Internal links that help visitors find the answer
An internal link connects one page of your website to another. It helps visitors continue a task and helps search engines discover relationships between pages. The useful question is what someone needs next, not how many links you can insert into an article.
Before you start
- Choose a page customers already visit and the question it answers.
- List two or three genuinely relevant next destinations on your website.
What to do
Follow a realistic customer journey
Someone reading about café private hire may next need capacity details, sample food or an enquiry route. Someone reading a repair guide may need a related diagnostic explanation. Link at that point of need rather than adding a list of every service you sell.
Write meaningful labels
Use words that describe the destination, such as view our sample menu. Avoid several identical read more links when their destinations differ. A reader scanning the page should understand why opening the link might help without having to guess its purpose.
Check that links are real and current
Use the normal linking control in your editor, not text styled to look clickable. Open each important destination and confirm the expected address. Developers should ensure navigation uses crawlable links rather than depending only on a script attached to unrelated text.
Review the return route
After arriving, a visitor should still know where they are and how to reach related information. Add a relevant category route where useful. When you retire or rename a page, update links pointing to it instead of leaving customers to encounter an avoidable error.
What to check
- Each link has a useful reason to exist at that point.
- Labels describe the destination accurately and destinations open correctly.
- Important public pages are reachable from the site's normal navigation.
Sources and further reading
Platform features can change. Check the provider’s current guidance before changing a live service.