Effective search engine optimisation (SEO) depends on several strategies. Among the most prominent are inbound and internal links. While each type has its purpose, their coordination can take the performance of a website to a whole new level.
This article explores the relationship between inbound and internal links and how to use them strategically for optimal SEO results.
What are inbound links?
Inbound links (IBL), also called backlinks, are hyperlinks from external websites pointing to your site. These links signal to search engines that your content is trustworthy and valuable, boosting domain authority, trust and credibility.
The more authoritative the source of an inbound link, the greater the SEO benefits.
For instance, a backlink from an authoritative industry site is more valuable than one coming from an unknown website. Search engines take this as a sign that your content should be promoted to people.
What are internal links?
Internal linking refers to linking one page of a website to another under the same domain name. The links in question allow search engines to crawl and index your site to make sure that all pages are found.
An efficient internal linking strategy boosts user experience by providing clear navigation paths. For instance, linking a service page to a related blog post can guide visitors through a seamless journey while keeping them engaged on your site.
The relationship between inbound and internal links
Inbound and internal links go together in a successful SEO strategy. Inbound links increase the authority of individual pages, while internal links distribute that authority throughout the site.
When a high-authority page attracts backlinks, some of this link equity (aka link juice) can trickle down to other related internal pages via those internal links.
For instance, linking a product page to a high-performing blog post can enhance the latter’s ranking potential. This relationship ensures that the benefits of external endorsements extend to multiple parts of the website.
Strategies to acquire high-quality inbound links
Acquiring high-quality inbound links requires a targeted approach. Here are some strategies to consider:
- Guest blogging: Collaborate with authoritative websites in your niche by contributing valuable content. This not only establishes credibility but also earns backlinks.
- Content marketing: Create shareable, high-quality content like infographics, research reports, or how-to guides. When others reference your content, they often link back to your site.
- Influencer outreach: Partner with industry influencers who can amplify your content to their audiences. Their endorsement increases your content’s visibility and backlink potential.
- Skyscraper technique: Create a superior version of a high-performing piece of content in your niche with updated and added information, then ask the sites that linked to the original to link to your version instead.
- Link reclamation: Use tools like BuzzSumo to find unattributed links, create alerts when people write about you or your brand online, and reclaim your links as soon as the mention is made.
Strategic use of internal links
Internal linking optimisation involves more than merely connecting pages. Here are some actionable tips:
- Link to cornerstone content: Identify key pages that represent the core of your site and link to them often. This improves their visibility and ranking potential.
- Use descriptive anchor text: Anchor text should clearly describe the linked content. For example, instead of using “click here”, opt for “learn more about SEO strategies”.
- Ensure logical navigation: Organise your links to create a user-friendly navigation structure. Avoid orphan pages by connecting every page to others in a meaningful way.
- Audit regularly: Analyse your internal linking patterns periodically. Fix broken links and optimise outdated structures to maintain SEO health.
SEO benefits of combining both strategies
When inbound and internal links are used together strategically, they amplify each other’s impact. Here’s how:
- Improved rankings: Inbound links boost page authority, while internal links distribute that authority, increasing rankings across multiple pages.
- Enhanced crawlability: Internal links guide search engine bots through your site, ensuring pages are indexed effectively. Inbound links initially attract these bots to your domain.
- Better user experience: Users benefit from logical navigation and access to valuable resources. This reduces bounce rates and increases website dwell time.
- Stronger content network: A well-linked site fosters a network of related content, making it easier for users and search engines to understand your offerings.
- Greater topical relevance: Combining internal and inbound links in a link-building strategy strengthens the website’s topical relevance by creating a cohesive network of related content, seamlessly improving authority, search visibility, and user engagement.
How to combine inbound and internal linking strategies
To maximise the benefits of both link types, adopt a comprehensive strategy:
- Prioritise quality over quantity: Focus on earning high-quality backlinks and strategically place internal links on relevant pages.
- Leverage high-authority pages: Use internal links to connect high-authority pages to lesser-known ones, spreading link equity effectively.
- Balance the link distribution: Avoid overloading a single page with excessive internal links. Distribute them evenly across your site.
- Channelise the search intent flow: Generate inbound links to the blog posts and FAQ pages using informational intent keywords as the anchor text. Then use related commercial intent keywords as anchor tags to create internal links from blog posts and FAQ pages to the product category or service pages.
Integrating inbound and internal linking for maximum SEO impact
Inbound links and internal links are powerful tools that, when used together, can strengthen your website’s SEO performance. Backlinks establish authority, while internal links enhance structure and accessibility.
SEO professionals and content creators can drive traffic, improve rankings, and create a user-friendly experience by implementing a balanced link-building strategy.
Investing time and effort into both types of linking ensures your website remains competitive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
