Internal linking for SEO: Types, strategies & tools

Internal links play an important role in your website’s ability to rank. They help search engines understand which pages are most important, shape how authority is distributed, and guide users through your content.

Yet many websites neglect to use internal linking strategically. Even advanced SEOs actively link building can accidentally omit internal linking from their workflows.

In this guide, you’ll learn how internal links impact SEO and the types of links you should be using. We’ll walk you through a step-by-step strategy and help you identify where your current internal linking structure might be holding you back.

What are internal links?

Internal links are hyperlinks that connect pages within a website or domain. 

These links guide both people and search engines through your site, helping them understand what matters, how to navigate your site, and how different pieces of content relate to each other.

Whether these links appear in a blog post, a footer menu, or a product detail page, they serve the same purpose: to create a meaningful path between content.

For search engines and increasingly for AI models, these links provide context and hierarchy between relevant pages.

They help map your content, distribute authority, and surface pages that might otherwise stay buried. When done well, internal linking enhances visibility and improves navigation between content.

Imagine your website as a sprawling house.

One room holds a blog, and another displays products. Down the hall is a photo gallery. At the far end, a door opens to a contact form.

What makes this house livable isn’t just what’s inside each room, but how those rooms are connected. Think of internal links as the doors between the rooms. They shape how visitors move, what they discover next, and how long they stay. Interlinking makes it that much easier for visitors to flow between pieces of relevant content.

What are the different types of internal links?

Internal links connect the pages of a website, helping users move smoothly from one piece of content to another. They guide the journey, connecting ideas and intent across your site.

Some are clearly marked, prominently displayed in a navigation menu or call to action (CTA) button. Others are subtle, folded into a sentence or tucked at the bottom of a page.

Here are several different types of internal links you’re likely to encounter on a website.

Navigational links

These are the familiar fixtures: menus at the top of the page, lists in the sidebar, and sections in the footer. They help users find the website’s most important pages.

Example: A top navigation bar linking to “Home,” “Products,” “Resources,” and “Contact.”

Contextual links

Also called editorial or in-line links, these appear naturally within the flow of a page’s content. They offer depth, allowing users to transition from a surface-level topic to a more detailed one.

Contextual links are important for SEO because they help connect ideas. And guide readers to related content.

Example: A sentence in a blog post that says, “Learn more about keyword cannibalization” and links to a dedicated guide.

Breadcrumb links

Breadcrumbs show the user their location within the site’s hierarchy. They typically display above the page title.

These links help users easily navigate back to higher-level pages within the site’s structure (like the main category or homepage) without needing to use the browser’s back button. 

Example: Home > Blog > SEO > Internal Linking Strategy

Related content links

These often appear at the bottom of a blog post or along the sidebar. Related content links suggest other pages on a similar topic. Their purpose is to increase engagement by offering more of what the reader is already interested in.

Example: “You might also like Internal links and SEO: Best practices.”

CTA links

These are prompts that guide the reader toward a specific goal, such as signing up, requesting a demo, or learning more about a product or service. While they primarily serve a business objective, they also contribute to the site’s structure.

Example: A button on a feature page that says, “Explore pricing options.”

Note: The most effective internal links are those that feel natural within the flow of the content. Rather than disrupting the reader’s experience, they subtly guide attention forward, reinforcing the narrative or informational thread. These links are contextually relevant, placed strategically, and contribute to a seamless journey across related topics or ideas.

Sitemap links (HTML)

HTML sitemaps are pages that list a site’s key URLs. They provide navigational links, making the site easier for humans to browse. They differ from XML sitemaps, which are intended for crawlers only.

Example: A dedicated /sitemap/ page that links to every core section of a website.

Pagination links

Pagination links allow website visitors to access content on subsequent pages in a category. They typically appear as “Next,” “Previous,” or numbered buttons at the bottom of the page.

Example: Blog archives that say “Page 1 | 2 | 3 | Next.”

Tag or category archive links

In content management systems like WordPress, clicking a tag or category leads to a page listing all posts under that label. These archive pages are automatically generated by your CMS.

