Internal Links That Rank: 3 Patterns to Copy

byJohnMaluth

490 followers

3 days ago

Back home, whenever we had big family weddings, one elder’s job was to point out seats: “You sit here, you sit there, don’t sit next to that uncle or there will be war.”

Sounds funny, but that’s exactly how internal links work on your website. They help organize the family, show Google who’s who, and keep everyone connected without fighting.

If your site’s pages don’t link to each other properly, it’s like having a wedding where everyone shows up, but nobody knows where to sit. Chaos.

Today, let me show you 3 simple internal linking patterns that keep your site both friendly for readers, and powerful for rankings.

Pattern 1: The Parent–Child Link

Think of your site as a family tree. The “parent” page is your big topic (like “Affiliate Marketing”). The “child” pages are detailed posts (like “Best Affiliate Programs for Beginners”).

👉 Always link from the child back to the parent, and from the parent down to the child. This builds a strong topical cluster. Google loves it. Readers love it too. It keeps them from wandering off like kids at a wedding.

Pattern 2: The Sibling Link

Ever notice how cousins like to sneak away together at parties? That’s what sibling links do.

If you’ve got two posts under the same parent topic, link them to each other. Example:

• “Best Affiliate Programs” links to “Affiliate Program Mistakes to Avoid.”
• Both link back to “Affiliate Marketing Guide.”

Now you’ve got a triangle of trust: parent, child, and sibling. Google sees your site as organized, not scattered.

Pattern 3: The VIP Path

At weddings, some people need a clear path: bride, groom, parents of the bride. You don’t bury them at the back table.

Same with your most important content. Pick your “money pages “the ones that convert, like review posts or sign-up guides. Then make sure lots of other posts point toward them.

The more internal links your VIP pages get, the more authority they carry. Google will treat them like head tables.

My Own Lesson

When I started blogging, I treated posts like orphans. Each one stood alone, hoping Google would find it. Spoiler: Google didn’t.

It wasn’t until I started linking posts together like telling family members, “Go talk to your cousin” that I saw rankings climb. My pages weren’t isolated anymore; they were part of a connected network.

Why This Works

Internal links are simple, but they send powerful signals:

• They help Google understand your site structure.
• They keep readers engaged, bouncing between posts.
• They pass authority to your key content.

It’s not about spamming links everywhere. It’s about being intentional. Just like a good elder at a wedding, you’re making sure everyone knows their place and stays connected.

🔥 Pro Tip: After you publish a new post, ask: “Which 3 posts should point to this?” Then go edit and add the links. It’s the easiest SEO win you’ll ever get.

Because in the end, ranking high is just like running a wedding. You don’t need chaos; you need connection.