Internal Linking Strategies for SEO Siloing: Virtual Siloing

 

Organizing your website content in a way that benefits both search engines and visitors is an art and science. Get it right, and you’ll build a highly relevant, authoritative website for search results. 

But how? One way is through SEO siloing. SEO siloing has many parts, and internal linking is an important one. 

In this article, I’ll discuss how to do internal linking for SEO silos, which is a way to link interconnected topics together on your website.

 

What Is SEO Siloing?

SEO siloing is a method of organizing a website’s content into themed sections, known as silos, to improve its relevance around target keywords and phrases.  

SEO siloing involves creating physical silos (with content grouped into specific website directories) and virtual silos (using internal linking to connect related pages). 

The aim is to make the site easier for search engines to understand and index, which enhances authority for specific topics and visibility in the search results.

In this article, I’ll focus on virtual silos using internal linking strategies to reinforce SEO silos.

What Is an Internal Link?

An internal link is a link that takes a website visitor or search engine bot from one page to another on the same website.

 

Internal links differ from external links, which point to a page on another website. Internal links also differ from inbound links, which point to a page on your website but come from another website.

Here’s what Google says about internal links:

You may usually think about linking in terms of pointing to external websites but paying more attention to the anchor text used for internal links can help both people and Google make sense of your site more easily and find other pages on your site. Every page you care about should have a link from at least one other page on your site. Think about what other resources on your site could help your readers understand a given page on your site, and link to those pages in context.

 

Virtual Silos vs. Physical Silos

There are two primary methods of creating silos: virtual silos and physical silos.

Virtual Silos

Virtual silos use internal linking to create a network of related content without changing the website’s directory structure. 

The linked pages are not necessarily in the same directory but are relevant to one another.  

For example, pages about different aspects of SEO (on-page, off-page, technical SEO, etc.) might link back to a central landing page on SEO strategies, such as an SEO guide. 

Virtual silos are particularly useful for websites that cannot easily modify their directory structure but still want to benefit from a siloing strategy. 

This approach enhances SEO by creating a strong internal link network that helps search engines discover new content and understand the topical relationships between pages. 

It also allows visitors to discover new and related content.

Advantages of virtual silos:

• Flexibility: Can be implemented without changing the existing site structure.
• Scalability: Easy to add new links as more content is created.
• Adaptability: Quickly adjust linking strategies in response to algorithm changes or new SEO insights.

Physical Silos

Physical silos organize content into distinct, theme-based directories within the website’s structure. 

This method uses URLs and URL hierarchy to group related content together, making it easier for search engines to understand the primary focus of each section. 

For instance, a site might have separate directories for different offerings or topics, such as www.example.com/seo-services or www.example.com/content-marketing. 

Each directory would contain relevant content, reinforcing the theme and using the URL structure to tie it together. 

Using the BruceClay.com website structure as an example, our service offerings live under the main URL: bruceclay.com/seo/. 

This is supported by several subpages such as:

Consulting: https://www.bruceclay.com/seo/seo_consulting/
Training: https://www.bruceclay.com/seo/training-info/
Tools: https://www.bruceclay.com/seo/tools/

 

Comparison

Both virtual and physical silos aim to enhance SEO by organizing content into logical, thematic clusters. 

The choice between them depends on various factors, including the existing site structure, the ability to make structural changes and the website’s specific SEO goals.

Let’s now look closer at how to implement virtual silos on a website.

Internal Linking Strategies in SEO Silos: Virtual Siloing

Virtual silos require careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices to ensure success. 

Consistent Cross-Linking

Cross-linking is the backbone of virtual siloing. It involves linking all supporting pages to the central landing page and vice versa. 

This interlinking:

• Reinforces themes: It helps search engines understand the relationship between pages and the overarching theme.
• Improves user navigation: It guides users to related content, enhancing their experience and engagement.
• Distributes link equity: It shares the ranking power among pages, boosting the SEO potential of the entire silo.

Using Descriptive Anchor Text

Anchor text provides context to both users and search engines about the linked page’s content. Ensure the anchor text is closely related to the linked page’s content. 

In most instances, you can use the target page’s primary keyword. For example, use “crunchy peanut butter” instead of “click here.”

Here’s what Google says about anchor text: 

Link text (also known as anchor text) is the text part of a link that you can see. This text tells users and Google something about the page you’re linking to. With appropriate anchor text, users and search engines can easily understand what your linked pages contain before they visit.

 

Virtual Siloing Example

Let’s say you own a site that sells peanut butter, and you want to create a virtual silo for the target keyword phrase: “crunchy peanut butter.” 

The website has the following pages, but none of them are connected via the URL structure in a directory:

• peanutbuttersite.com/superchunk/
• peanutbuttersite.com/lowfat/
• peanutbuttersite.com/organic/
• peanutbuttersite.com/jellyhybrid/
• peanutbuttersite.com/almond/

To create a virtual silo, you would start linking the pages together. 

Say you already have a “crunchy peanut butter” landing page. You should link each one of the individual webpages mentioned above to the crunchy peanut butter landing page via a link on the page with keyword-rich anchor text — and vice versa. 

So, for example:

• The super chunk webpage (peanutbuttersite.com/superchunk/) would include a link to the crunchy peanut butter landing page (peanutbuttersite.com/crunchy/) using the keyword “crunchy peanut butter.”

Then: 

• The crunchy peanut butter landing page (peanutbuttersite.com/crunchy/) would link to the super chunk webpage (peanutbuttersite.com/superchunk/) using the keyword “super chunk peanut butter.”