They contribute to your site’s structure by grouping and linking to related content in one place. This helps users discover more information on the same topic. And it gives search engines a clearer view of your topical organization.

Example: Clicking on the tag “SEO Basics” and arriving at a page listing all posts with that label.

Image or internal media links

Image links are clickable images that lead to other internal pages. They can serve as helpful navigation tools, especially in e-commerce or visual galleries.

Example: A product image that links to the product detail page.

Faceted navigation links

These links appear in extensive catalogs or content libraries. They allow users to filter by elements like brand, size, price, or topic. Which improves the user experience.

However, if not properly configured, these dynamic filters can generate thousands of unique URL combinations. Most offer little SEO value, leading to crawl inefficiencies and index bloat.

Example: An ecommerce page where users select “Red,” “Under $50,” and “Size M”—with each filter combination generating a unique URL.

What’s the difference between internal and external links?

Not all links function the same. Some encourage visitors to explore your site (e.g., internal links), while others direct them elsewhere (e.g., external links).

An internal link leads to other pages on your site. It moves users from your homepage to a blog post, or from a product page to your contact form. Anyone who clicks an internal link stays within your domain.

An external link directs the reader to a different website. Maybe it’s a trusted source like HubSpot or Gartner. Perhaps it’s a partner’s site. Either way, it encourages the reader to visit another site.

Imagine walking through your house. Every door you open takes you into another room you already know. The kitchen smells familiar. The bookshelf leans just a little to the left. It’s your world, and you’ve arranged it exactly how you like it. Now, picture opening a door and stepping into someone else’s house: new layout and different rules. That’s the difference between internal and external links.

For search engines and large language models (LLMs), this distinction matters. Internal links signal ownership, structure, and relevance within your content.

External links provide helpful context by pointing to supporting sources or related information. Which can build credibility and trust. But they also invite readers to leave your site, often without returning.

This means your content has to work harder to keep readers’ attention before they click away. Otherwise, that outbound step might become a permanent one. Which could cost you valuable engagement and reduce the chances that users will explore more of your content.

Here’s a simple breakdown:

Both types of links are helpful. But internal links offer something external ones don’t. They shape how your entire site is understood—not just by humans, but by the systems indexing and summarizing it.

Why do internal links matter for SEO?

What makes internal links important for SEO is they help search engines discover, understand, and prioritize your content. By linking related pages together, you signal which pages are most important, how they’re connected, and what topics your site covers.

This improves crawl efficiency, supports faster indexing, and helps distribute authority (link equity) to key pages. Which  increases the likelihood of your content ranking in search results.

Here’s why internal links matter so much for SEO:

• They distribute authority and importance (link equity, aka link juice) across your site. When your site earns backlinks from reputable websites, internal links allow you to pass that authority to other pages. This gives other pages a signal boost.
  
• They help search engines crawl and index efficiently. A well-linked page is easier to find because search engine crawlers use links to move from one page to another. If a page has no internal links pointing to it, crawlers may not discover it until much later (if at all). The more accessible a page is through your internal link structure, the faster it can be indexed and considered for ranking.
  
• They establish relationships between topics. Internal linking informs search engines about the connections between ideas. This reinforces your expertise in a specific subject area.
  
• They improve the user journey. When someone lands on a blog post and finds helpful paths forward, they tend to stay on the site longer, explore more pages, and engage more deeply with your content. These behavioral signals, like time on site and reduced bounce rate, help search engines infer that your content is valuable and relevant. Which can positively influence rankings.
  
• They support strategic keyword targeting. Anchor text, such as “types of backlinks,” should include relevant keywords that tell search engines what the linked page is about. Steer cleer of “click here” or other ambiguous anchor text. When used thoughtfully, descriptive anchor text reinforces the page’s topical relevance and can improve its ability to rank for specific anchor text terms or related queries.
  
• They bring clarity to site structure. A disorganized site makes it harder for search engines to understand how your content is organized and how it fits together. Internal links establish a logical hierarchy and flow, helping crawlers interpret the relationships between pages. This clarity improves indexing efficiency and reinforces your site’s authority on key topics.
  
