Interlinks

Interlinks are hyperlinks that connect pages within the same website or document. They differ from external links, which point to pages on other domains. Interlinks form a network of related content and help users move between topics without leaving the site.

Interlinks in practice improve navigation and discoverability, reinforce site structure, and help search engines crawl and index content. By signaling relationships through anchor text and placement, they can distribute page authority and clarify which pages are most central.

Types include contextual links embedded in text, navigational links in menus, sidebars and footers, breadcrumb trails, and hub-and-spoke or silo structures where a central hub links to related subpages. Deep links reach specific articles several levels down.

Best practices: Plan a coherent information architecture with shallow link depth. Use descriptive, relevant anchor text that reflects the linked content. Link to related content where it adds value, avoid overuse, and regularly check for broken or redirected links. Ensure accessibility by keyboard-navigable links and meaningful text for screen readers.

Impact and considerations: A well-designed interlink network can increase page views, improve engagement, speed up content discovery, and aid indexing. Poor or excessive internal linking can confuse users, dilute relevance, or waste crawl budget.

In practice, interlinks are a core feature of website architecture and editorial strategy, requiring ongoing maintenance as content changes.