What is internal linking? Links between pages on your own site that help users navigate and spread ranking authority. Here's how to do it strategically.
What Is Internal Linking?
Internal linking is the practice of linking from one page on your website to another page on the same site. These links help visitors navigate, help search engines discover and understand your pages, and spread ranking authority around your site. Done strategically, internal linking is one of the most underrated and controllable levers in SEO — because unlike backlinks, you own every one of them.
Here’s what internal links do and how to use them strategically.
What internal links do
Internal links connect your own pages, and they work on three levels:
- Navigation — they help users move through your site and find related content.
- Discovery — they help search engines crawl and find your pages by following links from one to the next.
- Authority flow — they pass ranking signals (“link equity”) between your pages, so a strong page can lift the pages it links to.
- Context — the anchor text and surrounding content tell search engines what the linked page is about.
Because you control internal links completely, they’re a lever you can pull deliberately — unlike backlinks, which you have to earn.
Why internal linking matters for SEO
Two big reasons:
- It shapes how authority flows through your site. Links from your strongest pages (like the homepage or a popular article) pass authority to the pages they link to. Strategic internal linking channels that authority toward the pages you most want to rank.
- It builds topical structure. Linking related content together signals to search engines that you cover a topic thoroughly and shows how your pages relate — which supports topical authority and helps every page in a cluster.
The pillar-and-spoke model
The most effective internal-linking structure is pillar and spoke:
- A pillar page covers a broad, competitive topic (a main service or big subject).
- Spoke pages cover specific subtopics and questions in depth.
- Spokes link up to the pillar, and the pillar links down to spokes, with relevant lateral links between related spokes.
This concentrates authority on the pillar (helping it rank for competitive terms) while the spokes capture specific searches and feed the pillar. It’s exactly the structure this site uses — every article links up to a service pillar and laterally to related articles, with no orphan pages.
How to do internal linking well
- Link relevant pages together — connections should make sense for the reader.
- Use descriptive anchor text that reflects the destination (not “click here”).
- Point authority at your important pages — link to your money pages from strong, relevant content.
- Avoid orphan pages — every page should have internal links pointing to it, or search engines struggle to find and value it.
- Don’t overdo it — link where it genuinely helps the reader, not stuffed everywhere.
- Keep it natural — internal links should serve the user first; the SEO benefit follows.
Strategic internal linking turns a collection of pages into a connected, authoritative site — which is why it’s a core part of good SEO consulting.
Frequently asked questions
What is internal linking in simple terms? Internal linking is the practice of linking from one page on your website to another page on the same site. These links help visitors navigate, help search engines discover and understand your pages, and spread ranking authority around your site. Because you control every internal link, it’s one of the most controllable and underrated levers in SEO.
Why is internal linking important for SEO? Because it shapes how ranking authority flows through your site — links from strong pages pass authority to the pages they link to, so you can channel it toward pages you want to rank. It also builds topical structure, signaling that you cover a subject thoroughly and showing how pages relate, which supports topical authority and helps entire clusters of related content.
What is the pillar-and-spoke model? The pillar-and-spoke model is an internal-linking structure where a pillar page covers a broad topic and spoke pages cover specific subtopics in depth. Spokes link up to the pillar, the pillar links down to spokes, and related spokes link laterally. This concentrates authority on the pillar to rank for competitive terms while spokes capture specific searches and reinforce the pillar.
How is internal linking different from backlinks? Internal links connect pages within your own site, while backlinks come from other websites linking to you. The key difference is control: you own and can strategically place every internal link, whereas backlinks must be earned from others. Both pass authority, but internal linking is a deliberate lever you fully control, making it a reliable, underused way to strengthen your pages.
What is an orphan page? An orphan page is a page on your site that has no internal links pointing to it, leaving it disconnected from the rest of your content. Orphan pages are hard for search engines to discover and tend to receive little authority, so they struggle to rank. Ensuring every important page has relevant internal links pointing to it prevents this problem.
How many internal links should a page have? There’s no fixed number — link where it genuinely helps the reader and connects relevant content, rather than hitting a target count. Important pages benefit from more internal links pointing to them, and long content naturally includes more contextual links. Avoid stuffing links everywhere, which harms readability; the goal is natural, relevant linking that serves users first.
What anchor text should I use for internal links? Use descriptive anchor text that reflects what the linked page is about, such as “internal linking guide” rather than vague text like “click here.” Descriptive anchors help both readers and search engines understand the destination. For internal links you control the wording, so you can be clear and relevant — just keep it natural and varied rather than forcing exact keywords everywhere.
Written by Bryan Collins, SEO & AEO strategist. Want your site structured so authority flows to the right pages? See SEO strategy work or run a free Google presence audit.