Are you struggling to improve the visibility of certain sections of your website on search engines like Google? If so, you’re not alone. Many websites have important pages that are buried deep within their site and therefore, never rank. In this article, Jim Boykin, CEO of Internet Marketing Ninjas, and Ann Smarty, IMN’s analyst, discuss how to create an effective interlinking strategy. By implementing their advice, you can ensure that all the important parts and sections of your site are accessible by Google, increasing your chances of ranking higher in search results. So, let’s dive in and uncover the secrets to creating a successful interlinking strategy! Internal linking is one of the most effective aspects of search engine optimization. It allows search engines to easily navigate and understand the structure of your website, which can help improve your rankings in search results. However, it is also one of the most neglected aspects and is often not done correctly. In this article, we will discuss how to create an effective interlinking strategy to ensure that all the important parts and sections of your site are accessible by Google.
Before we dive into the specific strategies for improving your internal linking structure, it’s important to understand why it’s necessary in the first place. The majority of websites have a lot of pages that are never going to rank. These are usually the pages that are buried deep down within a website and are not easily accessible by search engines. In order to make sure that these pages have a chance to rank, it’s important to make your site flatter.
Step 1: Sitewide strategies to improve internal linking structure
The first step in improving your internal linking structure is to implement sitewide strategies. Here are a few strategies that you can use:
More (specific) categories
One way to improve your internal linking structure is to come up with more specific categories for your products or services. By creating subcategories based on price ranges, use cases, or other relevant factors, you can surface more products and capture long-tail opportunities as well. This will not only help improve the accessibility of your pages but also provide more options for users to explore.
Breadcrumbs
Another effective strategy is to implement breadcrumbs on your website. Breadcrumbs are navigational elements that show the user’s current location within the website hierarchy. They typically appear at the top of a page and display the path from the homepage to the current page. Breadcrumbs not only make it easier for users to navigate your site but also serve as internal links that search engines can follow. This improves the overall structure and crawlability of your site.
More products on one page
To make your site flatter and reduce the number of buried pages, consider displaying more products or content on a single page. This can be achieved through techniques such as infinite scrolling or expanding sections. However, it’s important to be mindful of the page load time when experimenting with these strategies. Slow-loading pages can negatively impact user experience and search engine rankings.
Step 2: Tie in different parts of your site
The next step in creating an effective interlinking strategy is to tie in different parts of your site. Many websites have multiple sections that function as isolated islands. For example, a blog may exist on its own with few or no internal links tying it to the main site. This is a missed opportunity for internal linking.
To address this issue, it’s important to link your blog posts to related product and category pages. This not only helps users navigate between the different sections of your site but also signals to search engines that these pages are closely related. This thematic interlinking allows link equity to flow within a cluster, helping each page within it rank higher. In the eyes of Google, this makes your site an ultimate answer to a range of relevant search queries.
Contact ninjas to help you create an effective internal linking
Creating an effective internal linking strategy can be a complex task, but it is essential for maximizing the visibility and authority of your website. If you need assistance in developing a strong internal linking structure, consider reaching out to the experts at Internet Marketing Ninjas. Their team of professionals can provide valuable insights and assistance in creating a strategy that will surface your important pages and establish your site as a niche authority.
In conclusion, internal linking is a vital aspect of SEO that should not be overlooked. By implementing sitewide strategies and tying in different parts of your site, you can improve the accessibility and visibility of your pages. Remember, an effective interlinking strategy not only benefits search engine optimization but also improves user experience and engagement on your website. So take the time to evaluate your current internal linking structure and make the necessary adjustments to optimize your website.
