Mastering Internal Linking for SEO Success in 2025
What Is Internal Linking?
Internal linking is the process of linking one page of your website to another page on the same domain.
These links help users navigate your site, pass authority between pages, and help search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your content.
Unlike external backlinks, which connect your site to other websites, internal links serve as the backbone of your on-site SEO.
At SEO Rugby, we make internal linking a top priority in all our SEO campaigns because it directly impacts crawlability, content discovery, and organic rankings.
Why Internal Linking Is Essential for SEO
Google’s bots discover new content by following links.
If your page has no internal links pointing to it, it becomes an “orphan page,” and may never be indexed — even if it has fantastic content.
According to Google’s own documentation, proper internal linking is vital for helping Googlebot crawl a website effectively.
Internal links distribute PageRank across your site, making it easier for important pages to rank.
Beyond SEO, internal linking helps users discover more relevant information, reduces bounce rates, and improves engagement metrics — all of which indirectly improve your rankings.
Core Internal Linking Strategies That Work in 2025
1. Build a Content Hub With Topic Clusters
At SEO Rugby, we recommend building topic clusters around your core service offerings.
For example, if you’re targeting WordPress SEO, you might create blog posts on:
- WordPress Speed Optimisation
- Schema Markup for WordPress
- Best SEO Plugins for WordPress
- How to Improve WordPress Core Web Vitals
Each of these pages should internally link back to the main service page using relevant anchor text like “WordPress SEO strategies” or “SEO for WordPress in Rugby”.
This creates a hub-and-spoke model that search engines love — and that industry experts like Brian Dean consistently recommend.
2. Use Descriptive and Varied Anchor Text
Anchor text should describe the page it links to.
Instead of linking with generic phrases like “click here,” use keyword-rich, natural phrases.
For example:
Avoid over-optimising by using the same anchor text over and over.
Mix it up with synonyms and natural variations.
This provides context and helps Google avoid keyword stuffing penalties.
3. Pass Link Equity to Money Pages
Not all pages on your site are created equal.
Blog posts may attract backlinks, but service pages convert traffic into leads.
That’s why your most authoritative content should link back to your money pages — such as:
This ensures PageRank flows to the pages that matter most for conversions and ROI.
4. Link to Related Articles and Services
Adding contextual links within blog posts helps users discover related content, which keeps them engaged and reduces bounce rate.
For example, in our article on ethical link building, we naturally reference our SEO audit service to show how we identify weak link structures.
5. Use a Clear Site Architecture
Follow a logical hierarchy: Home > Services > Sub-service > Blog Post.
A shallow architecture (no more than three clicks from homepage to any page) helps both bots and humans navigate efficiently.
Implementing breadcrumbs and proper siloing can vastly improve internal link flow.
Tools to Optimise Internal Linking
Leverage tools that make it easy to manage and improve your internal links:
- Link Whisper – Smart internal link suggestions in WordPress.
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider – Crawl your site and find orphan pages or overlinked URLs.
- SEMRush Site Audit – Identifies internal linking opportunities and errors.
- Ahrefs Site Explorer – Visualise internal link distribution and page strength.
Common Internal Linking Mistakes to Avoid
- Orphaned pages: Pages without any internal links to them can’t be discovered or ranked.
- Broken links: These frustrate users and hurt your SEO. Run regular audits.
- Overuse of exact-match anchors: Mix up your anchor text to avoid penalties.
- Too many links: Google recommends keeping links reasonable — typically under 100 per page for crawl efficiency.
- Unnecessary linking: Don’t link for the sake of linking — relevance is key.
Internal Linking and User Experience (UX)
Internal linking isn’t just about SEO — it’s also about improving the user journey.
When you guide visitors to relevant content that matches their intent, they stay longer and are more likely to convert.
Want an example?
Someone reading our Facebook SEO blog post may also be interested in our social SEO services — which we make sure to link prominently within the content.
Our Internal Linking Approach at SEO Rugby
At SEO Rugby, we conduct a full audit of your internal link structure as part of every SEO Audit.
We identify:
- High-authority pages not sharing link equity
- Underperforming service pages
- Orphaned or low-crawl pages
- Anchor text overuse or keyword cannibalisation
From there, we build a linking roadmap that strengthens your content structure, boosts your keyword rankings, and improves crawl depth.
Need Help With Your Internal Link Strategy?
If you’re not sure where to start, let’s talk.
SEO Rugby can optimise your internal links and show you how to turn forgotten pages into traffic magnets.
Book a free strategy call today and let’s build a smarter website together.
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