How to link your website so Google and customers find everything
The right link structure helps search engines crawl your site and customers navigate it. Here's what actually works.
Google finds pages on your site by following links from one page to another. The way you build those links—what you write, how you code them, and where you place them—determines whether Google can crawl your whole site and whether customers can move through it easily. Get the structure wrong and Google misses pages. Get it right and both search engines and people find what they need.
Key facts
- Google can only follow links built with proper HTML anchor elements that include an href attribute pointing to a real web address.
- The visible text of a link (called anchor text) tells both Google and your visitors what the next page is about.
- Every page you want found should have at least one link pointing to it from somewhere else on your site.
- Anchor text works best when it's descriptive, brief, and natural—not stuffed with keywords.
- Links built with JavaScript or other methods may not be crawlable, so test them to be sure.
What code should your links actually use
If you use a website builder or hire a developer, make sure every link is built as a proper HTML anchor element. That means it starts with <a>, includes href="" with a real web address inside, and ends with </a>. Links built other ways—through JavaScript events, buttons that act like links, or divs that pretend to be links—may not work for Google's crawlers. If your site uses JavaScript to build links, ask your developer to test them with Google's URL Inspection Tool to confirm Google can actually see and follow them. This matters because if Google can't crawl a link, it can't find the page on the other end.
How to write anchor text that works for both people and search engines
The clickable words in your link are your chance to tell Google what the next page is about. Write naturally. If someone reads your sentence aloud, the anchor text should make sense in context. A link that says "learn more about our fence installation process" is better than one that just says "click here" or one crammed with every keyword you can think of. Google penalizes keyword stuffing in anchor text, and customers find it annoying anyway. The words before and after your link matter too, so write the whole sentence with the link in mind. If you have multiple links sitting next to each other with no text between them, readers can't tell them apart and Google loses the context that makes each link meaningful.
How to structure links so Google finds every page
Think of your site as a map. Every page you want customers and Google to find needs at least one path leading to it from another page on your site. If a page has no links pointing to it from anywhere else, Google may never crawl it. This doesn't mean every page needs a link in your main navigation. A service page could be linked from a blog post. A testimonial page could be linked from your contact page. The point is connectivity. When you write a page, ask yourself what other pages on your site would help someone understand it better, and link to those pages in the body text. This helps both your customers navigate logically and Google understand how your pages relate to each other.
When to link to other websites and when to hold back
Linking to other sites isn't risky. In fact, linking to trusted sources—a supplier, an industry association, a relevant article—builds credibility. Link out when it makes sense and tell your visitors what they'll find. Add a nofollow tag to a link only if you haven't verified the destination or if you've been paid for the link. If your site has a comments section or user-generated content, add nofollow or ugc tags to those links so you're not vouching for them. For most of your normal outbound links, just link naturally.
What to check on your site right now
Audit your navigation and internal links. Make a list of every page you want found. Trace the path from your homepage to each one—can you reach it by following links? If not, add a link. Check that your links are built with proper HTML and not JavaScript workarounds. Look at your anchor text and ask whether it would make sense to someone reading the sentence. If you've crammed keywords into link text, rewrite it to sound natural. If you have orphaned pages with no links pointing to them, connect them. These changes cost nothing and take an afternoon. They make a real difference in whether Google crawls your whole site and whether customers can find what they came for.
Sources
- Link best practices for Google - Google Search Central
They did the reporting. The writing and the opinions here are ours.
Questions people ask about this
Can Google follow links built with JavaScript
Google may attempt to follow JavaScript links, but it's not reliable. If your site uses JavaScript to create links, use Google's URL Inspection Tool to verify that Google can actually see and crawl them in the rendered HTML.
What makes good anchor text for a link
Good anchor text is descriptive, brief, and relevant to both the page you're on and the page you're linking to. Write naturally and avoid cramming keywords. The text should make sense when read aloud as part of the sentence.
Do I need to link to every page from my homepage
No. Every page needs at least one link pointing to it from somewhere on your site, but that link can come from any page. A service page could be linked from a blog post or a related service page.
Should I use nofollow on all my external links
No. Add a nofollow tag only when you haven't verified the destination or when you've been paid for the link. Regular links to trusted external sites should not have nofollow tags.
What happens if a page has no links pointing to it
Google may never crawl it. Every page you want found needs at least one link from another page on your site to ensure Google discovers it.
Can I use an image as a link
Yes. If you use an image as a link, add descriptive alt text to the image. Google uses that alt text to understand what the link is about.
This piece is about Link best practices for Google, published by Google Search Central. Go read the original; the opinions here are ours and the reporting is theirs.
