Adding Links in WordPress

Setting Links Correctly in WordPress: Internal Linking, External Links, and Clean URLs

Links are among the most important building blocks of any website. They connect content, guide visitors to further information, strengthen navigation, and help search engines understand the structure of your website. Inserting links in WordPress is easy – yet they should be placed deliberately.

A good link is not just technically correct. It has a clear purpose, uses descriptive anchor text, leads to a relevant target page, and avoids unnecessary errors such as broken links, incorrect redirects, or unclear URL structures.

Why Links are Important for WordPress Websites

Links have multiple roles. They help visitors find their way around your website and show search engines which pieces of content belong together. Especially for blogs, knowledge bases, and corporate websites, clean internal linking is a crucial quality factor.

Good links improve:

• Navigation and user guidance,
• Comprehensibility of complex topics,
• Discoverability of older posts,
• SEO structure,
• Distribution of internal relevance signals,
• Dwell time,
• Conversion paths,
• Accessibility for users and search engines.

On the other hand, poorly placed links can confuse, lead to error pages, or needlessly direct visitors away from your website.

1. Inserting Links in the WordPress Editor

In the modern WordPress editor, you can insert links directly into the text. This works for both posts and pages.

Here is how to proceed:

1. Open the desired post or page.
2. Highlight the word or sentence you want to link.
3. Click the Link icon in the toolbar.
4. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + K on Windows or Cmd + K on Mac.
5. Enter a URL or search for an existing page on your website.
6. Confirm the link.
7. Save or update the post.

When linking to internal content, you don't need to type the full URL manually. Simply type a part of the page title. WordPress will automatically suggest matching posts and pages.

2. Using Good Link Texts

The visible text of a link is called anchor text or link text. It should clearly describe where the link leads. This helps visitors, screen readers, and search engines alike.

Good link texts are clear, naturally phrased, and not artificially stuffed with keywords.

3. Using Internal Links Correctly

Internal links lead to other areas of your own website. They are particularly valuable because they guide visitors through your content and help search engines understand topical relationships.

Internal links are suitable for:

• In-depth guides,
• Related blog posts,
• Product or service pages,
• Contact pages,
• FAQ sections,
• Knowledge base articles,
• Categories and topic overviews.

Example: An article about WordPress images can link to posts about the media library, image optimization, and storage space management.

4. Planning Internal Linking Strategically

Internal links should not be placed randomly. Consider which content belongs together topically and which pages are particularly important.

Good internal linking answers questions like:

• Which further guide helps the reader right now?
• Which important page should be strengthened?
• Which old posts match the topic of the new article?
• Which content explains terms in more detail?
• Which service page fits the reader's problem?

In a knowledge base, internal linking is especially crucial because many articles build upon one another.

5. Using External Links Wisely

External links lead to other websites. They can be helpful when you reference official documentation, manufacturer pages, authority websites, or trustworthy sources.

External links are useful for:

• Official documentation,
• Source citations,
• Legal or technical references,
• Plugin or theme manufacturer sites,
• Download pages of official providers,
• Government or official information.

Do not link indiscriminately to third-party sites. Check whether the source is reputable, up-to-date, and topically relevant.

6. Opening External Links in a New Tab?

Many website owners open external links in a new tab so that their own website remains open in the background. This can make sense, but it should be used deliberately.

Recommendation:

• Internal links: usually open in the same tab.
• External links: open in a new tab depending on the context.
• Downloads: frequently open in a new tab or provide as a direct download.
• Forms or checkout pages: avoid leading users away unnecessarily.

7. Links to Downloads and PDFs

WordPress also allows links to PDF files, images, or other downloads in the media library. This is practical for price lists, manuals, forms, product data sheets, or brochures.

For download links, pay attention to:

• Clear link text,
• Up-to-date files,
• Meaningful file names,
• Reasonable file size,
• Correct version,
• No sensitive information,
• Working URL after file updates.

Example of a good link text: Download the current price list as a PDF.

8. Understanding Permalinks

A permalink is the permanent URL of a post, page, or other content. A clean permalink structure is important because URLs are visible, shareable, and relevant to search engines.

Example of an unhelpful URL:

https://www.ihredomain.ch/?p=123

Example of a better URL:

https://www.ihredomain.ch/wordpress-bilder-einfuegen/

A descriptive URL is easier for visitors to understand and can help search engines better categorize the topic of a page.

9. Configuring Permalink Structure

You can find the permalink settings under:

Settings > Permalinks

For many websites, the Post name option is a good choice. This creates short and descriptive URLs.

Recommended workflow for new websites:

1. Go to Settings > Permalinks immediately after installing WordPress.
2. Select the Post name option.
3. Save changes.
4. Only then begin building the website.

10. Avoiding Unnecessary URL Changes

If a post is already published, linked, or indexed by Google, its URL should not be changed carelessly. Any modification can break existing links.

