Interlinking is the act of creating interlinks. The prefix "inter" means "between" or "in between"; therefore, an interlink is an internal link, which is generated between two parts of the same website.
how is an interlink created?
On a more technical level, it consists of linking two pages with the same domain, i.e. including a link within a website that leads to another part of it. These links can be created with different elements:
- Words
- Images and videos
- Calls to action and pop-up messages
Perhaps words are the example that we have internalised the most. It consists of inserting the link in a word that takes us to an article, to generate a download, to return to the beginning or to take the customer to the purchase section. This word can be found in the menu, as the text of an article, at the end of it... The customer service section itself or the link to subscribe to the newsletter are examples of interlinks. For example, here we leave an internal link to the OCCAM homepage.
Images or videos can be both carriers and receivers of this link, i.e. we can insert a link in an image that directs the reader to an explanation, to its source or to another section of the website where it is discussed, or we can generate a link that leads to a video where the same subject is discussed.
In the case of calls to action and pop-up messages, something similar happens, although there is a slight difference in that they are graphic icons created specifically to redirect to another section of the website. For example, a call to action could be the following, an icon that transports to the contact section of our website, created specifically with this link function.
Advantages of using interlinks
Thus, we observe that there is an internal linking that transports the reader from one section of the page to another similar (in content, importance and typology), which is called horizontal linking. But another type of movement can also be generated, called vertical, where the movement occurs between two sites of the website with different depth, for example, the home page and an article. The combination of both is called mixed linking.
Internal links are highly beneficial for the website and for the user on several levels. Although it is true that the main objective of a website when placing interlinks is to increase internal traffic, it also hopes to generate an experience as simple and enriching as possible for the prospect. It mainly tries to offer him everything he needs (information, complementary content, services, downloads) within the website itself so that he does not have to go to other websites, which is also more convenient and enriching for the user, who will always prefer to get all the necessary information on the same website.
Thanks to interlinks, the user creates his own transmedia narrative, tracing his own path by choosing from the various possible directions that the web offers him. This personalises the experience, which is always a plus for the user, who has a preference for his own tastes and choices. Do I want to know more about this term or do I prefer to continue reading this article? Do I want to be referred to another page or do I prefer to stay here?
Added to the particularity of the choice, the user gets more information that he or she might not have gotten otherwise, better understands the context of the topic being discussed, and becomes more informed.
But, of course, the company also obtains important benefits in that its entries or different sections of the website receive more visits than they would if they were not linked, since the only way to reach them would be with a specific search within the browser.
The act of bouncing from one section of the website to the next increases the time a person spends on the website. This is one of the data that search engines take into account when classifying and ordering websites in the results pages, as they understand that it is a page with more quality, or that offers a better service and information than others, and therefore deserves to climb positions on the results page. Therefore, in terms of SEO positioning, two main advantages are obtained: increased traffic and increased time spent on the website, two of the most important variables when it comes to classification.
But beyond SEO positioning, the presence of interlinks improves the skeleton of the website, the internal structure, the architecture of the company. A more organised and schematic appearance means a simpler experience for the user, who always tries to find the least complex way of doing things. In the field we talk about giving authority to the page, that is, deciding which sections of it are more important, or which content you want to highlight above the others.
A tip for optimising the interlink is not to always use the same word, do you want to prioritise a section of your website or an article? Do not always link the same term, use other synonyms or other sections of the same word to make users reach it. If a reader sees the same word linked twice, they will assume that both lead to the same place. However, it is useful to have a reference keyword that the search engines use as the main keyword for positioning. Another useful tip is to link the pages with fewer visits from the most visited pages to improve positioning.
In short, although the use of external links to the website can sometimes be counterproductive, by diverting the reader from the page itself, interlinking is a fabulous tool not only to keep them within our website but also to offer them a wide range of possibilities for personalised content.
