Selective Interlinking to Rank Target Keyword Mapped Page

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Ranking your mapped page for a target keyword is tough. If you have any practical SEO experience you might have noticed, that in many cases, the page that does rank for our target keyword isn’t always the intended page.

Even if the intended page does rank we often have to deal with cannibalization issues and then resolving that is whole another story.

In this blog, we have come up with a strategy by which we can rank target pages for specific keywords by selectively interlinking.

But before that let’s understand how ranking is determined by Page Rank.

What is Page Rank?

PageRank refers to the system and the algorithmic method that Google uses to rank pages as well as the numerical value assigned to pages as a score.

Understanding Interlinking and Its Impact on SEO

Interlinking, also known as internal linking, is a fundamental aspect of search engine optimization (SEO) that plays a significant role in improving website visibility, user experience, and search engine rankings. In this section, we’ll delve into the definition, significance, types, and strategies of interlinking, as well as its impact on SEO efforts.

A. Definition and Significance of Interlinking

Interlinking refers to the practice of linking one webpage to another within the same website. These internal links serve as pathways that connect different pages, guiding users and search engine crawlers to navigate through the website’s content more efficiently. Interlinking is significant for several reasons:

Enhanced User Experience: By providing internal links, website visitors can easily explore related content and navigate between pages, leading to a more seamless and intuitive browsing experience.
Improved Website Structure: Interlinking helps to establish a hierarchical structure within the website, organizing content into logical categories and subcategories. This improves website navigation and accessibility for both users and search engines.
Distributed Page Authority: Internal links distribute page authority and link equity throughout the website, helping to strengthen the overall authority and relevance of individual pages and the website as a whole.
Facilitates Indexing and Crawling: Internal links provide pathways for search engine crawlers to discover and index new content on the website. This ensures that all relevant pages are properly crawled, indexed, and included in search engine results.

B. How Interlinking Contributes to SEO Efforts

Interlinking plays a crucial role in supporting various SEO efforts and strategies, contributing to improved search engine rankings, organic traffic, and website visibility. Here’s how interlinking impacts SEO:

Enhanced Crawling and Indexing: Internal links facilitate the crawling and indexing of web pages by search engine bots, ensuring that all content is discovered and included in search engine results.
Keyword Relevance and Optimization: By using relevant anchor text in internal links, webmasters can optimize pages for specific keywords or phrases, signaling to search engines the relevance and context of the linked content.
Page Authority and Link Equity Distribution: Internal links help to distribute page authority and link equity throughout the website, strengthening the authority and relevance of individual pages and improving overall search engine rankings.
Reduced Bounce Rate: Well-placed internal links can encourage visitors to explore additional content on the website, reducing bounce rates and increasing user engagement and session duration.

C. Types of Interlinking: Navigational, Contextual, and Deep Interlinking

Interlinking can take various forms, each serving a specific purpose and contributing to overall SEO efforts. Some common types of interlinking include:

Navigational Interlinking: Navigational interlinking involves linking to key pages within the website’s navigation menu or sidebar. These links provide users with easy access to important sections of the website, such as the homepage, product pages, or contact information.
Contextual Interlinking: Contextual interlinking involves embedding links within the body of content, typically within blog posts, articles, or other written content. These links are used to reference related or relevant content within the website, providing additional information or context for readers.
Deep Interlinking: Deep interlinking involves linking to pages that are deeper within the website’s hierarchy, such as category pages, product pages, or archived content. These links help distribute authority throughout the website and ensure that all pages are indexed and accessible to search engines.

D. The Role of Anchor Text in Interlinking Strategies

Anchor text, or the clickable text of a hyperlink, plays a crucial role in interlinking strategies and SEO optimization. When used strategically, anchor text can provide context and relevance to linked pages, helping search engines understand the content and purpose of the link. Some key considerations for anchor text optimization include:

Relevance: Anchor text should accurately reflect the content of the linked page and the context in which it is used. It should provide users with a clear indication of what to expect when they click on the link.
Keyword Optimization: Where appropriate, anchor text can be optimized with relevant keywords or phrases that reflect the topic or theme of the linked page. This helps reinforce the relevance of the linked page to search engines and can improve its chances of ranking for related search queries.
Variety: It’s important to vary anchor text throughout the website to avoid over-optimization and ensure a natural, user-friendly experience. This includes using a mix of branded anchors, generic anchors, and keyword-rich anchors to provide a diverse linking profile.

A. Definition and Significance of Interlinking

Enhanced User Experience

One of the primary benefits of interlinking is its contribution to a positive user experience. Internal links guide visitors to related or complementary content, allowing them to explore more of what the website has to offer. For example, if a user is reading a blog about “Healthy Eating Habits,” internal links to related topics such as “Benefits of Meal Prepping” or “Top Nutrient-Rich Foods” can enrich their understanding and encourage further exploration.

