Key Takeaways
- Use internal links where they genuinely help readers move to relevant supporting information.
- Connect supporting articles with broader topic or pillar pages when the relationship is clear.
- Review older articles when publishing new content to identify useful internal-link opportunities.
- Link informational content to relevant service, commercial or tool pages only when they answer the reader’s next question.
- Place links naturally within paragraphs, related-content sections or site structures where readers are likely to need them.
- Use descriptive anchor text that clearly indicates what readers can expect after clicking.
- Audit internal links regularly for broken destinations, irrelevant links, orphaned content and unnecessary link clutter.
Internal linking should be treated as part of content structure and reader navigation, not simply as a way to increase the number of links on a page.
An internal linking in SEO example is most useful when it shows more than simply where a hyperlink appears.
The important question is whether the link helps readers move from one relevant page to another while also supporting a clearer website structure.
For content marketers, SEO professionals and agencies managing multiple articles or client websites, internal linking works best when each link has a clear purpose.
A related article may provide deeper context, an older post may point readers to newer information, and an informational page may lead naturally to a relevant service or tool when that is the reader’s next logical step.
The challenge is deciding where those links should be placed, which pages should be connected and what anchor text should be used.
The seven practical principles below provide a structured way to make those decisions without adding links simply for the sake of SEO.
What Is an Internal Linking in SEO Example?
An internal link connects one page on a website to another page on the same website.
For readers, that link provides a route to related information. For content teams, it also helps organise related pages into a clearer structure.
A simple internal linking in SEO example could look like this:
A blog article explains how website errors affect visitors.
When the article mentions broken links, it links readers to a more detailed guide about a broken link example.
The link makes sense because the destination answers a question created naturally by the current paragraph.
A useful internal link therefore has three basic elements:
- a relevant source page;
- descriptive anchor text;
- a destination that genuinely expands, clarifies or continues the topic.
Internal linking should not be treated as a requirement to insert a particular number of links into every article. Relevance and usefulness should guide the decision.
What Does a Useful Internal Link Look Like?
Suppose an article discusses common website maintenance problems and briefly introduces broken links.
A weak approach would be to insert an unrelated link simply because another page needs more internal links.
A stronger approach would be:
Website owners should periodically check for broken internal links because outdated or removed destination pages can interrupt the reader’s journey.
The anchor tells the reader what the destination is about, and the destination directly supports the surrounding discussion.
Internal Links vs External Links
An internal link sends the reader to another page within the same website.
An external link sends the reader to a different website.
Both can be useful, but they serve different purposes.
Internal links are particularly useful for helping readers continue exploring closely related content within the same site.
1. Use Internal Links Where the Reader Needs More Context
One of the clearest places to add an internal link is inside a paragraph where the reader may reasonably want more information.
The surrounding content should create the reason for the link.
For example, an article about content optimisation may mention:
- keyword research;
- technical SEO;
- broken links;
- website design;
- local search;
- content publishing.
If another page already explains one of those subjects in more depth, a contextual internal link can help the reader continue without forcing the current article to explain every related topic.
The decision can be simplified to one question:
Would opening this destination help the reader understand or act on what they have just read?
If the answer is no, the link probably does not belong there.
Contextual Internal Linking Example
Consider this sentence:
Businesses reviewing their online visibility may also need to understand when professional SEO services in Malaysia become relevant to their broader search strategy.
The link works when the article has already introduced a situation in which the reader might reasonably want to explore SEO services.
It would be less appropriate if the surrounding paragraph were discussing an unrelated subject simply because the page was commercially important.
2. Connect Supporting Articles With Their Main Topic
Websites often publish several articles around one broad subject.
For example, a website covering SEO could eventually have separate content about:
- keyword research;
- internal linking;
- broken links;
- technical SEO;
- SEO copywriting;
- local SEO;
- website structure.
These pages are related, but they should not all link to each other automatically.
A practical approach is to identify the main subject and connect supporting pages where the relationship is useful.
Linking Supporting Content to a Main Page
A detailed article about one narrow issue can link to a broader resource when readers may benefit from understanding the larger topic.
For example:
Broken link article → broader website SEO resource
This gives readers somewhere to continue if their interest expands beyond the original problem.
Linking Main Pages Back to Supporting Content
The relationship can also work in the opposite direction.
A broad page can link to detailed supporting articles when readers need deeper explanations.
For example:
SEO overview → internal linking guide → broken-link guide
This creates a logical content path rather than a collection of isolated articles.
3. Add Links From Older Articles to Relevant New Content
Internal linking should not only happen when a new article is being written.
When useful new content is published, older related articles can also be reviewed.
Imagine that a website already has ten articles about SEO and later publishes a detailed guide about internal linking.
Instead of waiting for readers to discover the new guide independently, the content team can review relevant older articles and identify paragraphs where the new article would genuinely help.
