How to Use Internal Linking Data to Improve Your Rankings

By Emily Redmond, Data Analyst at Emilytics · April 2026

TL;DR: Internal links distribute authority (power) from strong pages to weaker pages. Use GA4 to find high-traffic pages, then link strategically to pages you want to rank.

Why Internal Linking Matters

Internal links serve two purposes:

1. Crawling: They tell Googlebot where to go. If a page isn't linked internally, Google might not crawl it.

2. Authority distribution: Links pass authority. If a strong page (many external links) links to a weak page, the weak page gets a boost.

Example:

Your homepage has 1,000 external backlinks (high authority). If it links to a blog post, that blog post inherits some authority.

That authority boost can move rankings from position 5 to position 3.

How Internal Links Affect Ranking

Scenario 1: Well-linked page

Page gets:

• 50 external backlinks
• 10 internal links from strong pages
• Ranks position 1 for target keyword

Scenario 2: Poorly-linked page

Same page, but:

• 50 external backlinks
• 1 internal link from homepage only
• Ranks position 3 for same keyword

The difference? Internal linking strategy.

Finding Linking Opportunities with GA4

Step 1: Identify Strong Pages

In GA4:

1. Go to Reports > Engagement > Pages and Screens.
2. Sort by Sessions (highest first).

Your top 10 pages have the most authority (most traffic = most likely to have backlinks).

Example:

These are your "authority pages." Link from them strategically.

Step 2: Identify Weak Pages

Pages with:

• Low traffic (<100 sessions/month)
• Low rankings (position 11–30 in GSC)
• High relevance to your business (worth investing in)

Example:

GSC shows you rank for "best project management software" but position 25. This page gets zero clicks but should rank.

Solution: Link to it from your homepage or Blog: SEO Guide (authority pages). Boost its authority.

Step 3: Link Strategy

Rule 1: Link with relevant anchor text

Bad: "Click here" or "Read more"

Good: "The best project management software for startups"

Anchor text tells Google what the page is about.

Rule 2: Link from contextually relevant pages

Don't link from unrelated pages. Link from pages about the same topic.

Bad: Your "Privacy Policy" links to "Project Management Guide"

Good: Your "Product Features" page links to "Project Management Guide"

Rule 3: Don't overdo it

10 links from one page dilutes authority. 1–3 links per page is ideal.

Internal Linking Patterns

Pattern 1: Hub and Spoke

One main page ("hub") links to many related pages ("spokes").

Example:

• Hub: "Project Management Software"
• Spokes: "Best PM Tools for Startups," "PM for Agencies," "PM Tools Comparison"

Hub page ranks best. Spokes benefit from hub's authority.

Pattern 2: Pillar + Cluster

One pillar page covers a broad topic. Multiple cluster pages cover subtopics.

Pillar and clusters link to each other.

Example:

• Pillar: "Complete SEO Guide" (your most comprehensive article)
• Clusters: "Keyword Research," "On-Page SEO," "Link Building," "Technical SEO"

All clusters link to pillar (giving it authority). Pillar links to clusters (giving them authority).

💡 Emily's take: Most sites have random internal linking. No strategy. Pages link to whatever is convenient. Real sites have intentional linking architecture. One author writes 10 articles on a topic. They all link to the strongest article. That article ranks. The others feed it traffic. That's how you win.

Audit: Find Linking Gaps

Step 1: Check Your Top Pages

In GSC:

1. Export your top 10 landing pages by clicks.
2. Manually check each page.
3. For each page, count: How many internal links do they have?

Example:

Page 1 (Product page): 3 internal links Page 2 (Blog: SEO Guide): 8 internal links Page 3 (About): 1 internal link

Page 3 is under-linked. Add more links to it.

Step 2: Check Linking to Target Keywords

Want to rank for "best PM software for teams"?

1. Find the page targeting this keyword
2. Count how many internal links it has
3. If <3, add more

Specifically, add links from:

• Homepage
• Related blog posts (PM comparisons, team tools)
• Product page (if relevant)

Step 3: Check For Orphan Pages

Orphan pages = pages with zero internal links.

Use SEMrush or Ahrefs:

1. Site audit tool
2. Find pages with 0 internal links

These should either:

• Be deleted (low value)
• Or receive strategic internal links

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should internal links have keyword anchor text?

A: Yes, mostly. Use the target keyword 2–3 times. Use variations for other links (avoid over-optimization).

Q: Does linking help rankings immediately?

A: No. Google needs to crawl, re-index, and re-rank. 2–4 weeks for visible changes.

Q: Should I link to new pages right away?

A: Yes. New pages need authority boost. Link from strong pages immediately.

Q: Can too many internal links hurt rankings?

A: Unlikely. But linking from irrelevant pages or using spammy anchor text can look artificial.

Q: Should I use "follow" or "nofollow" for internal links?

A: Always "follow" for internal links. Nofollow breaks the link chain.

Internal Linking Checklist

• Identify your top 10 pages by traffic
• Identify weak pages you want to rank (position 11+)
• Create linking strategy (hub-spoke or pillar-cluster)
• Add 1–3 internal links from strong pages to target page
• Use relevant anchor text (target keyword)
• Audit for orphan pages (0 links)
• Link to orphans or delete them
• Monitor ranking changes over 4 weeks
• Iterate: Link more if ranking improves

The Bottom Line

Internal linking is your secret weapon. It costs nothing. It takes minutes. It directly impacts rankings.

Find your strongest pages. Link strategically to pages you want to rank. Watch rankings improve.

Emily Redmond is a data analyst at Emilytics — the AI analytics agent watching your data around the clock. 8 years experience. Say hi →