One of the easiest ways to link pages together is through contextual links. Contextual links are links embedded within a webpage’s main content. 

For example, the following link to our guide on SEO siloing is contextual, using the anchor text “SEO siloing.” You can find contextual links within that guide, too:

 

However, in the context of creating a silo, you might instead just make a mini sitemap on the page, linking all the pages together, like so:

 

You would do this with each webpage that you want to include in the silo. This network of links creates a clear thematic structure that search engines recognize, enhancing the SEO of the entire silo.

Regular Auditing

Once you’ve implemented a virtual silo, regular audits of your internal linking structure are key. Conduct periodic reviews to:

• Identify broken links: Fix any broken or outdated links that could degrade the user experience and SEO.
• Evaluate link effectiveness: Assess whether the current linking structure meets your SEO goals and adjust as needed based on performance data.
• Update anchor text: Ensure anchor texts remain relevant and aligned with current SEO strategies and keyword targets.

Leveraging Tools

Using SEO tools can streamline the process of creating and maintaining virtual silos. Tools like SEOToolSet, Google Search Console and other SEO tools on the market, such as Ahrefs Site Audit tool and Semrush Site Audit tool, can help you:

• Analyze linking patterns: Understand how links are distributed across your site and identify areas for improvement.
• Identify orphan pages: Find pages with no internal links pointing to them and incorporate them into your silo structure.

Monitor performance: Track the impact of your internal linking strategy on rankings and traffic.

 

Incorporating these best practices into your virtual siloing strategy will help ensure your content is organized effectively, which enhances user experience and SEO performance. 

Final Thoughts

SEO siloing can be a powerful tool in your SEO strategy. Virtual siloing offers a way for website publishers to accomplish siloing without changing URL structures. 

Creating a network of related content through strategic internal links improves search engine crawlability and enhances user experience.

With the internal linking strategies for SEO siloing like those in this article, you’ll create a robust virtual silo structure that helps search engines and users understand the topical relationships within your site, ultimately boosting your site’s authority and visibility in search results.

For an in-depth guide on siloing, download our ebook: SEO Siloing: How To Create a Relevant Website for Search Engines and Website Visitors

Quick Solutions

• How do I choose between virtual and physical silos?
• How do I optimize internal linking to enhance SEO and user flow?

FAQ: How Do I Use Internal Links Effectively for SEO?

An internal link strategy is an important part of an optimized site that serves both users and search engines.

Internal links connect related content together and establish a logical site structure. These hyperlinks point from one page on your website to another page within the same domain and help search engines understand the relationships between pages and distribute link equity throughout your site. 

To use internal links effectively for SEO, start by identifying your cornerstone content—these are the most valuable and comprehensive pages on your site that you want to rank highly in search results. 

When you link these cornerstone pages from other relevant pages, you signal their importance to search engines and guide users to resources on your site.

As you implement internal links, use keyword-rich anchor text that reflects the content of the linked page. 

Additionally, internal links should be placed contextually within the body of your content, where they naturally fit and provide value to the reader. 

Regularly auditing your internal linking strategy is important. As you add new content to your site, update relevant pages with links to the new content to keep your site interconnected and up-to-date. 

During audits, check your links. Tools like Google Search Console can help you identify crawl errors and optimize your internal linking structure for better performance.

Finally, consider the overall navigation and usability of your site when planning your internal linking strategy. 

Links should guide users through your content in a logical and intuitive manner, reflecting their journey and intent. 

Following these best practices can help you use internal links as a way to improve your site’s SEO and provide a better experience for your audience.

Action Plan

1. Conduct a comprehensive audit of your website’s current internal links.
2. Identify cornerstone content that represents the most valuable pages on your site.
3. Categorize your website’s content into thematic clusters or silos.
4. Add internal links from supporting pages to cornerstone pages, place internal links contextually within the body of your content and use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text.
5. Ensure cornerstone pages link back to their relevant supporting pages.
6. Regularly evaluate the distribution of internal links across your site.
7. Identify and repair any broken internal links during site audits.
8. Remove unnecessary or excessive links that clutter the user interface.
9. Implement breadcrumb navigation to aid users and search engines.
10. Assess the depth of your site structure and reduce unnecessary layers of links.
11. Use analytics to measure the effectiveness of your internal linking strategy. Use tools like Google Search Console to identify crawl and indexation issues and monitor user engagement metrics to assess the success of your linking strategy.
12. Update older pages with links to new content as it is published.
13. Create and submit a sitemap to help search engines discover all internal links.
14. Use the nofollow attribute for links that should not pass link equity.
15. Test your site’s navigation and usability on mobile devices.
16. Refresh legacy content by adding new internal links to it.
17. Continuously refine your internal linking approach based on performance data.

About Us

Bruce Clay Inc. has been a pioneer in the field of search engine optimization since 1996. Our team provides expert SEO consulting, SEO training and SEO tools to help businesses achieve their online goals. Known for our ethical approach and innovative strategies, we are dedicated to helping organizations succeed. Learn more about us.

More Articles on Siloing

• SEO Silo Best Practices for Blogging 
• Creating Content for SEO Silos: A Detailed Guide
• 8 Common Mistakes in SEO Silo Implementation

 

Bruce Clay is founder and president of Bruce Clay Inc., a global digital marketing firm providing search engine optimization, pay-per-click, social media marketing, SEO-friendly web architecture, and SEO tools and education. Connect with him on LinkedIn or through the BruceClay.com website.

See Bruce's author page for links to connect on social media.