What internal linking practices help users and search engines understand a site?

Internal linking works best when it is logical, descriptive, and easy to crawl. Good practice is to make sure every important page is linked from at least one other page, use clear anchor text that describes the destination, and organise links into a simple site hierarchy so related pages support each other.

Practices that help users and search engines

• Link important pages from other relevant pages so key content is discoverable and not left orphaned.
• Use descriptive anchor text instead of vague phrases like “click here”, so users and crawlers understand what the linked page is about.
• Keep the structure shallow by reducing unnecessary click depth, making important pages reachable in a few clicks.
• Use contextual links within the main content to point users to related pages that genuinely add value.
• Group related content into topic clusters or hub-and-spoke structures so a central page connects to supporting pages in the same subject area.
• Place links where they are most useful and avoid overloading pages with too many links, which can reduce clarity.
• Keep links crawlable and avoid broken or unnecessary links, so search engines can follow the site properly.
• Audit and update internal links regularly as new content is published or old content changes.

In short, the best internal linking practice is to make the site’s important pages easy to find, easy to understand, and clearly connected by topic.