This creates a simple maintenance workflow:
- Publish the new article.
- Identify existing articles covering closely related subjects.
- Find paragraphs where the new article answers a natural follow-up question.
- Add the link only where it improves the reader’s journey.
Which Older Articles Should You Update?
Start with topical relevance.
An older article about SEO copywriting may have a natural reason to link to an internal-linking guide.
An unrelated article about employment law probably does not.
The age or popularity of a page alone is not enough reason to create the link.
The relationship between the two subjects should make sense first.
4. Link Informational Content to Relevant Service or Commercial Pages
Informational articles and commercial pages can be connected when the transition reflects the reader’s next logical need.
This is particularly important for content marketers because aggressively inserting service links can make useful editorial content feel promotional.
A more natural progression is:
problem → explanation → options → relevant resource or service
For example, a reader learning how to organise an SEO strategy may eventually want to understand available SEO services in Malaysia.
The service-related link becomes useful because it follows naturally from the information being discussed.
It should not be inserted simply because the destination is commercially valuable.
When Does a Commercial Internal Link Feel Natural?
A commercial link is more defensible when:
- the article has already explained the relevant problem;
- the destination relates directly to that problem;
- the anchor accurately describes the destination;
- clicking is optional and does not interrupt the explanation;
- the article still provides meaningful value without requiring the click.
This principle can also apply to directory listings, business profiles, relevant tools and category pages.
For agencies managing multiple client websites, the same test can be useful:
Does this destination help the reader take a reasonable next step, or are we linking to it only because we want more visibility for that page?
5. Place Related Internal Links Where Readers Are Likely to Need Them
Internal links do not have to appear only inside paragraphs.
Depending on the website structure, useful internal links may also appear in:
- related-content sections;
- category pages;
- navigation menus;
- resource lists;
- breadcrumbs;
- supporting content blocks.
The appropriate location depends on why the link exists.
A contextual link usually works best when the relationship is specific to the paragraph.
A related-content block can work better when several articles are relevant after the reader completes the main discussion.
Contextual Links vs Related-Content Links
A contextual link is part of the explanation.
For example:
A broken destination can create a poor experience for readers, so reviewing a broken link example can help content teams recognise the problem.
A related-content link serves a broader discovery purpose.
For example:
Related reading
- SEO copywriting
- broken links
- SEO services
- website design
Neither placement is automatically better.
The question is where the link is most useful to the reader.
6. Use Descriptive Anchor Text
Anchor text is the clickable wording attached to a link.
Good anchor text should give the reader a reasonable idea of what will happen after clicking.
Compare these examples:
Weak:
Click here.
Clearer:
Read this broken link example.
More contextual:
Check how a broken internal link may appear.
The most appropriate option depends on the sentence, but descriptive wording is generally easier for readers to understand than vague instructions.
Anchor text should also fit naturally into the sentence.
There is little value in repeatedly forcing the exact same keyword phrase into every link when a clearer variation would read better.
Good and Weak Anchor Text Examples
Situation | Weaker Anchor | More Descriptive Anchor |
Linking to an SEO service article | Learn more | SEO services in Malaysia |
Linking to a broken-link article | Click here | broken internal links |
Linking to a category | See this | business articles |
Linking to a tool | Use tool | check for broken links |
Descriptive does not mean long.
It means specific enough for the reader to understand the destination.
7. Link Important Pages Without Creating an Internal-Linking Mess
Internal linking can become difficult to manage when content teams focus only on adding more links.
A page may eventually contain:
- repeated links to the same destination;
- links that no longer work;
- links to outdated pages;
- links that are only loosely related;
- anchors that no longer describe the destination accurately.
A useful internal-linking strategy therefore includes removal and maintenance, not only addition.
Before inserting another link, content teams can ask:
- Is the destination relevant?
- Does the reader need it here?
- Does the anchor describe it accurately?
- Does the destination still work?
- Have we already linked to it appropriately elsewhere on this page?
- Is there a more useful destination?
What Internal Linking Mistakes Should SEO Teams Avoid?
Irrelevant Links
Do not connect pages simply because both mention a broad keyword.
Topical similarity should be meaningful enough to help the reader.
Broken Links
Links to removed or unavailable destinations should be reviewed and corrected when discovered.
Readers who want to understand the issue in more detail can review this broken link example.
Isolated Content
Useful articles can become difficult to discover when nothing else on the site points readers toward them.
A content review should therefore look for valuable pages that have few reasonable pathways from related content.
Excessive Linking
More links do not automatically create a better article.
Too many unnecessary links can make paragraphs harder to read and make it less obvious which destinations are genuinely important.
How Can SEO Teams Build a Repeatable Internal Linking Workflow?
