Let’s start at square one.
What the hell is an internal link?
Well, an internal link is just a fancy term for a hyperlink that connects one page on a website to another page on the same website.
That’s it. Nothing mystical or complicated about it.
It’s the digital equivalent of a “See Also” in a textbook — helping readers jump from one relevant thing to another without leaving your site.
Internal links are simple.
They help people move from one page of your website to another without leaving your site.
But they do more than just make your site easier to navigate.
For users, internal links create a smoother experience, helping them find what they’re looking for without wandering in circles.
For search engines like Google, they act as a map that shows how your pages are connected and which pages are the most important.
From an SEO perspective, internal linking is a smart move.
When one page links to another, it passes some of its authority along.
Some SEOs call this “link juice.”
Others call it “authority.”
But Google has its own term for it: PageRank.
PageRank is a system Google uses to figure out how important a webpage is based on the number and quality of links pointing to it.
The more trustworthy links a page gets, the better its chances of showing up higher in search results.
It’s one of the key ways Google decides which pages deserve attention.
So, for this guide, we’ll call it what Google calls it: PageRank.
In the sections that follow, I’ll show you how to use internal links to improve both your website’s user experience and its SEO.
The advice is simple, practical, and easy to put into action.
But before we get into the how, let’s take a quick look at the different types of links you can use on your site.
Types of internal links
1. Navigation links
These are the links you see in menus, navigation bars, or sidebars.
They’re the obvious ones — the links that help users jump between main sections of a website.
Think: Home, About, Blog, Contact.
They’re like a website’s backbone. Without them, people would feel lost.
2. Contextual links
Contextual links live inside the body of your content.
You’ve seen these everywhere, but Wikipedia does it best — every page is filled with links that take you to related topics.
The key with contextual links is relevance.
They should naturally flow with the content, offering readers more information without feeling forced.
They also help spread PageRank throughout your site, which is a nice SEO bonus.
3. Internal anchor links
Anchor links, also called jump links, are those links that take you to a specific spot on the same page.
They’re super handy for long-form content.
Think about a Table of Contents at the top of a guide — click a section, and boom, you’re right where you need to be.
I use these a lot in my longer guides.
They keep things organised and save readers from endless scrolling.
4. Image links
Image links are exactly what they sound like — clickable images that send users to another page on your website.
These are often used for calls-to-action (CTAs) or visual navigation.
Think about a banner image that links to a featured article or a product page.
They’re a nice way to break up text and keep things visually interesting, while also driving users to key pages.
5. Footer links
Footer links sit at the bottom of your site.
They’re often used for practical stuff — privacy policies, terms of service, contact pages, or sitemaps.
But don’t stop there.
Footers are prime real estate for linking to important pages or key resources.
I like to use mine as a quick way to direct readers to fresh content, tools, or guides.
6. Pagination links
Pagination links help users move through multi-page content.
You’ve seen these on blog pages or category pages — the little “Next,” “Previous,” or page numbers that let users jump through content without getting lost.
These links are great for keeping users engaged and reducing bounce rates.
No one wants to hit a dead end on a website.
Now that you’ve got the types of internal links down, let’s dive into how to use them to improve both your SEO and user experience.
How to use internal links
Find internal linking opportunities on Google
Internal linking opportunities are everywhere on your website — you just have to know where to look.
Sure, if you’ve got access to SEO tools like Semrush or Ahrefs, it’s a lot easier.
Tools like Ahrefs’ Site Audit make finding broken links, orphan pages (pages with no internal links pointing to them), and other internal linking opportunities feel like child’s play.
In just a few clicks, you get a clear map of what’s working and what needs fixing.
But let’s be real — not everyone has access to those fancy tools.
And if that’s you, don’t worry.
You’re not out of luck.
You’ll just need to roll up your sleeves and get a little more resourceful.
Here’s the good news: you can get a lot done with Google.
Step 1 – Go to Google
Step 2 – Use search operator to find internal linking opportunities
Use Google to find internal linking opportunities by searching for related pages on your site.
Just type this search operator into the Google search bar:
site:[yoursite.com] + “keyword”
What this does is pull up all the pages on your website that mention a specific keyword.
It’s fast, easy, and way more efficient than manually digging through every single page.
Here’s an example from my own site.
I recently finished a guide on SEO for SaaS companies, and I wanted to find all the pages on my website that mention SaaS.
So, I popped this query into Google:
site:aggeewrites.com + “saas”
And voilà — a list of pages that mention SaaS, right there in the search results:
From there, it’s just a matter of clicking through the pages, finding relevant spots to add internal links, and linking back to my new guide.
Simple, right?
No need for fancy tools. Just Google.
Keep anchor text descriptive and SEO-friendly
Let’s talk about anchor text — the clickable text in a hyperlink.
You’re looking at some right now. This text here? That’s anchor text.
But anchor text isn’t something you should throw in without thinking.
It actually plays a pretty big role in how people experience your website and how search engines understand your content.
It’s one of those little details that can make a real difference if you get it right.
Here’s why it matters:
How anchor text helps UX
Think about what happens when you’re reading a page and see a link.
You’ve got a split second to decide whether to click it or keep scrolling.
If the anchor text is clear — “Check out our SaaS SEO guide” — you know exactly what you’re getting.
There’s no guesswork.
But if the text says something like “Click here,” you’re left wondering, Click here for what?
People like to know what they’re getting into before they click. Descriptive anchor text makes things easy.
It sets expectations and keeps users from feeling lost or annoyed.
Bottom line: Make your anchor text clear and honest.
No one likes surprises when they click a link.
Fix orphan pages
Let’s talk about orphan pages — the loneliest pages on your website.
Orphan pages are those pages that aren’t linked to from anywhere else on your site.
No links in the navigation menu.
No links from other pages.
No breadcrumb trail leading to them.
They’re just… floating out there.
Because of that, no one can find them.
Not your users. Not Google. It’s like having a room in your house that doesn’t have a door — if nobody knows it exists, nobody’s going in.
These pages can pop up for all kinds of reasons, and it’s more common than you’d think.
Here are a few ways orphan pages tend to show up:
1. Content removal
Let’s say you delete a blog post or take down a product page.
At some point, you realise that you still have other pages linking to that deleted content, so you remove those internal links too.
But what happens if you bring that page back later?
It’s now an orphan — floating on your site with no way for users or Google to find it.
2. Incorrect URL structure
Sometimes orphan pages happen because someone mistyped a URL, or the structure wasn’t set up right from the start.
If no other pages are linking to that URL?
It’s basically a ghost page, completely disconnected from your site.
3. Site architecture changes
When you do a major website redesign — changing your menus, your categories, your navigation — there’s always a chance some pages will get left behind.
It’s not intentional.
You’re busy focusing on the shiny new structure, and before you know it, some pages don’t get folded back in.
4. Poor internal linking
Sometimes, pages are published but never linked to from anywhere else.
Maybe it was a blog post that went live but didn’t make it into the navigation.
Or maybe it was a landing page someone forgot to connect to the rest of the site.
Either way, it happens.
And when it does, you’ve got a page that’s completely cut off from everything else.
Thanks for reading.
Until next time, peace.
