Sitelinks

What are Sitelinks?

Sitelinks are additional links that appear below certain search results on search engine results pages (SERPs). They provide shortcuts to other important pages on the same site or to different sections of the ranking page.

Sitelinks help users navigate to specific parts of a site more efficiently, often leading to pages that Google’s algorithms identify as significant or relevant.

Types of Sitelinks

1. Organic Sitelinks (Standard):

• These are the most common type of sitelinks, typically displayed below the main search result for branded queries. They usually show four to six links to important sections of the site.
• Example: Searching for “Amazon” might show sitelinks like “Best Sellers,” “Customer Service,” and “Prime.”

1. Organic Sitelinks (Horizontal):

• Also known as one-line sitelinks, these are often displayed horizontally and can lead to different sections or specific content within a page using fragment (#) links.
• Example: For a search query about a news article, horizontal sitelinks might lead to various sections of the news site, such as “Politics,” “Sports,” or “Entertainment.”

1. Sitelink Assets (Paid Sitelinks):

• These sitelinks appear in paid search ads (Google Ads) and can be customized with your own text and URLs. They allow you to control what links appear and how they are presented in your ads.
• Example: A search ad for an online store might include sitelink assets like “Shop Now,” “Special Offers,” and “Customer Reviews.”

Importance of Sitelinks

1. Increased Visibility:

• Sitelinks expand the amount of space your listing occupies on SERPs, making it stand out from other search results. This increased visibility can attract more clicks and drive more traffic to your site.

1. Improved User Experience:

• By providing shortcuts to key pages, sitelinks make it easier for users to navigate your site and find what they are looking for quickly.

1. Enhanced Click-Through Rate (CTR):

• Listings with sitelinks are more likely to be clicked because they offer additional options beyond the main landing page, leading to a higher CTR.

Best Practices for Sitelinks

Although you cannot directly control organic sitelinks, you can influence their appearance with the following practices:

1. Use Informative Titles and Headings:

• Ensure that your page titles and headings are clear, descriptive, and relevant. Google relies on these elements to understand the content of your pages and determine which links to display as sitelinks.

1. Maintain a Logical Website Structure:

• A well-organized website structure with a clear hierarchy helps both users and search engines navigate your site more easily. This can positively impact the likelihood of sitelinks being displayed.

1. Develop a Strong Internal Linking Structure:

• Internal links help Google understand the relationship between different pages on your site. Make sure to link to important pages from other relevant pages and use concise, relevant anchor texts for internal links.

How to Remove a Sitelink

Removing a sitelink from Google is not straightforward and can only be effectively managed by preventing the page from being indexed. The most reliable way to do this is by using the noindex tag.

• Important Note: Using the noindex tag will remove the page from all search results, not just from sitelinks. Use this method with caution and only if you are certain that the page should not appear in search results at all.

For more control over sitelinks in ads, you can manage and edit sitelink assets through Google Ads.

Conclusion

Sitelinks are a valuable SERP feature that can enhance your site’s visibility and user experience. By optimizing your site’s structure and internal linking, you can influence which sitelinks appear and how they contribute to your overall search presence.