Internal Linking Structure Elements Strategy - Simple Hyper Text Links
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Hypertext links are the simplest navigational elements available for building an internal linking structure. Hypertext is defined by the American Dictionary as "a computer-based text retrieval system that enables a user to access particular locations in Web pages or other electronic documents by clicking on links within specific Web pages or documents". The basic component of a hypertext link includes a URL and a set of words that are known as anchor text. An example of a simple hypertext link looks like <a href="page.html">anchor text</a>. The <a href="page.html"> is the code that specifies where the Web visitor should be sent when clicked on the anchor text.
Search engine spiders prefer the simplicity of the hypertext link to any other form of linking structure elements. In fact, the anchor text is deemed very important in the eyes of the search engines and is assigned more weight within the search engine algorithms then ordinary body text. The reason search engines assign more weight to the anchor text is based on the simple logic that search engines believe that you would only link to a page that you deem important. If you deem a page important, so should the search engines. So when creating hypertext links, make sure to link to your important pages and use specific keywords for the page you are linking to.
There are however disadvantages to hypertext links which include:
- Hypertext links are less attractive then other forms of navigation elements.
- By default, Hypertext links create blue underlined text and if used too much will make a page illegible.
- If overused, can interfere with a Web page's keyword density.
Understand the benefits and disadvantages of using hypertext links will aid you in your internal linking strategy. A good strategy is to use hypertext links as a secondary navigation. With technologies such as CSS one can create attractive looking hypertext links as primary navigation elements. Additionally, it is wise to create a site map with hypertext links; and point your "file not found" errors (or 404) to the site map. Finally, one might consider using a breadcrumb trail as an additional internal linking strategy to help your end user keep track of where he or she is and to increase the keyword rich anchor text.
If you are looking to use a more intense graphical internal linking structure strategy, please read the next Graphical Navigation Icons or Buttons section.
Next: Graphical Navigation Icons or Buttons >>
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