Internal linking for ecommerce: The complete guide
Discover nine best practices for building internal links on ecommerce websites, along with examples of ecommerce SEO implemented effectively.
Internal linking plays a vital role for any website, but it is particularly important for ecommerce platforms.
It improves navigation and user experience while also strengthening search engine optimization (SEO).
This guide outlines best practices for linking pages within ecommerce websites. To demonstrate these strategies, examples are taken from several sites within the Williams Sonoma brand portfolio. (Note: I have no affiliation with or professional involvement in these sites.)
Before exploring these practices, it’s important to understand why internal linking is so valuable.
What is internal linking?
Internal linking is the process of connecting one page of a website to another page within the same domain. When a user clicks on an internal link, they are directed to a different page on the same site. These links can appear as text, phrases, or images.
Internal links help users locate relevant information and move easily between pages.
They also assist search engines in understanding the structure and hierarchy of a website, which helps with indexing and visibility in search results.
What internal linking is not
Internal linking differs from external linking.
External links direct users from your website to pages on other domains. These links can provide additional information from outside sources.
Both internal and external links are useful, but they serve different purposes.
Why internal linking matters for ecommerce websites
Internal linking is a key component of SEO for all sites, especially ecommerce platforms.
While there may be many benefits, the following four are the most critical when managing ecommerce websites that often contain tens of thousands—or even millions—of pages.
Ecommerce sites typically include large numbers of product pages, category pages, and informational content. Internal links help users navigate these pages and find what they need more efficiently.
These websites also face intense competition, often with multiple sellers offering similar products. Internal linking strengthens SEO performance and helps increase visibility in search results.
It also improves discoverability by helping search engines crawl and index all pages on the site, which can lead to more traffic and potential customers.
Additionally, internal links can highlight promotions, new product releases, customer reviews, and sales, drawing attention to key content and encouraging engagement.
Overall, effective internal linking improves rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs) and enhances the user experience by making navigation easier.
Before discussing best practices, it is important to understand the difference between navigational internal links and in-content internal links.
In-content vs. navigation internal linking
In-content internal links appear within the content of a page, such as a blog article. Navigation internal links appear in the site’s menus and navigation structures.
For example, a blog post about men’s shoes might link to a page featuring sneakers. This provides readers with additional relevant information.
Navigation links, on the other hand, help users access the main pages of the site and move around the website more easily.
With that distinction clarified, the following nine best practices cover both navigation and in-content internal linking strategies for ecommerce websites.
Navigation internal linking best practices
1. Sitewide navigation menu
The structure of your primary navigation menu is fundamental to a strong internal linking strategy.
When a page is included in the sitewide menu, it is effectively linked from every page on the site. This signals to search engines that the page is important. However, the menu should remain organized and not overcrowded.
Across the Williams Sonoma portfolio, the main navigation provides a strong example of effective internal linking.
Within the West Elm Kids section, several tactics stand out.
Category and subcategory linking
Important category pages are linked directly from the main menu, strengthening their internal authority. Subcategory links help search engines better understand the site’s structure and the relationships between different sections.
Supporting the user journey
Furniture purchases often involve hesitation due to design decisions. West Elm addresses this with a “Design Resources” section that provides inspiration, availability information, and access to collections, helping customers move closer to purchase.
Integrating helpful content into navigation categories can guide users through the buying process, particularly for products with longer decision cycles.
Supporting business priorities
Instead of a generic “Sale” link, the menu highlights category-specific promotions such as “Up To 40% Off Furniture,” aligning promotional links with the relevant category.
Supporting secondary KPIs
West Elm also promotes its design center through a clear call to action, encouraging users to schedule appointments. This likely helps gather first-party data and may increase average order value.
Portfolio-level linking strategy
The portfolio also demonstrates thoughtful cross-domain linking between related brands. For example, links between West Elm Kids Furniture and Pottery Barn Baby & Kids Furniture remain highly relevant.
This approach strengthens visibility across multiple brands within the same portfolio.
2. Sitewide secondary navigation menu
The Williams Sonoma portfolio also uses secondary navigation effectively.
For example, the Mark & Graham website includes links at the top directing users to other ecommerce sites within the brand portfolio.
Below the logo, a row of “quick links” highlights seasonal promotions, new product categories, and deeper category pages that may not appear in the primary navigation.
This secondary navigation adds value for both users and search engines beyond basic functions like store locators or shopping carts.
3. HTML breadcrumb navigation
Breadcrumbs typically appear at the top of category and product pages, showing the path users took to reach the current page.
They offer several advantages.
They help users understand where they are on the site and allow quick navigation back to previous pages.
Breadcrumb links also improve crawlability by helping search engines discover pages and reducing the likelihood of orphan pages.
They enhance the user experience by making navigation simpler and encouraging deeper engagement.
Additionally, breadcrumbs clarify the relationship between pages and categories, especially when structured with breadcrumb schema.
Williams Sonoma uses breadcrumbs effectively to build natural links to important category pages based on the user’s navigation path.
4. HTML sitemap
An HTML sitemap lists pages on a website and provides links to them.
For instance, a sitemap may display links to key sections of the website or list many pages in a structured format.
Pottery Barn Kids includes an HTML sitemap linked from the footer. This structure ensures most pages can be reached within a few clicks, benefiting both usability and SEO.
Since search engines crawl websites sequentially and rely on contextual signals, having a central page that links to important sections can help them discover and index pages more effectively.
