Once you have more than a handful of posts, many of them will be related. Linking them together is called internal linking, and it is one of the easiest on-page SEO wins. For example, this link to our on-page SEO checklist is an internal link.
With a few posts, internal linking is easy. With hundreds, you need a system. Here are the best ways to interlink blog posts in WordPress in 2026.
Why Internal Links Matter
- They help readers find related content, so they stay longer and read more.
- They help search engines discover new pages and understand how your content fits together.
- They pass authority from strong pages to newer or weaker ones, helping them rank.
- Descriptive anchor text tells Google what the linked page is about.
- They prevent orphan pages, posts with no internal links pointing to them, which are hard for Google to find.
1. Use the Built-In Link Tool in the Block Editor
If you know which post you want to link to, WordPress makes it easy:
- Select the words you want to link and press Ctrl + K (Cmd + K on Mac), or click the link icon.
- Start typing the post title or a keyword. WordPress searches your posts and pages.
- Choose the right post and press Enter.
Shortcut: type [[ anywhere in a paragraph and start typing to search and insert a link to one of your posts without leaving the keyboard.
2. Use an Internal Linking Plugin
When you have many posts, you will not remember everything you have written. These plugins suggest relevant links for you:
Link Whisper
Link Whisper is a dedicated internal linking plugin. It shows link suggestions below the editor that you can insert with one click, finds orphan posts, shows reports of inbound and outbound links for every post, can auto-link keywords you choose, and helps you find broken links.
Rank Math
Rank Math, the SEO plugin we use, shows link suggestions in its sidebar based on your focus keyword, so you can copy a relevant link while writing. It is less powerful than Link Whisper but enough for smaller blogs.
Other Options
Yoast SEO Premium offers internal linking suggestions and an orphaned content filter, and All in One SEO has a Link Assistant add-on. Use the tool that comes with your SEO plugin if you already pay for it.
3. Search Your Own Site on Google
When you publish a new post, you should also add links to it from older posts. To find related older posts, search Google for:
site:yourdomain.com keyword
For example, site:roadtoblogging.com internal linking lists every page on this blog that mentions internal linking. Open the most relevant ones and add a link to your new post where it naturally fits.
4. Check Your Links in Search Console
Google Search Console’s Links report shows your most internally linked pages. If an important post has very few internal links, add more from related articles. This is a simple way to give your money pages and newer posts a boost.
Internal Linking Best Practices
- Link when it helps the reader, not just for SEO.
- Use descriptive anchor text, but vary it; you do not need exact-match keywords every time.
- Link early in the post where it makes sense; links higher up tend to get more clicks.
- Do not overdo it. A few relevant links are better than dozens.
- Point links to your most important pages (pillar posts and money pages).
- Update old posts to link to new ones, and fix broken internal links when you change URLs. See how to change an old post URL safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many internal links should a post have?
There is no fixed number. As a rough guide, 3 to 10 relevant internal links in a typical blog post is reasonable; longer posts can have more.
Should internal links open in a new tab?
Usually no. Internal links should open in the same tab so readers can use the back button naturally.
Do internal links help rankings?
Yes. They help Google discover and understand your pages and pass authority between them, which can lift rankings, especially for newer posts.
Keep improving your on-page SEO with these guides: increase CTR in Google, image SEO tips, writing meta descriptions, and keyword research.
Leave a Reply