• They help you maximize your crawl budget. Search engines like Google don’t crawl every page on your site every time they visit. Internal links tell search engine bots what’s important, helping them prioritize the pages that matter.
  
• They help new content rank faster. Instead of waiting for organic discovery or external backlinks, internal links can jumpstart visibility. They point search engines directly to what’s new.

Internal links help define how content relates to other content. For search engines, this structure clarifies the topical depth, priority, and relationships between pages.

But for LLMs like ChatGPT or Gemini, internal links also serve as contextual clues. They’re signals that reinforce which pages are essential, how topics interconnect, and what content should be surfaced when responding to prompts or citing brand sources.

How to build an internal linking strategy

A strong internal linking strategy improves crawlability, distributes authority across your site, and helps readers discover what matters most. Done right, it can boost your rankings, increase time on site, and bring clarity to your site structure.

Map site architecture

Start by mapping out your website’s structure, from your homepage to your main category hubs and down to individual content pages. A well-organized architecture makes it easier for both users and search engines to navigate your site. 

Flattening your site structure—reducing the number of clicks it takes to reach any page—improves user experience and helps search engines crawl more efficiently. In fact, flat website architecture can significantly improve crawl efficiency and visibility.

Tip: Aim for key pages to be accessible within three clicks from the homepage.

Perform an internal link audit

Before updating internal linking, assess your current situation. Use tools like Semrush Site Audit or Screaming Frog to find pages that are isolated, overlinked, or poorly supported. This step is important because orphan pages—those with no internal links—often fail to be crawled or indexed at all.

Review anchor text, inlink distribution, and crawl depth to identify where your website needs more internal linking. Start with your top-performing content and add links to relevant, underperforming pages to help distribute authority more evenly.

Organize content by topic clusters

Grouping your content into topic clusters with a central pillar page and supporting internal pages helps signal topical depth and authority. Plus, organizing by cluster makes it easier for search engines to understand the breadth of your content and how ideas connect.

Which is why topic clusters are an SEO best practice that improves semantic relevance and reinforces your site’s expertise.

Define strategic internal linking goals

Every internal link should serve a purpose. Are you trying to drive more traffic to high-converting pages? Support newer content? Reinforce high-competition keywords?

Defining your internal linking goals helps you create intentional connections that align with your business and SEO priorities. Without clear objectives, you might add links haphazardly, missing the opportunity to guide link equity or influence user behavior.

Site Audit can help identify underlinked priority pages and surface new opportunities. Each quarter, create a list of key pages and evaluate whether they’re receiving internal links from relevant sources across your site.

Prioritize contextual over navigational links

Not all links carry the same weight. Contextual links tend to pass more SEO value than links in headers, footers, or sidebars. This is because contextual links help search engines understand topic relationships in a real-world setting and guide users at the moment of interest.

Whenever you publish a new post, revisit older articles and add contextual links where the topics naturally overlap. This improves the flow of equity and keeps your older content fresh and useful.

Maintain and update internal linking regularly

As your content expands, so does the complexity of your site. Your linking strategy must keep pace.

Neglecting updates can lead to broken links, outdated anchor text, and forgotten pages. Regular maintenance ensures that link equity keeps flowing and that new content receives the visibility it deserves. 

Set aside time quarterly to run an audit and review priority pages. Build internal linking into your publishing checklist so each new page links to relevant old content and vice versa.

Internal linking tools to make the job easier

Internal linking might sound easy in theory. It’s just connecting one page to another.

But doing it well across dozens or even hundreds of pages? That’s where tools come in.

Think of these tools not as shortcuts, but as lanterns in the dark. They highlight blind spots and illuminate patterns that would be hard to see on your own.

Here are two of the most effective tools for mastering internal linking workflows.

Semrush: Optimize your internal link structure

For those just stepping into the world of SEO, Semrush makes something complex feel navigable. It tells you which pages don’t have enough links, which ones are overlinked, and where you can share authority better.

The Site Audit tool offers a focused view into internal linking that feels less like staring at a spreadsheet and more like reading a guided report.

