By Shad Super in Questions —

What Are the Key Differences Between Internal Linking for E-Commerce and Informational Websites, and How Should I Adapt My Strategy Accordingly?

Summary

Internal linking strategies differ significantly across e-commerce and informational websites because their goals are distinct: conversions and education, respectively. Adapt your approach by focusing on product categorization and cross-selling for e-commerce, and topic clustering and comprehensiveness for informational. Here's a detailed guide on tailoring your internal linking strategy.

Different Goals: Conversions vs Education

E-Commerce Websites

E-commerce sites focus on conversions, emphasizing the user's journey from product discovery to checkout. Internal links must guide users intuitively toward making a purchase [The Art of Linking: Internal Linking, 2021].

Informational Websites

Conversely, informational websites aim to educate visitors. This often involves guiding users to related content for comprehensive understanding of a topic [SEO for Content-Heavy Sites, 2020].

Critical E-Commerce Linking Strategies

Product Catalog Categorization

Categories and sub-categories enable users to navigate products effectively. Anchor text should match the linked product or category's name [Navigational Structure for E-Commerce, 2021].

Promote Cross-selling and Upselling

Links to related or higher-end products can increase the average order value. Consider linking from product pages to "related products" or "frequently bought together" sections [Product Upsells and Cross-Sells, 2019].

Informational Website Linking Strategies

Topic Clustering

Group related articles into "topic clusters" linked from a central "pillar" page. This approach allows a comprehensive covering of a subject, aiding in user understanding and SEO [Topic Clusters, 2022].

Deep Linking to Relevant Content

Link to old posts from newer content, and vice versa. This "deep linking" strategy keeps older content alive, boosts user engagement, and enhances site authority [Yoast Link Structure Guide, 2021].

Conclusion

In summary, internal linking strategies should hinge on the site's primary goals. E-commerce sites should facilitate a path to purchase, while informational sites should give their audience a deeper understanding. Regardless of type, a user-centric linking strategy will enhance site usability, engagement, and SEO outcomes.

References