The importance of links
The term link, short for hyperlink, is a hypertext link that allows navigation between pages or websites in a simple and fast way. With a simple click, the user can move from one page to another without having to type words or execute certain commands.
Unlike the paper we were used to, the web has evolved considerably: if before it was necessary to follow the line of the book/magazine/manual in front of you, today through the web you can choose which topics to deepen based on your knowledge. This allows users to choose which pages to spend their time on.
The link is therefore an essential element in the digital world; we can say that it is the basis of the web. Without links it would be unthinkable to surf quickly and each time you would have to manually search for the necessary information.
Within this mini guide we limit ourselves to making an overview on the links, without going into technicalities. We will try to explain in a simple way what the various types of links are and we will give you advice on when and how they should be used.
Types of links
Having made a first overview of what is meant by the term link and its importance in the digital world, let’s go into explaining the main types of links:
- internal links: they are hyperlinks that lead to other pages of the same website.
These links are inserted into pages or articles to allow the user to carry out further information on certain topics. In this way the content is not replicated on several pages, but remains present only on one and the user has the possibility to choose whether or not to deepen this topic. - external links: they are links that, as the word implies, point outside your website, allowing the user to reach another site directly.
Unlike internal links, external ones are more delicate and their logic is a bit more complex.
Attention!
Whenever you add an external link, the user may leave your site and never come back. For this reason the suggestion is to add this type of link only when needed.
When and how to use them?
If you have come this far, you may be wondering when it is useful to insert them and when it is preferable to do without them.
The links, both internal and external, must be reasoned and inserted strategically within the various web pages. The internal ones can be inserted without particular problems, for the external ones instead it is necessary to make further reflections. As mentioned above, the external link takes the user out of their website and this could lead to a disadvantage for us. For this reason it is recommended to insert it on two occasions:
- when the content is already explained and detailed in another site: in this case it is useless to replicate the same content on a new page of your site. The search engine will see the same replicated content and penalize it;
- when it comes to the sites of collaborators or suppliers: also in this case it is recommended to insert external links aimed directly at the content of interest.
Attention!!
If the content we are interested in is that of a competitor, the advice is not to insert any links to those pages! In this way we would land our hypothetical client directly in the hands of our opponent.
For this reason, behind each link there must be a very specific logic and they must not be inserted randomly. This is the main aspect that you have to perceive.
If on the one hand they must be strategic for those who insert them, on the other hand they must prove useful for the user: these links must guide him and allow him to read in-depth information on certain topics.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that the use of links is generally recommended, as long as each of them is inserted logically.
In order for your website to grow further it is important to receive as many links from new sources. For this reason it is not only necessary to link externally, but it is above all essential that your site receives links from good sources.
The search engine interprets the link as a sort of vote.
To learn more about these concepts, you can read the contents shown on the following page:”Link building and directory “.
