Introduction
When people think about SEO, they often focus on getting other websites to link to them. But one of the most powerful and underused SEO tactics is something you have complete control over — internal linking.
Internal links are links that connect one page on your website to another page on the same website. Done strategically, they help Google discover and index your content, distribute authority to your most important pages, and guide visitors deeper into your site.
This is part of the 7-Day SEO Checklist for Growth by Malama Digital — your step-by-step guide to building a stronger digital presence in Hawaii and beyond.
What Is Internal Linking?
An internal link is any hyperlink that points from one page on your website to another page on the same domain. This is different from an external link, which points to a page on a different website.
Example HTML:
<a href=”/hawaii-seo/”>Learn more about our Hawaii SEO services</a>
Internal links serve three main purposes: they help search engines crawl and understand your site structure, they pass link authority (also called “link equity” or “link juice”) between pages, and they improve the user experience by connecting related content.
Why Internal Linking Matters for SEO
- Helps Google discover new and deep pages that might not be easily found through navigation alone
- Distributes link equity from high-authority pages (like your homepage) to important service or product pages
- Establishes topical relevance by connecting related content, signaling to Google that your site has depth on a subject
- Keeps visitors on your site longer by guiding them to related content they’ll find valuable
- Reduces orphan pages — pages with no internal links pointing to them that Google struggles to find and index
How to Build an Internal Linking Strategy: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Identify Your Most Important Pages
Start by listing your “pillar pages” — the pages that are most important to your business and that you most want to rank. These are typically your homepage, core service pages, and top-performing blog posts. These pages should receive the most internal links from the rest of your site.
Step 2: Find Linking Opportunities in Existing Content
Go through your existing blog posts and pages. Every time a topic comes up that is covered in more depth on another page, add an internal link. This is the fastest way to build internal links without creating any new content.
Example:
Blog post about “local SEO tips” → link to your “Hawaii SEO Services” page Blog post about “keyword research” → link to your “Keyword Mapping” guide
Step 3: Use Descriptive Anchor Text
Anchor text is the clickable text of a hyperlink. Always use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text that tells both users and Google exactly what the linked page is about. Avoid generic anchor text like “click here” or “read more.”
✅ “Learn more about our Hawaii SEO services”
❌ “Click here”
❌ “Read more”
Step 4: Link Deep, Not Just to the Homepage
Many websites over-link to their homepage and navigation pages, while deep service and blog pages get very few internal links. Make sure your internal linking strategy sends visitors and link equity deep into your site — to the specific pages that need ranking boosts.
Step 5: Fix Orphan Pages
An orphan page is a page on your website that has no internal links pointing to it. Google has a hard time finding and indexing orphan pages. Use Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to identify orphan pages and add at least two to three internal links pointing to each one.
Step 6: Keep Links Contextually Relevant
Only link to a page when it is genuinely relevant to the content the reader is currently viewing. Irrelevant links frustrate users and dilute the SEO value of the link. Quality and context matter far more than quantity.
What a Strong Internal Linking Structure Looks Like
Think of your website like a pyramid. At the top is your homepage, which has the most authority. Below that are your main service or category pages. Below those are your individual blog posts and supporting pages.
Internal links should flow both downward (from homepage to service pages to blog posts) and upward (from blog posts back to service pages). This creates a web of relevance that helps Google understand how all your content is connected.
Homepage → Hawaii SEO Services (service page) → How to Do Keyword Research (blog post) → What Is On-Page SEO? (blog post) → Hawaii Web Design (service page) → How to Build a Fast Website (blog post)
Common Internal Linking Mistakes to Avoid
- Using generic anchor text like “click here” or “read more”
- Adding too many internal links on a single page, which dilutes link equity
- Only linking to your homepage and top navigation pages
- Leaving orphan pages with no internal links pointing to them
- Linking to the same page multiple times within the same piece of content with different anchor text
How to Audit Your Internal Links
- Screaming Frog: Crawl your site and go to the Inlinks tab to see how many internal links each page receives — low numbers indicate pages that need more support
- Ahrefs Site Audit: Shows orphan pages, pages with few internal links, and broken internal links all in one report
- Google Search Console: Use the Links report to see your most internally linked pages and spot any that are being overlooked
Pro Tips
- When you publish a new blog post, immediately go back to 3–5 existing posts and add internal links pointing to the new one — this helps Google find and index it faster
- Use a content silo structure: group related blog posts together and link them to a central pillar page, then link the pillar page back to each post
- Aim for 2–5 internal links per page as a starting point — more is fine for longer content, as long as each link is contextually relevant
Why This Matters for Hawaii Businesses
For Hawaii businesses with multiple service areas or locations — covering Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai — internal linking is especially powerful. Connecting location-specific pages to your main service pages reinforces your geographic relevance and helps Google understand the full scope of your local coverage.
At Malama Digital, internal linking is a core part of every SEO strategy we build. It’s one of the most impactful changes you can make to your existing site without creating a single new piece of content.
What’s Next
With your internal linking strategy in place, the next step is optimizing your Google Business Profile — one of the most powerful tools for local SEO in Hawaii.
Read next: How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile for SEO →
About Malama Digital
Malama Digital is a Hawaii-based digital marketing agency specializing in SEO, web design, and online growth strategies. From local SEO to full-scale digital campaigns, we provide the tools and expertise needed to compete in today’s search landscape and drive consistent, long-term results.
Visit us at malamadigitalhi.com