How Does Internal Linking Help SEO? (The No-BS Breakdown)

Okay, let’s be real.

You’ve probably heard a hundred SEO gurus say, “You need to improve your internal linking!” Cool. But why? And more importantly, how the hell does it actually help your rankings?

Let’s break this down in plain English — none of that robotic jargon or “industry best practice” fluff. Just real talk.

First: What Even Is Internal Linking?

If you’re confused, no shame.

Internal links are basically links that go from one page on your site to another page on your site.

Not external links (those go to other websites). Not backlinks (those come from other websites). These are your links, within your blog or site.

For example:
You’re reading this article on internal linking. If I drop a link right now to my post on technical SEO, that’s an internal link. Boom.

Why Should You Care?

1. Google’s Blind Without Them

Google isn’t magic. It doesn’t “just know” what’s on your site.
It needs help. Like a blind dude with a cane.

Internal links help Google:

• Discover other pages on your site.

• Understand the structure of your website.

• Figure out what’s important.

If Google lands on your homepage but there’s no link to your “Blog” page?
Guess what — it might not even crawl it. That’s lost traffic, lost rankings, and lost sleep for no reason.

2. They Pass Link Juice (Yeah, That’s a Thing)

Let’s say your homepage has 100 backlinks. Great.
That homepage has SEO authority now — what we call link juice.

But what if you have other pages — amazing blog posts, killer landing pages — that have zero backlinks? Internal linking helps pass that juice to them.

You’re basically saying,

“Hey Google, these pages are important too.”

You’re sharing the wealth internally.

3. They Keep People on Your Site Longer

This is big. Real big.

Imagine this:
Someone lands on your blog. Reads one post. Leaves. That’s it.

Now imagine instead:
They click from that blog post to another. Then another. Suddenly they’re down a rabbit hole.

That’s called lowering your bounce rate, increasing your dwell time, and improving your engagement — all things that send positive vibes to Google.

And let’s be honest, the longer someone stays, the more likely they are to:

• Subscribe

• Buy something

• Trust you

So yeah. Internal links = more traffic and more sales.

The SEO Benefits (Put Simply)

Let me just spit it straight:

How to Actually Use Internal Links (The Good Stuff)

Alright, now the “how.”

1. Link Naturally Within Blog Posts

Don’t force it.

If you’re writing a post on keyword research and you’ve got another one on long-tail keywords — link it! Like this:

“If you want to go deeper, here’s my full guide on long-tail keyword strategy.”

Simple. Natural. Done.

2. Use Descriptive Anchor Text

Anchor text = the clickable words.

Don’t be lazy with “click here.”
Instead, write something like:

“Check out my guide to technical SEO audits.”

That tells Google what the linked page is about.

3. Link to Your Important Pages

Ask yourself:
Which pages do I want to rank the most?

Your:

• Service pages

• Money posts

• Core blog content

Point other internal links to those. Send the juice there.

4. Don’t Overdo It

This ain’t Wikipedia.
You don’t need 87 internal links in every post.

General rule:
✅ 3–10 relevant internal links per blog post is solid.

Just don’t make your readers feel like they’re trapped in a link maze.

5. Use Topic Clusters

Have a main article (aka a pillar post) and then several smaller articles that support it.

For example:

• Pillar: “Ultimate Guide to SEO”

  • Subtopics:

    • What is Technical SEO

    • On-Page SEO Tips

    • Off-Page SEO vs On-Page

Link all of them together. That’s a topic cluster. It tells Google,

“Yo, this site knows its stuff about SEO.”

Real Talk: This Isn’t “Optional”

If you’re serious about ranking, internal linking isn’t “nice to have.”
It’s non-negotiable.

You could have the most amazing blog post ever written — but if it’s not linked to from anywhere else on your site? It’s like burying gold in the forest with no map.

No one’s finding it. Not Google. Not humans.

Mistakes to Avoid

Let me save you some headaches:

🚫 Don’t link to the same page 20 times in one post.
🚫 Don’t use vague anchor text like “read more” or “this page.”
🚫 Don’t link just for the sake of it — always ask: Does this add value?

And definitely don’t ignore this stuff. It’s not sexy, but it moves the needle.

Tools That Can Help (Because You’re Busy)

If you want to make this easier (and faster), here are a few tools:

• Ahrefs → Shows you internal link opportunities.

• Yoast SEO (for WordPress) → Gives suggestions while you write.

• Link Whisper → AI plugin that recommends internal links on the fly.

• Screaming Frog → Helps audit internal link structure.

Use them. Or do it manually. Just do it somehow.

Wrap-Up: Internal Linking = Easy Wins

Look, SEO is complicated. But internal linking? That’s one of the few things you can control completely.

You don’t need anyone else. No begging for backlinks. No praying for traffic.

Just link smart — and your rankings will start to climb.

TL;DR?

• Link to your best content often.

• Make it natural and useful.

• Spread authority across your site.

• Help users and Google at the same time.

Boom. That’s the game.

Want the next guide?
👉 Up next: How to Use Ubersuggest Like a Pro (Without Overthinking It)

Or check out the full guide:
🧠 On-Page SEO: Everything You Need to Know

Let’s keep leveling up.