This seamless navigation not only helps users find information quickly but also increases the time spent on the website. The longer a user remains engaged, the higher the likelihood of conversions, whether through subscriptions, purchases, or inquiries. Additionally, intuitive navigation reduces bounce rates, signaling to search engines that the website provides valuable content, which can positively impact rankings.

Improved Website Structure

Interlinking plays a crucial role in shaping a website’s structure by organizing its content into logical categories and hierarchies. Websites with a clear structure are easier to navigate for both users and search engine bots. Internal links help define the relationship between pages, creating a flow of information that enhances overall usability.

For instance, an e-commerce website might have a main category like “Electronics” and subcategories like “Laptops,” “Smartphones,” and “Accessories.” Through interlinking, a visitor exploring the “Smartphones” section can be directed to related pages, such as product comparisons or user reviews. This logical structure ensures users can effortlessly find what they are looking for while helping search engines understand the organization of the site’s content.

A well-structured website is also more accessible to users with disabilities, which aligns with web accessibility standards. By ensuring that interlinked pages are logically organized and easy to navigate, websites can cater to a broader audience and enhance inclusivity.

Distributed Page Authority

Search engines assign authority, often referred to as “link equity” or “link juice,” to pages based on the quality and quantity of links pointing to them. While external backlinks play a significant role in determining a website’s overall authority, internal links help distribute this authority across pages within the same domain.

For example, a homepage often receives the highest authority because it attracts the most backlinks. By interlinking the homepage to other key pages, such as product pages, blogs, or category pages, some of this authority is transferred, enhancing their visibility in search engine results. This internal distribution of authority helps strengthen the overall SEO performance of the website.

Moreover, pages that may not attract direct backlinks can still gain visibility through strategic interlinking. For instance, if a newly published blog is linked from a high-authority page, it can quickly gain traction, making it more likely to rank for targeted keywords.

Facilitates Indexing and Crawling

Search engine crawlers rely on links to discover and index content on a website. Internal links serve as pathways that guide these crawlers to various pages, ensuring that all important content is properly indexed and included in search results. Without adequate interlinking, some pages may remain isolated, resulting in missed indexing opportunities and reduced visibility.

For websites with large amounts of content, interlinking becomes even more critical. Blogs, e-commerce platforms, and news websites often publish content frequently, making it essential for crawlers to find new pages efficiently. By incorporating internal links, these websites can ensure that fresh content is discovered and indexed promptly.

In addition to improving crawlability, interlinking can influence how search engines interpret the relationship between pages. For example, if multiple pages link to a specific blog post using anchor text like “SEO Tips for Beginners,” search engines will associate that keyword with the page, improving its relevance for related searches.

B. How Interlinking Contributes to SEO Efforts

Enhanced Crawling and Indexing

Internal links play a pivotal role in helping search engine bots crawl and index a website effectively. Crawlers navigate websites by following links, and internal links act as a roadmap guiding them to discover and analyze all the pages within a site. This ensures that no valuable content remains hidden or overlooked.

For instance, if a new blog post is published but lacks internal links from other pages, search engines may struggle to find it, leading to delayed indexing or complete exclusion from search results. Conversely, linking the new post to related articles or category pages increases its visibility to bots, facilitating faster indexing. This comprehensive discovery process helps maintain a site’s relevance in search engine results and ensures all pages contribute to the website’s overall search engine performance.

Additionally, internal linking can influence how search engines prioritize certain pages. By strategically linking to high-value pages such as cornerstone content or key landing pages, webmasters can signal their importance, prompting crawlers to prioritize and index them more frequently.

Keyword Relevance and Optimization

Internal links serve as an opportunity to optimize pages for specific keywords by using relevant anchor text. Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink, and when crafted thoughtfully, it can convey the context and relevance of the linked page to search engines.

For example, linking a phrase like “SEO strategies for beginners” to a detailed guide on SEO basics signals to search engines that the linked page is relevant to those keywords. This practice not only improves the page’s relevance for related search queries but also enhances its visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).

However, it’s essential to use natural and varied anchor text. Over-optimization, such as using the same keyword-rich anchor text repeatedly, can appear manipulative to search engines and may result in penalties. Balancing keyword optimization with user-friendly, descriptive anchor text ensures a seamless experience for users while adhering to SEO best practices.

Page Authority and Link Equity Distribution

Internal links are instrumental in distributing page authority and link equity (commonly referred to as “link juice”) throughout a website. Pages with higher authority, such as the homepage or those frequently linked from external sources, can pass some of their authority to other internal pages through links.

