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Internal Linking Guide for Local Websites
Internal links are one of the most overlooked SEO tools available to local businesses. A deliberate linking structure helps Google understand your site, strengthens your most important pages, and guides visitors toward taking action.
Many local businesses focus heavily on getting backlinks from other websites while ignoring the links within their own site. But internal links are entirely within your control, and when done well, they can have a significant impact on your search rankings and user experience. This guide explains how to build an internal linking structure that works for both Google and your visitors.
What Is Internal Linking?
Internal linking is the practice of connecting pages on your website to each other through hyperlinks. Every time you link from one page to another page on the same domain, you create an internal link. These links help both search engines and visitors navigate your site. For search engines, internal links establish the structure and hierarchy of your content. For visitors, they provide pathways to the information they need next.
Why Internal Linking Matters for Local Businesses
Local business websites tend to have a specific set of page types: homepage, service pages, city pages, blog posts, and a contact page. Without intentional internal linking, these pages can exist in isolation. Google may not understand which pages are most important, and visitors may not discover the services or locations relevant to them. A strong internal linking structure ensures your most important pages get the visibility they deserve, and that every page on your site contributes to your overall SEO and lead generation goals.
The Commercial Link Graph
Think of your website as a graph where each page is a node and each internal link is an edge connecting two nodes. The pages with the most internal links pointing to them are the ones Google considers most important. For a local business, your homepage and top service pages should have the most internal links. City pages should be linked from your main navigation or a locations hub. Blog posts should link to the relevant service pages they support. This creates a clear hierarchy that tells Google which pages to prioritize.
Anchor Text Strategy
Anchor text is the clickable text of a hyperlink. It tells both Google and visitors what the destination page is about. Use descriptive, keyword-relevant anchor text for your internal links. Instead of linking with generic text like 'click here' or 'learn more,' use specific phrases like 'kitchen renovation services' or 'plumbing repair in Edmonton.' This helps Google understand the topic of the destination page and strengthens the relevance signal. Avoid over-optimizing — use natural variations rather than repeating the exact same anchor text on every link.
How Many Internal Links Should a Page Have?
There is no magic number, but there are practical guidelines. A typical service page should have between 3 and 8 internal links, not counting navigation or footer links. Blog posts often benefit from 3 to 6 internal links. Pages with very long content can support more. The key principle is that every internal link should serve a purpose — either helping the visitor find related information or helping Google understand the relationship between pages. Links that do not serve either purpose add clutter and dilute the value of your meaningful links.
Fixing Orphan Pages
An orphan page is a page on your website that has no internal links pointing to it. These pages are invisible to both Google and visitors unless they have a direct URL. Orphan pages are surprisingly common, especially on sites that have grown over time without a linking strategy. To find orphan pages, crawl your site using a tool like Screaming Frog or check your sitemap against your internal link structure. Once identified, add relevant internal links from your existing pages to the orphan pages. If a page is not worth linking to, consider whether it should exist at all.
Topic Clusters for Local Businesses
A topic cluster is a group of related pages connected through internal links. For local businesses, a natural cluster might include a main service page (e.g., 'Residential Roofing'), supporting blog posts (e.g., 'How to Know When Your Roof Needs Replacement,' 'Asphalt vs. Metal Roofing'), and a city page (e.g., 'Roofing Services in Edmonton'). The main service page links to each supporting page, and each supporting page links back to the main service page. This signals to Google that you have comprehensive coverage of the topic and strengthens the authority of the main page.
Conversion Path Linking
Not all internal links are for SEO. Some exist to guide visitors toward a conversion. These are conversion path links — links that move a visitor closer to taking action. For example, a blog post about 'Signs Your Water Heater Needs Replacement' should link to your water heater repair service page, which includes a call to action. The blog post serves as the entry point, the internal link bridges the gap, and the service page converts. Every blog post and resource page on your site should have at least one conversion path link to a commercial page.
Building Your Internal Linking Structure
Start by mapping your most important pages — typically your homepage, primary service pages, and key city pages. Ensure these pages are linked from your main navigation and from each other where relevant. Then review your blog posts and add links to the commercial pages they support. Finally, audit for orphan pages and fix any you find. Internal linking is not a one-time task. As you add new content, review where it fits in your link structure and add connections to and from existing pages.
Internal Linking Audit Checklist
Use this checklist to audit your current internal linking structure:
- ✓Every service page is linked from your main navigation or a services hub
- ✓Blog posts link to at least one relevant service page
- ✓City pages link to the services available in that area
- ✓No orphan pages exist (every page has at least one internal link)
- ✓Anchor text is descriptive and relevant to the destination page
- ✓Your homepage links to your most important service pages
- ✓Related service pages cross-link to each other where relevant
- ✓A resource or blog hub page links to your key content
- ✓Conversion path links exist from informational content to commercial pages
- ✓Internal link structure is reviewed when new pages are published
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