What Does ‘Deep Linking’ Mean And How Important Is It In SEO?
By TOI Desk Report August 24, 2023 Update on : August 24, 2023
If you’re new to SEO, you’ll likely be aware of how important links are when trying to increase your rankings in a Google SERP (search engine results page). However, there are many different types of link, which is where things can get confusing.
In this article, we’re going to focus specifically on ‘deep linking’. What does it mean and just how important is it in SEO?
Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know…
What is ‘deep linking’?
There are over 50 types of links, but we’re going to keep things simple by focusing on the one: Deep linking.
Deep linking refers to the SEO strategy where hyperlinks are created and pointed towards a particular web page with highly specific content, as opposed to linking to a generic home page.
For example, you can link to a specific landing page in order to gain new subscribers to your mailing list, or a blog post that provides additional information on the topic that your users are already learning about.
How important is deep linking for SEO?
Deep linking is an excellent SEO strategy that can benefit you in a number of ways. Primarily, when executed well, deep linking can help you improve your website’s rankings in a Google SERP, thus driving more traffic to your content and bolstering the authority of your domain.
Deep linking can improve the user experience.
This is because you are driving traffic toward web pages with specific information that will benefit them.
For example, if you are writing a guest article sharing local SEO tips for small businesses in Miami, you could deep link to a service area page for an agency that offers SEO management in Sydney – in which case it would be geographically relevant and help users take their research an additional step further.
Deep linking can also increase engagement and conversions through your website.
Linking to a generic home page can spoil the momentum as users will have to then try and navigate the website themselves and locate the specific product or service most relevant to them. However, by ‘deep linking’ to a relevant product / service page, you will be directing them straight to the information they are primed and ready to receive.
By meeting expectations, user engagement will be higher, and thus your chance at converting them into loyal paying customers will be greater.
How to implement deep linking into your SEO strategy
- Create as much high-value content as possible: the key to deep linking is having as much high-value content associated with your brand and business as possible. That way, you’ll be able to create these deep links wherever possible. For example, you could scan websites like Quora for frequently asked questions in relation to your industry, and then direct users to your comprehensive blog posts that address the issues in greater detail.
- Always link to relevant content: in some cases, linking to a home page is essential. However, wherever possible you should be looking for opportunities to link deeper. Aim to keep your backlinks as relevant to the user as possible. If a user follows a hyperlink and ends up on something completely unrelated, they’re going to be disappointed and will likely abandon the search entirely.
- Guest blog on industry-relevant websites: guest blogging is an excellent strategy for developing your backlink profile and it also gives you an opportunity to create high-value, deep links to your website. For example, if you are writing a guest blog about social media marketing trends, you could deep link to an additional blog post about a very specific strategy, or indeed a social media marketing agency website.
Conclusion: Be relevant and add value
In conclusion, deep linking is all about pointing your users to valuable and highly relevant information. That way, should they wish to continue exploring a specific subject, they can do so.
Develop a deep link strategy and you’ll be sure to enjoy greater engagement and (hopefully) even higher conversions!
Read more: What Does ‘Deep Linking’ Mean And How Important Is It In SEO?