The practice of linking pages within your own website to one another, which distributes link equity and helps search engines and AI systems understand site structure.
Internal links are the cheapest SEO and AEO lever you have. Every relevant page should link to your pillar pages and to relevant glossary terms with natural anchor text. Avoid generic anchors like “click here.”
Real-world example
An AEO article that mentions 'structured data' links to the glossary definition of structured data with the anchor text 'structured data' — not 'click here' or 'learn more'. AI engines read this anchor text as an editorial recommendation and use it to reinforce what the linked page is about.
Frequently asked questions
How many internal links should each page have?+
There is no hard limit, but aim for at least 3-5 contextual internal links per article (links embedded in paragraph text, not just from a 'related posts' widget). Homepage and pillar pages should link to 10-20+ internal destinations. More contextual links = stronger topical authority signal.
What anchor text should I use for internal links?+
Use descriptive anchor text that names the topic of the destination page — 'FAQ schema guide', 'llms.txt explained', 'topical authority strategy'. Avoid generic anchors ('click here', 'read more', 'this article'). AI engines use anchor text as the primary signal for what a linked page is about.
Related terms
Topical Authority — The depth and breadth of a website's coverage on a single topic, measured by search engines and AI systems through internal linking, content volume, and citation patterns.
Content Cluster — A group of interlinked pages on the same topic, organized around a central pillar page that links out to and is linked from supporting subtopic pages.