Can you have too many internal links?
Whilst looking at my website the other day it came to me that all of my posts have internal links. This may not be seen as a bad thing as the training encourages us to have links from one post to another so that visitors are encouraged to look around the site.
However, I decided to read the site as if I was a visitor to it. As I followed links from one post to another, I realized that visitors to my website might feel that they were going round in circles. It is a site promoting Wealthy Affiliate but there were very few direct CTA links that went to Wealthy Affiliate itself.
I do tend to have WA banners on each post but if my site visitors are anything like me they probably ignore these. My brain does tend to ignore adverts if I am looking for information (I realize that this maybe just me!) so I feel that I should have CTA links within the actual posts.
Therefore, I have done some updating of my posts so that people don't have search for a link to WA - fingers crossed that this will help with referrals!
Recent Comments
19
Check out Kyle's lesson on pretty links in Boot camp section two. I do agree with about advert's only they tend to annoy me.
Sandy
Hi Sandy
Thanks for that - I am still working on section one of the bootcamp so I will take a quick peek at the pretty links lesson.
Best Wishes
Hazel
From an SEO point of view, you cannot have too many internal links. However, you will reach a point where there may be so many that they become distracting and begin to actually take away from the principal post itself. Also, don't put internal links in just to have them there. The posts you are linking to have to be relevant to the principal post.
Regarding external links, and as Valerie mentions below, Kyle and most of the other experts here recommend trying to limit your affiliate links to review posts and definitely to avoid having them in every single post.
Colette and Philip
Thanks very much for that Colette and Philip. Yes I don't put in irrelevant internal links, I link to posts that expand a point I am making.
I don't actually do many review posts as my focus is on helping people with disabilities and how affiliate marketing could be an option for themselves.
Best Wishes
Hazel
Every post should include at least 1 internal link. If appropriate a second internal link can be included. However, each link must lead to a related topic.
Regarding CTA's, Kyle's training is to link to our WA review. Occasionally, I link directly to WA. Although we need to provide a pathway for our visitors, Google punishes for too many affiliate links.
I have never found banners to be effective, for any program or product. Therefore, I keep them at a minimum.
Thank you for that, Valerie. Yes my internal links only go to posts that expand a point being made in the original post.
I take on your advice that too many affiliate links may affect my SEO and will take a look at how many I have.
I also need to take a look at how effective my banners are. If they are not effective I may as well not include them.
Appreciate your thoughts,
Hazel
Too many of either external, as well as internal, can be hard also. The correct amount can only be seen through your analytics and tweaking keywords. Hopefully, the changes will work out for you.
Take care,
Bill
Thank you, Bill.
My site is only just getting off the ground so not too much analysis available at the moment. Just starting Jay's webinars on google analytics so I think this hopefully will become a natural progression.
Best Wishes
Hazel
Hi James
Some of the ideas given in the other replies to this blog have already given me something to think about and work on.
Best Wishes
Hazel
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Probably a good idea, Hazel.
Wayne
Thank you, Wayne.