Internal Linking for Bloggers: A Simple Guide

Internal links connect pages on your own website. When you link from one blog post to another, that's an internal link.

Done well, internal linking for bloggers improves navigation, keeps readers on your site longer, and helps search engines understand your content structure. This guide covers everything you need to know.

Why internal linking matters

Internal links serve multiple purposes.

For readers

Internal links help readers find related content. Someone reading about blog headlines might also want to learn about introductions. Linking between them creates a natural path.

Good internal linking increases time on site and pages per session. Readers discover more of your content.

For SEO

Internal links pass authority between pages. When you link from a strong page to a weaker page, some of that authority flows through the link.

They also help Google understand your site structure. Pages with many internal links pointing to them appear more important. The anchor text you use helps Google understand what the linked page is about.

For topical authority

A network of interlinked content on a topic signals to Google that you cover that topic thoroughly. This builds topical authority and helps all your related pages rank better.

What to link to

Not every page needs links to every other page. Be strategic.

Glossary terms

When you use technical terms, link to their glossary definitions. This helps readers who might not know the term and creates useful site structure.

Linking to terms like meta description, search intent, or backlinks when you mention them improves comprehension.

Pillar content

Link regularly to your most important pages - comprehensive guides, pillar posts, and cornerstone content. These pages should accumulate internal links over time.

How to write good internal links

The link itself matters as much as where it points.

Use descriptive anchor text

The clickable text should describe what readers will find if they click.

Bad: "Click here to learn more about headlines." Good: "Learn how to write headlines that get clicks."

Descriptive anchor text helps both readers and search engines understand the link's destination.

Make links natural

Links should fit naturally into your sentences. They shouldn't interrupt the reading flow or feel forced.

Forced: "You should also read this post about SEO because it's relevant." Natural: "Understanding SEO fundamentals makes the rest of your optimization efforts more effective."

Don't over-link

Too many links become distracting and dilute the value of each link. Target ranges per post:

2-3 links to other blog posts
2-5 links to glossary terms
Links only where they add genuine value

If every other sentence has a link, you've overdone it.

Internal linking best practices

These patterns consistently work well.

Link from new posts to old posts

When you publish something new, link to relevant older content. This is natural and easy to do during writing.

Link from old posts to new posts

After publishing, go back to related older posts and add links to the new one. This ensures new content gets discovered through your existing traffic.

Create topic clusters

Group related posts together through internal links. All your posts about SEO should link to each other. All your posts about writing should link to each other.

This cluster structure helps Google understand topic relationships.

Use contextual links

Links within the body content carry more weight than links in sidebars, footers, or "related posts" widgets.

Put your most important links in the actual content where readers are engaged.

Common internal linking mistakes

Avoid these patterns.

Orphan pages

Orphan pages have no internal links pointing to them. Google has trouble finding and valuing them. Every page should have at least a few internal links.

Over-optimization

Using the exact same keyword-rich anchor text for every link to a page looks manipulative. Vary your anchor text naturally.

Linking to irrelevant pages

Links should be helpful. Linking to an unrelated page just to include a link wastes the opportunity and confuses readers.

Ignoring internal links entirely

Some bloggers focus only on external links and backlinks. Internal linking is free and entirely within your control. Use it.

Building an internal linking system

Make internal linking part of your workflow.

During writing

Keep your content index open while writing. When you mention a topic you've covered, link to it.

After publishing

After publishing a new post, find 2-3 older posts that could naturally link to it. Add those links.

Periodic audits

Every few months, review your top posts. Are they linking to newer content? Are there obvious linking opportunities you missed?

For more on creating content that builds on itself, see our guides on building topical authority and blog post structure.

Internal linking isn't glamorous, but it's one of the simplest ways to improve both reader experience and SEO. Do it consistently.