For instance, linking from a high-authority blog post to a newer, less authoritative page helps the latter gain visibility and credibility in search engines. This distribution of authority strengthens the overall SEO performance of the website and ensures that all pages contribute to the site’s success.

Moreover, effective internal linking can help elevate pages that might not attract external backlinks. By connecting them to authoritative pages within the site, these less prominent pages can still benefit from enhanced visibility and ranking potential.

Reduced Bounce Rate

Well-placed internal links encourage visitors to explore more content on a website, reducing bounce rates and increasing engagement. Bounce rate refers to the percentage of users who leave a website after viewing only one page. High bounce rates can signal to search engines that a site’s content may not be engaging or relevant, potentially impacting rankings.

Internal links act as navigational prompts, guiding users to additional content they might find interesting or useful. For example, a visitor reading an article on “Top Digital Marketing Trends” might be intrigued by an internal link to another article titled “How to Create an Effective Digital Marketing Plan.” By clicking on the link, the user extends their session duration, interacts with more pages, and engages further with the website’s content.

Increased engagement not only improves user experience but also sends positive signals to search engines, indicating that the site offers valuable and relevant content. This can contribute to better rankings and greater organic traffic over time.

C. Types of Interlinking: Navigational, Contextual, and Deep Interlinking

Interlinking can take various forms, each serving a specific purpose and contributing to overall SEO efforts. Some common types of interlinking include:

Navigational Interlinking

Navigational interlinking involves integrating links to essential pages directly into a website’s navigation menu, sidebar, or footer. These links play a vital role in improving user experience by providing straightforward access to critical sections, such as the homepage, product or service pages, and contact information.

By organizing key pages within the navigation menu, users can quickly find the information they seek, reducing frustration and increasing the likelihood of engagement. For example, an e-commerce site might include links to categories like “New Arrivals,” “Best Sellers,” and “Customer Support” in its main navigation. These links guide users to high-priority areas and encourage them to explore the website further.

From an SEO perspective, navigational interlinking benefits search engine crawlers by highlighting the most important pages. This ensures that these pages are frequently indexed and prioritized for ranking in search engine results. Additionally, a well-structured navigation system can enhance crawlability and help search engines understand the website’s overall structure, boosting its search engine visibility.

Contextual Interlinking

Contextual interlinking involves placing internal links within the body of a webpage’s content, such as blog posts, articles, or landing pages. These links are typically used to reference related topics or additional information, creating a natural flow of information for readers. For instance, a blog post discussing “Top SEO Tools” might link to a detailed guide on “How to Use Google Analytics for SEO Success.”

This type of interlinking enhances user experience by offering readers easy access to supplementary content that deepens their understanding of a topic. It also encourages them to spend more time on the site, increasing engagement and reducing bounce rates.

From an SEO standpoint, contextual interlinking is particularly effective because it allows webmasters to use anchor text strategically. By incorporating relevant keywords into the anchor text, search engines gain a clearer understanding of the linked page’s content and relevance. However, it’s essential to maintain a natural tone and avoid over-optimization, as excessive use of keyword-rich anchor text can appear manipulative and harm SEO performance.

Contextual links also help search engines discover and index content buried deeper within the site, ensuring no valuable pages are overlooked.

Deep Interlinking

Deep interlinking focuses on linking to pages that are located deeper within the website’s hierarchy, such as category pages, subcategory pages, product pages, or older blog posts. This practice is crucial for distributing link authority across the site and ensuring all pages are accessible to both users and search engine crawlers.

For example, a website featuring hundreds of blog posts might include internal links from recent articles to older, but still relevant, content. This keeps older pages active, prevents them from becoming orphaned (unlinked from other pages), and ensures they continue to contribute to the website’s SEO performance.

Deep interlinking also boosts the discoverability of content that might not receive direct backlinks. By linking to these pages from high-authority sections, such as the homepage or cornerstone articles, their visibility and ranking potential improve.

D. The Role of Anchor Text in Interlinking Strategies

Relevance

The relevance of anchor text is a critical factor in both user experience and SEO. Anchor text refers to the clickable text in a hyperlink, and it should be carefully crafted to reflect the content of the linked page accurately. When users click on a link, the anchor text should provide them with a clear idea of what they will find, ensuring a seamless and intuitive browsing experience. For instance, if the anchor text reads “SEO Tips for Beginners,” the linked page should provide detailed information about SEO strategies for those new to the field.

