In one sentence
Internal linking is adding links between pages on your own site, like from a buying guide to the products it recommends, so shoppers find what they need next and search engines and AI understand how your pages connect.
Internal linking examples for online stores
- A buying guide linking to the products it recommends
- A product page linking to its category and to matching accessories
- A category page linking to the guide that helps shoppers choose
- A blog post linking to the product it mentions
Why internal linking matters for SEO and AI search
Crawlers find pages by following links. A page with no internal links pointing to it is hard to find and looks unimportant.
Links also explain relationships. When your guide on choosing a stroller links to your three stroller models, crawlers learn which products answer that question. The link text helps: "see our lightweight travel stroller" says more than "click here."
How to improve internal linking on your store
- Link every guide and blog post to at least one relevant product or category.
- Link product pages back to their category and to helpful guides.
- Use descriptive link text that names what the shopper will find.
- Find pages with no internal links and connect them.
Keep links useful. A few relevant links beat a long list at the bottom of the page. Links to other sites are a different signal. See backlink.
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