Maintaining an updated HTML sitemap ensures users and search engines can easily access all important pages.
In-content internal linking best practices
Ecommerce websites often lack strong content sections, particularly on category and subcategory pages. Some of the following examples may appear navigational but are commonly placed within page content areas.
5. Supporting category page content
Category pages can include supporting content that provides value for users.
For example, West Elm adds descriptive paragraphs near the bottom of category pages using heading tags and helpful information.
Within this content, they include natural links to related categories, subcategories, product pages, and even educational content when relevant.
6. Internal linking modules
Above the supporting content, brands such as Pottery Barn, Mark & Graham, and West Elm include “Related Searches” sections.
These sections typically contain long-tail, keyword-rich links that direct users to subcategories or product pages.
These links create opportunities to target queries related to attributes like color, texture, or size, which can be valuable for capturing highly qualified search traffic.
7. Related products and browsing recommendations
A related products section is a common feature in ecommerce SEO.
It helps users discover additional items and forms a core component of internal link building.
Originally found mainly on product pages, these widgets now appear across category pages as well.
For example, Williams Sonoma uses “Related Products,” while Pottery Barn includes a “Top Picks for You” module.
On product detail pages, multiple variations appear, such as:
- People Also Viewed
- People Also Bought
- Also in This Collection
- Pairs Well With
- Customers Also Viewed
- You May Also Like
These internal links support cross-selling, upselling, and a flatter website architecture.
8. Product attributes
When breadcrumbs are limited, product attributes can serve as additional internal links.
Attributes may include:
- Size
- Style
- Color
- Brand
- Flavor
- Texture
These attributes can link to relevant category or filter pages. On West Elm, for example, a “Learn more” link directs users to a collaboration page.
There are further opportunities across these sites to expand linking between brand pages and collaborations.
9. User-generated content (UGC)
User-generated content can appear in several forms:
- Reviews
- Testimonials
- Questions and answers
While the Williams Sonoma sites demonstrate strong SEO practices overall, UGC sections present additional linking opportunities.
For example, a response from a Pottery Barn associate once included a plain URL that was not clickable. Converting these references into internal links could improve both usability and SEO.
General internal linking best practices
After identifying where to place internal links, the next step is understanding how to implement them effectively.
Many resources from Moz, Semrush, and Google provide detailed guidance, but five key practices stand out:
- Link to deeper pages rather than only top-level pages.
- Use descriptive anchor text.
- Connect to relevant and related content.
- Link to the canonical version of URLs.
- Avoid using the same anchor text for multiple different pages.
Implementing internal linking on ecommerce websites
Many of these strategies require collaboration with development teams to implement properly.
Internal linking modules often provide the greatest impact, though they may also require more technical effort.
Another practical starting point is auditing existing internal links to identify pages that could benefit from additional links.
Paul Shapiro describes this process as analyzing “internal PageRank,” which helps determine how link authority flows through a site.
Regardless of the approach, conducting this type of audit can reveal valuable opportunities for improvement.
Strengthening ecommerce sites through internal linking
Internal linking is a fundamental element of ecommerce SEO.
By applying the best practices outlined here, ecommerce websites can improve navigation, enhance the user experience, and strengthen their visibility in search engines.
FAQs
What is internal linking in ecommerce SEO?
Internal linking refers to connecting pages within the same website through hyperlinks, helping users and search engines navigate product pages, categories, and other important sections.
Why is internal linking important for ecommerce websites?
Internal links help distribute page authority across the site, improve crawlability, and guide customers to relevant products, which can increase conversions.
How does internal linking improve SEO for ecommerce stores?
A well-structured internal linking strategy helps search engines understand the relationship between pages and identify which products or categories are most important.
Which ecommerce pages should receive the most internal links?
Key pages such as main category pages, high-performing product pages, and cornerstone content should receive the most internal links to strengthen their visibility in search results.
What is the best way to link product pages?
Product pages can be linked through category pages, related product sections, “customers also bought” widgets, and contextual links within blog content.
How do category pages support internal linking?
Category pages act as hubs that connect multiple product pages, making it easier for both users and search engines to navigate large ecommerce catalogs.
What role does anchor text play in internal linking?
Anchor text provides context about the linked page, helping search engines better understand what the destination page is about.
How many internal links should a product page have?
There is no strict limit, but links should be relevant and helpful for users while maintaining a clear and organized structure.
Can internal linking help new product pages get indexed faster?
Yes, linking new products from existing high-authority pages helps search engines discover and index them more quickly.
Should ecommerce stores link from blog posts to product pages?
Yes, linking from informational content to relevant products helps drive traffic and supports the customer journey from research to purchase.
Do breadcrumbs help with internal linking?
Breadcrumb navigation improves internal linking by showing the hierarchical structure of pages and allowing users to easily move between categories.
How does internal linking affect crawlability?
Strong internal linking helps search engines efficiently crawl large ecommerce sites and ensures important pages are not overlooked.
Which tools can help analyze internal linking structures?
Tools such as Screaming Frog SEO Spider and Google Search Console can help identify orphan pages, broken links, and internal linking opportunities.
What are orphan pages in ecommerce SEO?
Orphan pages are pages that have no internal links pointing to them, making it difficult for search engines and users to discover them.
How can ecommerce stores maintain a strong internal linking strategy over time?
Regular SEO audits, consistent site structure, automated related product modules, and updated category navigation help maintain an effective internal linking system.
