Homepage internal links: what to link and why

Key takeaways

Homepage internal links do two jobs: they guide buyers to the next page and tell search engines which pages matter. Link clearly to your main services, your best proof and your contact page, with descriptive words. Your homepage usually has the most links pointing at it, so what it links to gets a useful boost.

• Link to your main money pages from the body.
• Use descriptive anchor text, not 'click here'.
• Keep links crawlable, as normal HTML links.
• Prioritise a few pages, not everything.

Why do homepage internal links matter?

They matter because the homepage is usually the strongest page on a small site. Google's guidance says that links help it discover pages and understand their importance. A service page linked prominently from the homepage is easier for visitors and crawlers to find than one buried several clicks deep.

• How to create a high-converting homepage for an SME
• Click depth: how far key pages sit from your homepage
• Homepage to service page: the click that matters most

Which pages should the homepage link to?

Link to your main service pages, your strongest case study or proof page, your about page and your contact page. If one guide brings in many of your enquiries, link to that too. Rank them by commercial value. A page that earns you money deserves a place in the body, not only in the menu.

• List your services on the homepage without overwhelm
• Case study teasers that pull visitors deeper

How should you word the links?

Use anchor text that says what the visitor will get. 'Boiler repair prices' tells people and search engines far more than 'learn more'. Google's link guidance asks for descriptive, reasonably concise text. It also helps screen reader users, who may browse a list of links out of context.

• Descriptive link text: why 'click here' loses visitors
• Website dead ends: pages that leave visitors nowhere to go

How many links is too many?

There is no firm limit, and Google can handle hundreds. The real issue is attention. Hick's Law suggests that more choices slow decisions, so a homepage crowded with links dilutes your main action. Keep the body links few and purposeful, and let the footer hold the rest.

• Too many choices on your website? Cut them to convert
• Too many buttons on your homepage? Pick one path

What technical mistakes should you avoid?

Use normal HTML links with an href. Links triggered only by JavaScript may not be followed. Do not hide key links inside tabs that need a click to load. Check that links work after launch, because broken links on your main page waste visitors' attention and leave a poor impression.

• JavaScript menus: when navigation fails to load or be crawled
• The first 30 days after launching a homepage

When should you not add a homepage link?

Do not add a link just for search value if it distracts from your main action. Blog posts, old news and minor pages do not need homepage links. Do not link to the same page many times with different wording, because that gives mixed signals and adds clutter.

• Should your homepage show your latest blog posts?

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern worth reviewing: a business's most profitable service is reachable only through a dropdown, while the homepage links to a two-year-old news post. Replacing that one link is a small job, and it sends visitors and crawlers towards the page that actually pays.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses

Homepage internal links checklist

• List your top money pages.
• Link to each from the body.
• Use descriptive anchor text.
• Use normal HTML links.
• Remove low-value links.
• Check for broken links after launch.

• New homepage not showing on Google? Check these first
• The image people see when your homepage is shared

Next step

List every link on your homepage body and write the commercial value of each destination beside it. Remove or replace the weakest two.