTTPS” section.
Then, scroll down to find the “links on HTTPS pages lead to HTTP page” error. Click the number of links to see which pages have the issue.
Then update those HTTP links to point to HTTPS pages instead.
Fix internal linking issues with Site Audit
Even with a new internal linking strategy, run regular audits to catch new issues. Schedule a Site Audit every month and review the Internal Linking report. This helps you maintain a healthy site structure and improve your SEO.
