Have you ever wondered what those little blue links are that take you from one page on a website to another? Those are called internal links, and they play a big role in the overall structure and navigation of a website.

What exactly are internal links and why are they important?

Internal links are basically links that take you from one page on a website to another page within the same website. Think of it like a map for your website – it helps users easily find their way around and discover related content.

The importance of internal links goes beyond just making it easy for people to navigate your website. They also play a big role in SEO, which is the process of making sure your website shows up in search engine results. When search engines like Google crawl a website, they use internal links to understand the structure and hierarchy of the site. This can help your website rank higher in search results, which can lead to more traffic and ultimately more business.

In simple terms, internal links make it easy for users to find what they’re looking for on your website, and they also help search engines understand the importance of different pages on your site. So, it’s a win-win for both users and search engines.

 

 

The different types of internal links

 

Navigation links

Navigation links also known as “nav links,” are the links that help users move around your website. They’re typically found in the main menu or header of your website, and they help users find the pages they’re looking for quickly and easily.

For example, if you have an e-commerce website, your navigation links might include:

• Home
• Shop
• About Us
• Contact Us
• My Account

These links allow users to quickly jump to different sections of your website without having to manually type in URLs or use the back button.

In short, Navigation links make it easy for users to navigate your website and find the information they need. They also help search engines understand the structure of your website and how to index your pages. So it’s a win-win situation.

 

Breadcrumb links

Breadcrumb links, also known as breadcrumb trails, are a type of internal link that help users understand where they are on a website. They’re typically displayed at the top of a page, and show the user the path they took to get to the current page. They’re often represented by a series of links separated by arrows or slashes.

Here’s an example of how breadcrumb links might look on a website:

• Home > Products > Clothing
• Home > About Us > Team > John Smith
• Home > Blog > Lifestyle > Travel

As you can see, these breadcrumb links give a clear indication of the hierarchy of the website, and make it easy for users to navigate back to previous sections of the site.

In terms of SEO, breadcrumb links also help search engines understand the structure of a website, which can in turn help improve the website’s visibility in search results.

 

Contextual links

Contextual links are links that are included within the content of a page. They help to guide users to other relevant pages or resources on your website. They are a great way to keep visitors engaged and help them discover more information about your brand and products or services.

Here are some examples of when you might use contextual links:

• You have a blog post about the benefits of using a specific product. Within the post, you can link to the product page, so readers can learn more or purchase the product.
• In a tutorial, you mention a tool or resource that the user might need to complete the task. You can link to the page where they can find that tool or resource.
• You mention a related topic or concept in your content, you can link to a page where the user can learn more about that topic.

Image links

Image links are links that use images as the link. They can be used to link to other pages on the website, or to external resources.

Here are a few examples of when you might use image links:

• You have a website for a clothing store, and you want to link to a specific product page from the homepage. Instead of using text, you can use an image of the product as the link.
• You have a website for a photography business, and you want to link to your portfolio page from the homepage. Instead of using text, you can use a gallery of thumbnails as the link.
• You have a website for a travel agency, and you want to link to a page with information about a specific destination. Instead of using text, you can use an image of the destination as the link.
• You have a website for a food delivery service, and you want to link to the menu page from the homepage. Instead of using text, you can use an image of food as the link.

In these examples, the images act as the links and by clicking on the images it will redirect to the related page.

 

Footer links

Footer links are links that are typically found at the bottom of a website’s pages. They’re a great way to provide quick access to important pages on your site, without cluttering up the main content area.

Here are a few examples of what you might find in a website’s footer:

• Contact Us
• About Us
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Blog
• Sitemap
• Social Media
• Careers
• Help
• Sign in/Sign up

Footer links can be a great way to keep all important pages on your website in one place and easy to access for users.

 

Sitewide links

These are links that are included on every page of a website. They’re typically found in the header or footer, and they’re used to provide easy access to important pages or sections of the website.

Examples of sitewide links include:

• Link to the homepage in the header of every page
• Link to the contact page in the footer of every page
• Link to the blog in the header of every page
• Link to the products section in the header of every page
• Llink to the about us page in the footer of every page
• Link to the FAQ page in the footer of every page

These links are useful because they allow users to easily navigate to the pages they need, no matter what page they’re currently on. It also makes it easy for search engines to crawl the website and understand the structure. It makes sure that all the important pages on the website are easily accessible to both users and search engines.

 

Call-to-action links

CTA links are links that are specifically designed to encourage the user to take a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. These links often use action-oriented language, such as “Buy now,” “Sign up,” or “Learn more.”

Here are some examples of CTA links you might see on a website:

• “Shop now” on an e-commerce website
• “Download our app” on a mobile app website
• “Join our mailing list” on a blog or news website
• “Book a consultation” on a professional services website
• “Get a quote” on a construction or repair website
• “Watch the video” on a video-sharing website
• “Contact us” on a company’s website
• “Apply now” on a job application website

These types of links are designed to make it easy for users to take the next step, whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for a service, or getting in touch with the company. By using clear, action-oriented language, these links help to guide users towards completing a specific goal.

 

Internal search links

Internal search links are links that are generated when a user conducts a search on your website. These links point to the pages on your website that match the user’s search query.

Examples of internal search links include:

• When a user searches for “red dress” on an e-commerce website, the search results page may show links to different red dresses available on the website.
• When a user searches for “how to fix a leaky faucet” on a home improvement website, the search results page may show links to different articles or tutorials on how to fix a leaky faucet.
• When a user searches for “best hiking trails” on a travel website, the search results page may show links to different hiking trails that have been highly recommended by other hikers.

These links are useful for users because they can quickly find the content they are looking for on the website. They are also beneficial for SEO because they help search engines understand the structure of the website and the relevant content.