Every website has pages that don’t perform as well as they should. These underperforming pieces of content may have valuable information but fail to rank high in search results, attract traffic, or engage users. Before considering a complete rewrite or abandoning the page altogether, there’s a simpler and highly effective solution: internal linking.

When done strategically, internal links can breathe new life into underperforming content by directing authority, improving crawlability, and increasing its relevance in the eyes of both search engines and users. In this guide, we’ll explore how internal linking can elevate your weakest pages to new heights, and how tools like LinkNavigator can help you implement the strategy effectively.

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Why Internal Linking Works for Underperforming Content

Internal linking is an often-overlooked yet powerful SEO tactic. It connects the dots across your website, guiding search engines and users to the right pages. Here’s why it works so well for boosting underperforming content:

1. Distributes Link Equity
   Every page on your site has a certain amount of authority, or "link equity." Internal links pass this equity from one page to another, helping boost the ranking potential of your weaker pages.

2. Signals Page Importance
   When you link to a page multiple times from other high-traffic or authoritative pages, search engines interpret it as an indication that the page is important. This helps boost its ranking potential.

3. Improves Crawlability
   Internal linking ensures that underperforming pages are easily discoverable by search engine bots, increasing their chances of being indexed and ranked.

4. Enhances Relevance
   By linking to underperforming pages from contextually relevant content, you reinforce their topic and relevance, which can positively impact rankings.

5. Drives Traffic and Engagement
   Internal links guide users to less-visited pages, improving their visibility and engagement metrics, which are indirect ranking factors.

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Steps to Boost Underperforming Content with Internal Links

If you’re ready to use internal linking to improve the performance of your weaker pages, follow these steps:

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1. Identify Underperforming Pages

The first step is to identify which pages on your site need a boost. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or SEO platforms (e.g., Ahrefs, SEMrush) to find pages that:

• Have low organic traffic.
• Rank on page two or three of search results (these are often prime candidates for improvement).
• Have high bounce rates.
• Show low engagement metrics (e.g., time on page).

Focus on pages that have potential, such as evergreen content, product pages, or blog posts targeting competitive keywords.

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2. Analyze the Content

Before adding internal links, review the underperforming content to ensure it’s worth driving traffic to. Ask yourself:

• Does this content provide value to readers?
• Is it up-to-date and relevant?
• Does it align with your overall SEO and business goals?

If necessary, update the content by adding fresh insights, improving formatting, or optimizing for target keywords.

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3. Find Relevant High-Authority Pages

Next, identify high-performing pages on your site that can link to your underperforming content. These are typically:

• Pages with high traffic.
• Pages with strong external backlinks.
• Pages that rank well in search engines.

Use tools like LinkNavigator to identify these high-authority pages quickly.

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4. Add Contextual Internal Links

Once you’ve identified the pages to link from, strategically place internal links to your underperforming content. Focus on:

• Contextual Placement: Add links within the body of the content where they make sense contextually. Avoid forcing links into irrelevant sections.
• Keyword-Rich Anchor Text: Use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text that aligns with the target keywords of the underperforming page. For example, instead of “click here,” use “learn more about effective email marketing strategies.”
• Logical Flow: Ensure that the link naturally guides the reader to the next piece of valuable content.

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5. Use Content Hubs to Strengthen Authority

Organize your content into clusters or hubs around specific topics. For example:

• Create a central pillar page on “SEO Basics.”
• Link related blog posts like “Keyword Research Tips,” “Link-Building Strategies,” and “On-Page SEO Techniques” to the pillar page.
• Link the pillar page back to the supporting content.

By integrating your underperforming content into a content hub, you can improve its topical relevance and authority.

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6. Fix Orphaned Pages

Underperforming pages are often orphaned—meaning they have no internal links pointing to them. Without links, these pages are invisible to search engines and users.How to Fix It:

• Use tools like LinkNavigator to detect orphaned pages.
• Add links to these pages from other relevant pages, blogs, or categories.

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7. Optimize for Navigation and Breadcrumbs

Ensure that your underperforming pages are easily accessible through your website’s navigation structure or breadcrumbs. For example:

• Add links to the page in your navigation menus.
• Include breadcrumbs to improve user experience and create additional internal links.

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8. Monitor and Adjust

After adding internal links, monitor the performance of the underperforming pages. Use tools like Google Analytics or Google Search Console to track:

• Organic traffic.
• Click-through rates (CTR).
• Rankings for target keywords.
• Engagement metrics (e.g., time on page, bounce rate).

If the page isn’t improving, revisit your internal linking strategy and adjust as needed.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using Irrelevant Anchor Text
   Generic anchor text like “click here” doesn’t provide context or keyword signals. Instead, use descriptive, relevant phrases.

2. Overloading Pages with Links
   Adding too many internal links on a single page can dilute their value. Focus on quality, not quantity.

3. Forgetting to Update Content
   Driving traffic to outdated or low-quality content won’t lead to success. Always ensure the content is polished and relevant.

4. Ignoring Analytics
   Failing to monitor the impact of internal linking changes can prevent you from identifying what works and what doesn’t.

Internal linking is one of the most effective yet underutilized strategies for boosting underperforming content. By strategically linking from high-authority pages, adding contextual relevance, and integrating orphaned pages into your site structure, you can improve rankings, visibility, and engagement.With tools like LinkNavigator, you can automate, optimize, and scale your internal linking efforts, ensuring that every piece of content on your site contributes to your overall SEO success.Start using internal links to unlock the potential of your underperforming pages today—and watch them climb the search rankings!