Start by entering the URL for your website and hitting the “Start SEO Audit” button.

Review the settings for the audit, including the schedule. Press “Start audit.”

When the audit finishes, click the number below “Internal Linking” to open the “Internal Linking” report.

Check your internal linking score to get a sense of how well your internal linking is working. In this case, 100% is the highest score you can achieve.

The “Pages Crawl Depth” panel shows how many of your pages require one, two, three, or four or more clicks to access. Ideally, all of your pages should be accessible in one, two, or three clicks.

The “Internal Links” panel charts the number of incoming and outgoing internal links on each page. You can use this chart to identify orphan pages.

The “Internal Link Distribution” panel uses Internal LinkRank (ILR) to categorize your webpages as strong, medium, and weak. Review the weak pages to add links and improve their authority.

Use the “Internal Link Issues” chart as a to-do list. It breaks down linking issues by errors, warnings, and notices.

Click to view any of these issues in detail. And take steps to address them.

Review the “Pages passing most Internal LinkRank” report to see which webpages have the highest authority. Consider adding more internal links from these pages to other pages with low ILR.

Make a plan to redo your internal linking audit monthly. Go to the “Compare Crawls” tab to look for new issues and track improvements. And watch ILR trends, crawl depth distribution, and issue resolution graphs.

Rather than leaving you to hunt for gaps, this tool surfaces specific, actionable suggestions.

For example, it might show that your post on linking best practices is getting good traffic, but it’s only linked from one place. In response, it might recommend three existing articles on similar topics with ideal anchor points for creating a connection.

Note: The suggestions are based on semantic relevance, link depth, and page strength, helping ensure each new link is contextually valuable.

Screaming Frog: Visualize your link structure like a search engine

Screaming Frog is a tool designed for developers. The interface is dense. The options are deep.

But it’s both powerful and customizable, making it an important tool for analyzing internal links.

To use Screaming Frog SEO Spider, start by entering your URL and pressing “Start.”

When the scan completes, you’ll see a full list of the URLs on your site. Select any of them and go to the “Inlinks” tab to see a list of pages that link to the one you’ve selected—including details like anchor text and link position.

Go to the “Outlinks” tab to see pages it links to. Including anchor text, alt text, follow status, and other details.

To find buried pages, go to the “Links” tab and locate the “Crawl Depth” column. Click to sort in descending order and find pages more than three clicks from the homepage.

If essential pages are buried too deeply, consider adding them to top-level navigation. Or link to them from high-authority pages to bring them within one to three clicks from the homepage.

To find underlinked pages, navigate to the “Unique Inlinks” column. Click to sort in ascending order to find pages with few internal links.

Use the “Link Score” column” from Screaming Frog (0–100 scale) to evaluate page authority and discover underlinked important pages. After identifying these pages, list high-authority pages that should link to them.

Whether you’re rescuing buried pages or reinforcing key content with smarter links, Screaming Frog gives you the technical depth to back every decision with data. It transforms internal linking from a manual guesswork task into a guided, visual, and measurable process.

The more you explore its features, the more gaps you’ll find. And the more opportunities you’ll uncover to shape how users and search engines move through your site.

Start linking with intent

No pages on your website should stand alone. Internal links weave the experience together, guiding both readers and machines through what matters most.

It isn’t about adding more links. It’s about adding the right ones in the right places with purpose.

Start with your most important content. Ask whether it is supported, visible, and connected to what comes next. Use tools like Semrush to identify gaps and link opportunities. Use Screaming Frog to uncover hidden structure and identify site isolation issues before they cost you traffic.

The goal is better SEO. But it’s also better storytelling, better navigation, and better signals for AI systems to learn from your content.

With every internal link you place, you reinforce relationships, shape understanding, and increase the likelihood that your content will be seen, cited, and remembered.

Take your linking strategy further by learning how keyword cannibalization can undermine your site’s authority, or explore how entities and knowledge graphs influence the way Google and LLMs interpret your content.

Like the best chapters in a book, every link should advance the story. These subsequent reads continue the journey.