What is an internal link structure?
An internal link structure refers to links within a website project. Too little attention is often paid to the internal link structure, although links within the pages are very important for the ranking of the website. Internal links are not just navigation links. Within the text of a page, links should also be made from one page in the project to another suitable project page on the website.
What significance does the internal link structure have for SEO?
Clever internal linking is a very good SEO tool. Search engine optimizers can achieve a lot with an optimal internal link structure and drive the website forward. It's not just about the navigation and the use of keywords in the link text.
The search engine crawlers call up the various pages individually and follow existing links. Information found on a website is ultimately sent to the server and evaluated. Many indexed pages are often only discovered by the crawlers through internal links, as there are no external backlinks on the page itself. If a particular website is scanned and there are no internal links, the search from the site comes to an end. Website operators would thus miss out on opportunities to capture further pages from a project. The more internal links there are, the better it is for the website, as a ranking is also possible for many different search phrases.
Such a reach is hardly possible via external links. In addition, a significantly higher effort is required to obtain many high-quality external links for your own project. However, external links should not be avoided, as these links are generally good for the website. They contribute to increasing the domain pop. Linkjuice, on the other hand, is obtained from internal and external links. In order to use all the advantages for your own site, neither the external nor the internal link structure should be neglected.