SEO and Internal Links: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Internal links are essential for improving your website’s visibility in search engines and providing a better user experience. However, there are some common mistakes that can harm your SEO efforts. In this blog post, we will discuss these challenges and provide simple solutions to help you optimise your internal links. By avoiding these mistakes, you can ensure that your internal linking strategy follows best practices and brings positive results.

Mistake: broken links

One common mistake is having broken or non-working links on your website. These links frustrate users and can harm your search engine rankings. It’s important to regularly check and fix any broken links.

Solution: regular link maintenance

Use tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console to check for broken links on your website. When you find broken links, update or remove them and redirect them to relevant pages. This will improve user experience and show search engines that your website is reliable.

Mistake: too many links

While internal links are helpful, having too many of them can confuse users and reduce the effectiveness of each link. It’s important to strike a balance between providing relevant links and maintaining readability.

Solution: strategic and contextual linking

Focus on providing internal links that are relevant to the content and help users understand the topic better. Instead of linking every possible keyword, choose anchor text that adds value to the reader’s experience. Quality is more important than quantity.

Each link should serve a purpose and provide additional information or resources. This approach improves user engagement and shows search engines the relevance and authority of your content.

Mistake: using the same anchor text

Anchor text is the clickable text of a link. Using the same anchor text for every internal link can raise concerns with search engines. It’s important to vary your anchor text to make it look natural.

Solution: varied and descriptive anchor text

Instead of using the same keyword as anchor text, try using a mix of different words and phrases that describe the page you are linking to. This diversification creates a more natural link and helps search engines understand the context of your links. Descriptive anchor text enhances user experience and improves the relevance of your internal links.

Conclusion

Internal linking is an important SEO strategy that can boost your website’s visibility and rankings. By avoiding these common mistakes and following the solutions provided, you can optimise your internal linking efforts. Regularly check for broken links, maintain a good balance of links, and use varied anchor text to improve user experience and send positive signals to search engines.

Remember, the goal of internal linking is to help users navigate your website and provide valuable information. By implementing these best practices, you can maximise the benefits of internal linking and contribute to the success of your website.

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Kelly-Anne Crean

Head of Operations

Our multi-talented Head of Operations Kelly-Anne is also a Client Services and SEO expert, with 14 years’ of experience in digital marketing and search engine optimisation. During that time, Kelly-Anne has had the opportunity to work with a variety of exciting clients including De'Longhi (Braun), Srixon and the V&A. She’s perhaps the most organised person you’ll ever meet, and she’s also our Queen of self-defense, with almost 10 years of Krav Maga under her belt.

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