Search engines also rely on anchor text to understand the context and content of the linked page. If the anchor text aligns with the page’s topic, it reinforces the page’s relevance to that subject. For example, linking to a blog post about “digital marketing trends” with anchor text like “top digital marketing trends” signals to search engines that the linked page is about this specific topic. Misleading or irrelevant anchor text can confuse both users and search engines, negatively affecting trust and ranking potential.

Keyword Optimization

Anchor text can be optimized with relevant keywords to enhance a website’s SEO performance. Including keywords or phrases related to the linked page in the anchor text helps search engines establish a clear connection between the two pages. This practice can improve the chances of the linked page ranking for those specific keywords in search engine results. For example, if a page focuses on “e-commerce website development,” using this phrase as anchor text signals the topic to search engines and improves the linked page’s visibility for related search queries.

However, it’s essential to use keyword-rich anchor text strategically and sparingly. Overloading anchor text with keywords—often referred to as “keyword stuffing”—can lead to penalties from search engines. Google’s algorithms prioritize user intent and natural language, so anchor text should feel organic and provide genuine value to users.

Variety

Maintaining variety in anchor text is essential for creating a natural and diverse linking profile. Over-optimization, such as using the same keyword-rich anchor text repeatedly, can trigger search engine penalties and diminish the user experience. To avoid this, webmasters should incorporate a mix of anchor text types, such as:

Branded Anchors: These include the website or company name, like “XYZ Solutions” or “Google Analytics.”
Generic Anchors: Phrases like “click here,” “read more,” or “learn more” provide a neutral linking option.
Keyword-Rich Anchors: These include relevant keywords or phrases that describe the linked page’s content.

A diverse anchor text strategy ensures that links appear natural to both users and search engines. For instance, linking to a page about SEO strategies might use a mix of “SEO tips,” “search engine optimization,” “click here for SEO advice,” and “XYZ Solutions’ SEO guide.”

By understanding the significance of interlinking, the different types of interlinking strategies available, and the role of anchor text in optimization, website owners can leverage internal linking effectively to enhance SEO efforts and improve search engine rankings. Through strategic interlinking, websites can achieve greater visibility, authority, and relevance within their niche, ultimately driving more organic traffic and engagement.

How does Page Rank pass through Interlinking

The picture on the Moz Blog puts it very clearly.

Source: Moz Blog

The diagram shows that PageRank, a traditional model of how links move through web pages, no longer functions as it once did. The toolbar is a terrible predictor of PR flow, and even while Google (and other engines) may still employ some elements of the PR model (and related algorithms), it is unquestionably not the be-all and end-all of linking strategies.

However Links from Internal pages still pass Link Value, and the more the PR of a page, the more its probability to rank. We will use this concept in our attempt to rank a single page above all others.

How to Selectively Interlink Pages to Pass Page Rank Strategically

Identify the Target Keyword and all Pages containing it

The best way to do it is to simply put a site: command along with the target keyword.

In this example, we want to find out all pages in the domain aifpms.com containing the word “portfolio managers”.

Scrap all Page URLs containing the Target Keyword

You can scrap the urls from Google SERP itself using the Scraper extension. The following video from Ahrefs will tell how to use it. (Watch from 2:34 sec timestamp)

Save the scraped page urls in an Excel Sheet.

Find all Page Ranks using Gephi

To know how to use Gephi, you can read our Definitive Guide or you can watch the video I made to find all relative page ranks values for your pages.

Video Link > https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bxnz6qW-9JGQ-7qOIGbZd0N9WD1S5DHl/view?usp=sharing

After you have exported all the website page URLs with the page ranks, you can find the page ranks of the previously exported urls containing the keyword “portfolio manager” specifically using a simple VLOOKup function.

If you don’t know how to use a VLOOKup function you can refer to the following video.

Filter Pages with a Page Rank lower than the Target URL

Essentially the concept is we want to make sure all relevant pages with a page rank lower than the target page links to the target page to empower it.

We are not to touch the page with the highest page rank since we don’t want to disturb their rankings.

The rest you can sort out in the Excel File.

Final Thoughts

This strategy is one of the most effective ways to rank specific landing pages in Google SERP. Eventually, by repeating the cycle every 3-4 months, we eventually make sure all our pages are properly linked and our most important pages have proper link and page rank distribution.

Tuhin Banik

Thatware | Founder & CEO

Tuhin is recognized across the globe for his vision to revolutionize digital transformation industry with the help of cutting-edge technology. He won bronze for India at the Stevie Awards USA as well as winning the India Business Awards, India Technology Award, Top 100 influential tech leaders from Analytics Insights, Clutch Global Front runner in digital marketing, founder of the fastest growing company in Asia by The CEO Magazine and is a TEDx speaker and BrightonSEO speaker.