Only change URLs if:

• the old URL is clearly wrong,
• a better structure is urgently needed,
• a relaunch is planned,
• a redirect is being set up,
• you can monitor the impact.

If you change a URL, set up a 301 redirect from the old address to the new one.

• Guide: Creating 301 Redirects in cPanel

11. 301 Redirects for Deleted or Moved Content

A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines that a page has permanently moved to a new address. This is important when old URLs no longer exist.

Redirects make sense for:

• Changed permalinks,
• Deleted posts with replacement content,
• Merged articles,
• Relaunches,
• Changed category URLs,
• Domain changes,
• Moving from old HTML pages to WordPress.

Always redirect to the most relevant new page, not generally to the homepage.

12. Avoiding Broken Links

Broken links lead to pages that no longer exist. They generate 404 errors and degrade the user experience. Especially in older blogs and knowledge bases, broken links appear almost automatically over time.

Causes of broken links:

• Deleted posts,
• Changed URLs,
• External sources disappearing,
• PDFs being replaced,
• Domain changes,
• Misspelled URLs,
• Old internal links after a relaunch.

Check important pages regularly for broken links, especially after making major changes.

13. Relative and Absolute Links

Internal links can technically be set as absolute or relative links.

Absolute URL:

https://www.ihredomain.ch/kontakt/

Relative URL:

/kontakt/

In WordPress, it is usually easiest to select internal pages using the search function in the link dialog. This ensures WordPress uses the correct URL and avoids typos.

14. Links and Accessibility

Links should also be understandable for users using screen readers. Unclear texts like "here", "more", or "click" are problematic because they convey little meaning without context.

Accessible link texts:

• Describe the destination,
• Are understandable even without reading the whole paragraph,
• Avoid displaying raw URLs,
• Are not too long,
• Are not recognizable by color alone.

A good link text helps all users, not just search engines.

15. SEO: Why Internal Links Are So Important

Internal links help search engines discover new and existing content. They also indicate which pages within your website are important.

SEO benefits of internal links:

• Better crawlability,
• Clearer topical structure,
• Strengthening important pages,
• Fewer orphaned contents,
• Better user guidance,
• Higher dwell time,
• Better connection of related content.

However, avoid artificial over-linking. Every link should provide genuine value.

16. GEO: Clear Link Structures for Better Comprehensibility

GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization, benefits from clear, well-connected content. When articles, guides, and topic pages are logically linked, relationships can be better recognized by AI engines.

Helpful for GEO are:

• Descriptive link texts,
• Logical topic clusters,
• FAQ and guide articles with appropriate references,
• Clear URL structures,
• Updated links,
• No orphaned content,
• Redirects instead of error pages.

17. Common Errors with Links and URLs

• Using "Click here" as link text: Unclear for users and search engines.
• Too many links in one paragraph: The text looks cluttered.
• Setting external links without checking: Target pages might be untrustworthy or outdated.
• Changing permalinks later without a redirect: Old URLs generate 404 errors.
• Replacing PDFs without checking links: Downloads stop working.
• Typing internal links manually incorrectly: Typos lead to error pages.
• Redirecting all old pages to the homepage: Users do not find the expected content.
• Orphaned content: Good posts are not linked anywhere internally.

Recommended Approach

1. Set permalinks early: Switch to a descriptive structure immediately on new websites.
2. Set internal links via WordPress search: This prevents typos.
3. Use meaningful link texts: Clearly name the destination of the link.
4. Verify external links: Only link to reputable and relevant sources.
5. Name downloads properly: Formulate PDF links clearly.
6. Do not change URLs unnecessarily: Be especially careful with indexed pages.
7. Set up redirects: When content is moved or deleted.
8. Check for broken links regularly: Especially after relaunches or content cleanups.
9. Avoid orphaned content: Link important articles internally.
10. Test links on mobile: Especially check menus, buttons, and call-to-actions.

Frequently Asked Questions about Links and Permalinks in WordPress

How do I insert a link in WordPress?

Highlight the desired text, click the link icon or use Ctrl + K / Cmd + K, enter the destination address, and confirm the link.

What is an internal link?

An internal link leads to another page or post on the same website.

What is an external link?

An external link leads to a different website, for example, to an official documentation or source.

What is a permalink?

A permalink is the permanent URL of a post, page, or other content in WordPress.

Which permalink structure is recommended?

For most websites, Post name is a good choice because it creates short and descriptive URLs.

Can I change permalinks later?

Yes, but with caution. For existing websites, you should set up appropriate 301 redirects so old URLs do not lead to error pages.

Should I open external links in a new tab?

This can be useful, especially for external sources. Internal links should mostly open in the same tab.

Why are broken links bad?

Broken links lead to error pages, degrade the user experience, and can negatively impact the technical quality of your website.