Does The Value Of Internal Links Differ Based On Page Location?

What are Internal Links?

Internal links are connections within a domain that connect one page to another within the same domain. They’re frequently seen in the primary navigation.

These linkages are beneficial for three reasons:

1. Users can use them for browsing a website.
2. They aid in the creation of a website’s information structure.
3. They aid in distributing link equity (ranking power) across websites.

   

See Also: Internal Links As A Ranking Factor: What You Need To Know

Below, we will discuss whether an internal link’s location on a webpage – such as a header, footer, or over the content, matter much to Google and its SEO benchmarks. Followingly, we will analyze and derive a conclusion on the insights offered by John Mueller into internal linking.

Does The Value Of Internal Links Differ Based On Page Location?

This question is often asked to understand if the position of a link on a web page affected its “value,” which probably refers to SEO efficacy. The topic of whether a link’s value increases or decreases depending on where it appears on a web page is a valid one. Previous Google patents and remarks from Google employees confirm that the placement of material on a page matters. This, too, seems like a genuine reason of concern to ask.

To justify this query, Martin Splitt of Google clarified that Google splits a web page into parts. The primary area contains the significant material referred to as the Centerpiece Annotation. 

Value Of Internal Links

The inquiry is regarding a link’s “value.” 

However, how do we define the “value” of a link?

Does “value” refer to the efficacy with which information is communicated, or does it refer to SEO value as a ranking factor?

Google Occasionally Uses The Information

Google occasionally uses the information to figure out what content is about.

Structured data, for example, convey detailed information about the content of a web page. Because Google can’t rank anything it doesn’t understand, it’s critical to be as straightforward as possible. Although structured data is not a ranking criterion, it can assist Google in better understanding a web page and promoting the content to a prominent position in the search results.

Google Uses Specific Data As A ranking Component

A link’s anchor text is thought to be a ranking factor. It acts as both a means of communicating the meaning of a web page and ranking criteria.

The line between information that communicates what a page is about and information that is a ranking factor can become quite blurry.

Going further into the discussion with John Mueller, he states that he doubts if there is anything quantifiably different about internal links in different parts of the page. Furthermore, he expresses that Google differentiates the various pages based on the content available on assorted parts of the page. Accordingly, it determines the web page’s uniqueness. 

Conclusion

Mueller particularly uses the word “quantifiably,” which literally means the thing which can be measured. He negatively relates the word with the “value” of the internal links. This declaration ultimately proves that the location of the link doesn’t concern much the SEO norms. His answer was brief and blunt, with zero opacity.

In this article, we got to know about Does the Value of Internal Links Differ Based on Page Location. I hope you found this article helpful.

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