For agencies and content teams handling many pages, internal linking becomes easier when it is included in the publishing workflow rather than treated as an occasional clean-up task.
Before Publishing
Review existing content and identify pages closely related to the new article.
Do not begin by asking:
How many internal links do we need?
Begin with:
Which existing resources would genuinely help someone reading this article?
While Writing
Add contextual links where the destination answers a natural follow-up question.
The surrounding paragraph should explain why that destination matters.
After Publishing
Review older relevant articles and look for appropriate opportunities to point readers toward the newly published page.
Avoid mass-adding the new URL across unrelated content.
During Content Maintenance
Check whether:
- linked pages still exist;
- anchors still describe the destinations accurately;
- redirected URLs should be updated;
- articles have become outdated;
- newer content provides a better destination;
- important content is difficult to reach from related pages.
For a publishing platform containing articles across different business topics, category structure can also help readers move toward relevant groups of content.
LocalVitals, for example, maintains a Business category containing business-related articles.
When Should You Audit Existing Internal Links?
An internal-link audit does not have to happen only when a major problem appears.
Useful review points include:
- after publishing a significant new article;
- after changing URLs;
- after removing or merging pages;
- during major content updates;
- after restructuring website categories;
- when broken links are discovered;
- when important content becomes difficult to locate.
What Should an Internal Link Audit Check?
A practical review can examine four areas.
1. Destination Health
Does the linked page still exist and provide the information promised by the anchor?
2. Relevance
Does the destination still make sense in the surrounding paragraph?
3. Content Paths
Can readers reasonably move between important related articles?
4. Link Maintenance
Are old URLs, unnecessary redirects or obsolete destinations still being used?
This approach keeps the audit focused on maintaining a useful content experience rather than chasing an arbitrary internal-link count.
Applying Internal Linking to a Content Publishing Platform
A content publishing platform can contain several layers of information, including categories, individual articles, business-related resources and commercial pages.
A hypothetical content path might look like:
Business category → SEO article → detailed supporting article → relevant tool or service
For example, someone browsing the LocalVitals Business category might find an SEO-related article.
Within that article, a contextual link could lead to a more specialised discussion about broken links or SEO services when those destinations directly support the subject being discussed.
The important principle is not the number of steps.
It is whether each step makes sense to the person navigating the content.
Internal linking works best as a system of useful connections.
Every link should have a reason to exist beyond simply adding another SEO element to the page.
Conclusion
A useful internal linking strategy begins with the reader, not with a target number of links.
The strongest internal links usually connect pages that have a clear relationship: an article to a deeper supporting resource, an older post to relevant new content, a topic page to its supporting articles, or informational content to an appropriate service or tool when the reader is ready for that next step.
For content marketers and SEO teams, a practical internal linking process should therefore answer four questions:
- What does the reader need next?
- Which existing page best answers that need?
- Where should the link appear naturally?
- Does the anchor text clearly describe the destination?
Internal links also require maintenance.
As websites publish, update, move and remove content, previously useful links can become outdated or broken.
Reviewing those connections periodically helps keep the content journey clear and usable.
For LocalVitals and other publishing platforms covering multiple business topics, the same principle applies: connect content because the relationship is useful to the reader rather than simply because another page needs a link.
Related article
Check Your Internal Links
If you are reviewing an existing article or website, a practical starting point is to identify links that no longer lead to the intended destination.
You can use the Broken Link Checker to help check URLs for broken-link issues before deciding which internal links need to be updated, replaced or removed.
A link-checking tool is one part of the review process.
Relevance, anchor text and whether the destination still helps the reader should still be assessed manually.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many internal links should a page have?
There is no universal number that suits every article.
A short, focused article may need only a few internal links, while a detailed guide may naturally reference more supporting pages.
The better test is whether each link provides useful context or a sensible next step for the reader.
Avoid adding links simply to reach a predetermined count.
How do I choose anchor text for internal links?
Choose wording that accurately describes the destination and fits naturally within the sentence.
For example, “broken internal links” gives readers more information about the destination than “click here.”
Avoid repeatedly forcing the same exact keyword into every anchor.
Clarity and relevance should guide the wording.
Can a content management system automate internal linking?
Some content-management workflows and third-party tools can help identify or suggest possible internal-link opportunities.
However, automated suggestions still need editorial review.
A suggested page may share similar words without genuinely answering the reader’s next question.
Content teams should therefore check the destination, context and anchor text before accepting an automated recommendation.
How often should internal links be audited?
There is no fixed interval that applies to every website.
An internal-link review is particularly useful after:
- publishing important new content;
- changing URLs;
- removing or consolidating pages;
- restructuring categories or navigation;
- discovering broken links;
- carrying out a broader content update.
Websites that publish frequently may benefit from incorporating these checks into their normal content-maintenance workflow rather than waiting for a large annual clean-up.