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November 12, 2007

Internal Links: What Have You Done for Yourself Lately?

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 9:15 am

Stronger Foundations

I was over at Dosh, Dosh last night, reading his post about building a popular blog. A point he made got me thinkng of a post of my own about successful and outstanding blogs. Linking the two together is a service to Maki, me, and our readers because it connects like information for like-minded folks. It’s also a way to show spiders how related we are.

When we add a link as a trusted author, it’s like saying to a reader, “If you like this, you’re bound to like this too.”

It’s the same when we’re writing a post, and we realize what we’re saying ties neatly with something we’ve written before. Readers deserve a link that will take them to the previous work. Those internal links are of value in almost every direction we look.

The Value of Intra-Links

Internal links have three key values.

  • They offer readers more content on a subject they’re interested in.
  • They increase your page views when readers follow them.
  • When you use well-thought descriptive anchor text, they help search engines interpret the content of our blogs.

Internal links are like ladders through the scaffolding structure. They can draw readers further into a blog the same way they draw in search engine spiders through the content. Readers become more involved and more a part with each link they follow. That involvement leads to a comfort-zone, a sense of belonging. Readers become intimate with the content on our blogs.

Use internal links to make the structure of your blog stronger and to invite readers to get to know you better too.

Do you use internal links to say to reader, “If you like this, you have to see this too?”

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

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8 Comments to “Internal Links: What Have You Done for Yourself Lately?”

  1. November 12th, 2007 at 10:08 am
    Mother Earth said

    I do, I do!! I think I am a natural linker. Or one who loves to share. connect. be a connector —

    My home has these feng shui ways that seemingly happen ( sortof like the placement of the mirror is very feng shui - ish.) Yet I have never invested any effort in understanding all that

    I’ve been told I’m a natural

    Mother Earth aka Karen Hanrahan
    http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com

  2. November 12th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mother Earth!
    You could very well be a natural linker. You are a relational sort through and through. :)

    Yeah, you help keep us all connected. And your smile makes a wonderful connection to hold us together with.

  3. November 12th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
    Jesse Petersen said

    Liz! Great question, and I’m glad you asked.

    I’ve joined forces with a long-time gaming blogger that inspired me to start my first blog. We are starting a company as we speak and have nearly completely re-tooled my site to further my brand that I have developed over the last 2 years.

    Internally, that included improving plugin usage to make navigating pictures easier, setting up InSeries, and cleaning up the ads and blogroll.

    This was the first time I spent almost a full week working on a theme before launching and sought feedback and advice about how it comes across to ensure how it matches my brand, my voice, and our goals for the site.

    I can easily and honestly say, I’ve had a good teacher. :) Thanks, Liz.

  4. November 12th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Jesse!
    That all sounds so exciting! I’m thrilled to hear what’s going on with your gaming blog these days! YEA!!!

  5. November 12th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
    Kirk M said

    Hi Liz,

    I’ve been using a tagging system to add a related posts feature at the end of each post if the post warrants it. Occasionally I include intra-links within the post itself but probably not as often as I should.

    I’ll admit I’ve been falling down on the job lately when it comes to “all things blogging” but that’s singularly due to a major change in my life that’s thrown a real wrench in the way I look at things these days but things never remain the same now do they?

    Hmmm, doesn’t sound like me.

    I’m lost.
    I’ve gone to find myself.
    If I get back before I return…
    Tell me to wait. :)

  6. November 12th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Kirk!
    I’m here. If I see you, I’ll talk to you, until you return to find you. :)

  7. November 12th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
    Mother Earth said

    awwwww liz you always say the nicest things to me - thank you

    today’s post has 11 links in it and I upgraded the template - well derrick upgraded the template - i messed around a little in the sidebar - i am learning!!

    the header is I think too early for winter - i am so not ready for snow

    I lost the header 3 times tonight “learning” shhhhhhhhhhhh -don’t tell derrick

    http://bestwellnessconsultant.com/2007/11/12/product-of-the-week-natural-interferon-dr-yosuhiko-kojima-botanical-immune-system-booster-karen-hanrahan-best-wellness-consultant-com.aspx

    watch out –that smile comes at you from the left now

    Mother Earth aka Karen Hanrahan
    http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com

  8. November 28th, 2007 at 2:37 am
    8 ways to waste your blogging time. « Levite Chronicles said

    […] Never tell anyone how your posts are connected to each other. Liz Straus wrote a wonderful post about internal links which changed my posts…and changed my traffic. Go […]

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