A staggering 409 million people read web content every month. As if that’s not shocking enough, they also go through a whopping 23.7 billion web pages. That means every year, more than 284 billion pages get visitors!
A major reason for this is that many consumers turn to blogs for credible information. In fact, as many as 60% of them end up buying something because of a blog.
These figures should already tell you how valuable blogs are.
The thing is, there’s more to blogging than writing and uploading content. You need to know how to hyperlink, or you run the risk of appearing less favorable to Google. One reason is that links are part of the 200 ranking factors used by the search engine giant.
Don’t worry if you’ve never tried hyperlinking though. We’ll let you in on the secrets of linking, so, keep reading!
What Does “Hyperlink” Even Mean?
A hyperlink is a clickable word, set of words, or image letting you jump from one part of a page to another. In web content, it can direct you to another section of the same page or bring you to another web page.
In most cases, you’ll find hyperlinked words in blue (like those you see above). You can also tell it’s a hyperlink if your mouse cursor transforms to a hand with the pointer finger out.
But these are only the simple definitions of links. In the world of web content, there are two main types of hyperlinks: Internal and external. You need both for better search ranking, so it’s important you start mastering them.
A 101 on Internal Links
Want to know the link (sorry) between good web copy and linking? Well, if you click on that, you’ll find out. You’ll also find yourself on one of our internal links.
That’s an actual example of an internal link, but here’s a more technical explanation:
Internal hyperlinks link from one domain page to another page within the same domain. They’re HTML links to another page within the same website.
Here’s an easier way to picture it:
Say that the domain is your website. You’re writing a blog post about the health benefits of traveling.
If you have a previous travel-related post, such as where to go in Japan, you can link to that. Your blog readers can then click on that link and they’ll find your post about Japan. The link will take them to a different page, but in essence, your visitors are still on your website.
Why Even Bother with these Links?
Internal links are more than simple Google ranking factors. They also make your site more navigable to visitors. That’s improved user experience right there.
These links also make it easier for your readers to access new information. This then gives them more reason to stay on your site. The more pages they open, the more exposure your other web pages receive.
Furthermore, internal links within your blog posts boost your credibility and expertise. So long as you link to informative and fresh content, people would want to keep reading them.
How Do You Create a Hyperlink Then?
This depends on the platform you’re using. The good news is, most blog creation sites already have built-in hyperlinking tools. That means you most likely don’t have to deal with manual entry of hyperlink codes.
Let’s use WordPress.org, the most popular blogging platform worldwide, as an example. Here’s how you create and insert hyperlinks in it:
- Write the text you want to create an internal link for on the WP’s Visual Editor.
- Highlight the text and click on the “Insert/edit link” button in the editor.
- Enter the source (the specific web address of the internal link) in the URL textbox.
- Make sure the link text (anchor text) is exactly what you want.
- Hit on the “Add Link” button.
There you have it, you’ve created an internal link! Even if you’re using another blog editor, it’s likely the steps are similar. The “Insert/edit link” icon is almost always the same image.
How to Hyperlink: Best Practices You Should Follow
Knowing how to create hyperlinks isn’t enough to win at the game. There are rules you need to follow (AKA use them in an appropriate manner). Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Link to Pages Other than Your Home Page
If you keep linking only to your homepage, that’s the only page search engines will recognize. That also won’t help improve customer experience.
So, make sure you insert internal links to other relevant pages, like blog posts. Your “Contact Us” page is also a good internal link for your blog post’s call to action.
Use Relevant Anchor Texts
The anchor text is the word or phrase you want to hyperlink. It’s best you keep them as relevant to the destination URL (where you want to link to) as possible.
Let’s use the Japan example again.
Say your previous blog post bears the title “Top 5 Most Relaxing Places in Japan to Visit”. Your new post is about the health benefits of traveling. In the new post, you can use an anchor text like “traveling relaxes you” and link it to your previous post.
What’s important is to use an obvious and natural-sounding anchor text. It keeps your links relevant and prevents readers from thinking you’re spamming.
Don’t Link to Everywhere
As beneficial as internal links are, you don’t want to overstuff your blog posts with them. A good rule of thumb is to stick to two to three internal links for longer (like 1,000-word) posts.
Also, make sure you insert them in a natural manner. Link only to relevant products, services, or blog posts. Think about your readers, and how curious they would be to learn more about what’s in that link.
Making Links Work for and Not Against You
Now that you know how to hyperlink within the same domain, it’s time to start incorporating them in your content. Keep in mind that it takes time to see results from your link-building campaign. As such, the sooner you start, the earlier you’ll see your hard work pay off.
Here’s a final tip: Don’t forget to audit your links! Google doesn’t link broken links, so you want to check at least every quarter that yours still work. That way, you can stay on search engines’ good side.
Want more insider info on how to blog like a master? Then check our blog site out!
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