Google recently updated its help article on best practices for making links crawlable.
The updated article includes new sections that guide how to effectively use body text and cross-referencing your content with internal links.
Additionally, the help article contains considerations for linking to external sites when it makes sense to do so.
Among the new information is an existing section about making links crawlable using a HTML element with href Describe.
The added guidelines also make it easier for Google to crawl and understand the links.
Here is an overview of the updated help document.
Anchor text placement
The updated first section highlights the importance of placing anchor text.
Google recommends placing anchor text between Items that a search engine can crawl.
This ensures that the anchor text is visible to Google and helps the search engine understand the context of the linked page.
Write the anchor text
The updated article provides tips on how to write good anchor text.
As a best practice, websites should use descriptive text that accurately reflects the content of the linked page.
Screenshot from: developer.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable Feb 2023.Good anchor text is useful because it tells visitors what page they are going to. It should be short and relevant to the pages it links to.
The better the anchor text, the easier it is for visitors and Google to understand it.
Avoid using too many words that match the keywords of the page you are linking to as this may violate Google’s spam policies.
Think of the words people need to understand the next page they visit. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t necessary.
Google reminds you to think about the words before and after the link, as they provide context for search engine crawlers.
Finally, don’t put too many links close together as this can be confusing and make reading more difficult.
internal links
Google’s updated article on linking best practices stresses the importance of cross-referencing your content with internal links.
This strategy helps users navigate your website and find relevant content while indicating the importance of your pages to Google.
Google says: “Every page you are interested in must contain a link from at least another page on your site.”
external links
The final updated section encourages linking to external sites when it makes sense.
Google recognizes that linking to high-quality external sites can provide additional value to users and enhance the credibility of your website.
The help page recommends using “nofollow” only when you don’t trust the website you’re linking to. Don’t use it per link.
If you are paid to place a link on your website, it should say it is sponsored or use “nofollow”.
If people can add links to your website, like in a forum or Q&A section, you should use “ugc” or “nofollow” for those links.
In summary
These updates reflect Google’s ongoing efforts to provide website owners with clear guidelines on linking best practices.
Following these recommendations can improve your site’s visibility and user experience while adhering to the Google Webmaster Guidelines.
source: Google
Featured image: Ingus Kruklitis / Shutterstock
