The Basics of Internal and External Links
Knowing the basics of linking can help you increase site visibility and build relationships.
The internet is comprised of external and internal links that allow us to navigate from page to page. Every time you click on a link, you’re clicking on HTML that transports you from one page to another (sometimes endlessly). When you’re casually browsing the web, knowing the differences between links and linking strategies doesn’t really matter. But when it comes to digital marketing and promoting your business it can be important. So here are the basics of links:
External and Internal Links
External links are links on pages that point to your site from a completely separate domain. These are links that are mostly out of your control and influence. Examples of external links include links from search engine result pages, links from a blog that use your site as a resource, or links on a directory.
Internal links are links that point to pages within the same domain. These are links that you have complete control over. They are often navigational and help search engines and visitors understand the content and organization of your site. Internal links can also be contextual links, or links within the content of a page that points to another page. Examples of internal links include the navigation menu, links within blog posts that point to other blogs, or links from your site pages to your contact page.
External and Internal links both provide SEO value. External links provide credibility to your site while internal links help search engines navigate and understand the content of your site.
External Links and SEO (Inlinking)
When an external website points to your site with a link, it’s basically telling people that your site contains valuable information that they should read. This is important to search engines who are constantly trying to provide relevant content to interested users. It might be helpful to think of every link that points to your site as a vote. Each vote you earn helps to establish your reputation and credibility on the internet. When referring to external links and SEO, you’ll often come across the terms inbound links and inlinking, which all mean same thing. Businesses and marketers will often create link building strategies to gain more external links to their website.
Outlinking
Outlinking is when your page links to another site, providing an external link for someone else. For example, search engines outlink by providing search results that point to other websites. Outlinking doesn’t give SEO benefits, but it can be helpful in building relationships with other sites, bloggers, or influencers within your industry. If you point to another site as a resource, you’re showing that you like its content. It may be an opportunity to reach out and start a conversation. You’ll find that sites that link to other domains earn more links back.
External links, internal links, inlinking and outlinking are all important when looking to increase your audience. Internal links and good site structure help visitors understand your website and find content. External links and inlinking increase your visibility on the web. Outlinking can foster authentic partnerships with people in your industry.