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Internal and External Links: Why They Are Important for SEO What Are Internal Links?

Destiny spencer
2 min read

What Are Internal Links?

Internal links are hyperlinks that point to different pages within the same website and are important for SEO.


Here's what an internal link looks like on a webpage:

An example of what an internal link looks like on a webpage. The internal link has orange font and is highlighted from a sentence in black font in front of a grey background.
Why Internal Links Are Important for SEO

Internal links are an important part of on-page SEO optimization. Here's why:

  • They help search engines understand your site's structure and how pages are related to each other

  • They allow Google crawlers to discover and naviagate to new pages

  • They signal to Google that the linked-to page is valuable

  • They help users navigate through your website (and keep them on your site longer)


Adding internal links from one page to another signals to Google that these pages are related. They also help Google understand whether the pages could match a user's search intent - which can help your rankings.


To learn more about internal linking strategies and best practices, read SEMrush's guide to internal links.


What Are External Links?


External links are links on your site that point to other sites, ultimately enhancing user experience and building trust with your audience.


An example comparing external and internal links. The image is split into two sides, the left side being the external link side and the right side being the internal link side. On the external side, it says domain A links to domain B and has a picture of a blue bordered page with an arrow towards a yellow bordered page. The internal link side says domain A links to another page on domain A and the picture looks the same as the external link side, but the blue border page is pointing to another blue border page.
Why External Links Are Important for SEO

There's been debate over whether external links directly impact rankings. But Google has said that adding links to authoritatice external sources is a great way to provide value to your users. And providing solid user experience is always a good thing.


So, make sure you're inclduing links to trustworthy, authoritative, websites in your content. Linking to untrustworthy websites can lead to your site being penalized by Google. When this occurs, the issue needs to be fixed on your end and then a reconsideration request must be submitted to Google, once accepted, your site can start climbing the ranks again.


A good rule of thumb is to link to your sources, but you will likely find other external linking oppurtunities.


To learn more aobut external linking strategies and best practices, read SEMrush's guide to external links.



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