Average Number of Internal Links On Top Ranking Websites (2026)
Our team of engineers analyzed 10,000 websites to figure out how many Internal links to use per article. We count contextual internal links, meaning links inside the article.
Here is a quick TL;DR.
Top 3 had on avg. 22 links internal links
Top 4-10 had on avg. 14 internal links
Top websites linked to topical relevant content sing topic clusters
Top websites placed most of their internal links in the top
Study design
We sampled 10,000 pages that ranked highly for a broad set of commercial and informational keywords. Pages came from a mix of small blogs, medium sites, and large publishers. We included desktop and mobile versions where available. The goal was broad coverage, not one niche only.
Link counts were split into two main types. First, total internal links.
This includes navigation, sidebars, footers, and body content. Second, contextual internal links. These are links inside the main article or page content, where links are part of the text and guide readers to related pages.
We also captured rank position for the target keyword, page length, site size by total indexed pages, and whether the link used exact or partial anchor text. Metrics were cleaned to remove duplicate counting across render modes.
To ensure repeatability, we logged the CSS paths and DOM nodes used to identify main content. This makes our counts consistent from page to page.
We also recorded the crawl date and user agent to keep the method transparent.
Here are the core data points we tracked for each page before analysis.
Total internal links on the rendered page.
Contextual internal links inside main content.
Rank position for target keyword.
Page word count and H element count.
Site size by indexed pages and sitemap entries.
Key findings
Top-ranking pages tend to have more internal links overall.
When we include sitewide menus and footers, the mean number of internal links per page was about 37. This number is driven up by large publisher templates with many footer links. Do not treat this as a target for contextual links.
Contextual links tell a different story. The mean number of contextual internal links was about 16, and the median was 12. This is the better metric for page authors who add links inside content. It reflects the links a reader sees and clicks while reading.
Ranking analysis showed that pages in positions 1 to 3 averaged about 22 contextual links, while pages ranking from 4 to 10 averaged about 14 contextual links. The difference is real but not huge. It suggests contextual links help, especially up to a point.
We also found diminishing returns. Pages with more than 25 contextual links rarely gained extra rank benefit. In fact, pages with very high link counts often came from large sites with heavy internal linking, not because of page-level quality improvements. In short, more is not always better when it comes to contextual links.
Key numeric takeaways from the analysis are below. These are rounded and meant to be used as practical guides.
Mean total internal links: 37 links per page.
Mean contextual internal links: 16 links per page.
Median contextual internal links: 12 links per page.
Top 3 average contextual links: about 22.
Diminishing returns threshold: ~25 contextual links.
Links by rank
We split pages by rank buckets and compared link counts. The general trend is clear. Higher ranking pages show higher contextual link counts on average. But the effect varies by niche and content depth. Sites with deep content often use more internal links naturally.
Here are the patterns we saw across rank groups. These paragraphs explain how to use the numbers, not just repeat them. You can adapt the ranges to your site size and audience.
Rank 1 to 3 pages
These pages often have strong internal linking to related guides, category pages, and pillar content. They balance clarity and link depth. The average contextual link count in this group is around 20 to 25, depending on page length.
Rank 4 to 10 pages
These pages typically have fewer contextual links. They average around 10 to 16 contextual links. Many improved pages in this range showed quick gains when operators added focused internal links to relevant pages.
Here is a short list to help you decide where to aim based on rank target and page length. Treat this as a starting point, not a rigid rule.
Short posts (300 to 800 words): aim for 3 to 8 contextual links.
Medium posts (800 to 1,500 words): aim for 8 to 18 contextual links.
Long posts (1,500+ words): aim for 12 to 25 contextual links.
Link placement
The most significant finding regarding placement is that Top 3 results placed the majority of their contextual links in the top 25% of the page.
In highly competitive niches, top-ranking pages included up to 10 internal links within the first 100 words.
Why does it work? Early placement signals "Topical Clusters" to search engines immediately and provides instant value to readers looking for specific sub-topics.
Expand study
The current study gives clear averages and ranges. But there is more to learn. We recommend additional experiments to refine the guidance and test causation rather than correlation. More focused work will increase confidence in specific tactics.
One next step is A/B testing on internal link patterns. Pick similar pages and add different numbers and types of contextual links. Track clicks, time on page, and rank changes. This helps separate link effects from other signals like content updates and backlinks.
Another path is to segment by intent and niche. Transactional pages may need a different internal link strategy than how-to articles. Also, study how anchor text type affects click rate and ranking action.
Below are practical research ideas you can run to expand on this study. Each idea is designed to be actionable and measurable.
A/B test contextual link counts and monitor ranking and click-through rate.
Compare exact match anchor text versus partial and branded anchors.
Measure the effect of link position in the article - early, middle, or end.
Test site templates that reduce footer noise and emphasize in-content links.
Run a longitudinal study to track link additions and rank movement over three to six months.
How to add more internal links
If you want to add internal links at scale, MassBlogger can help:
Connect your website
Add a Anchor-Link pair
Massblogger automatically inserts internal links
If you're using WordPress you should install Internal Link Juicer. It's an automation tool designed to manage how "link equity" or "juice" flows through your website.
Instead of manually adding every link, you tell the tool which keywords belong to which pages, and it handles the rest.
Automated Internal Linking: It automatically scans your content and turns specific keywords into links pointing to your most important pages.
"Set and Forget" Strategy: You associate keywords with a post once; whenever you mention those words in future articles, Link Juicer automatically creates the link.
Anchor Text Control: It ensures you aren't using the same exact word for every link, which helps avoid "over-optimization" penalties from Google.
Link Density Management: It prevents your pages from looking like spam by letting you set limits (e.g., "max 10 links per post" or "don't link the same page twice in one article").
Topical Authority: By connecting related articles, it helps search engines like Google (and 2026 AI-driven answer engines) understand that you are an expert in a specific "cluster" of topics.
The big picture
Internal links matter, but context matters more. The study shows that top pages use a mix of sitewide and contextual links. The best wins come from relevant, helpful links inside content rather than stuffing links everywhere.
Practical rule of thumb: aim for 12 to 25 contextual links for most long pages, and fewer for short posts. Keep links relevant, use varied anchors, and test changes in small batches. These steps give a strong chance of improving both user experience and search performance.
If you want to add links in bulk, use MassBlogger with a careful plan and testing cadence. Start small, watch metrics, and scale only when the test batch shows positive signals. That protects your traffic and preserves page quality.
We shared numbers, a tested method to add links, and ideas to expand research. Use these findings to make practical changes. Track results and keep improving. This is how sites build steady gains over time.
