Content revised 21 October 2026.
Links in different parts of a page serve different reader needs. Build a coherent navigation structure and useful contextual references rather than following a supposed fixed ranking value for each position.
Give the header a clear job
Primary navigation should help visitors reach the site’s important areas. Use understandable labels and test the mobile menu and keyboard behaviour. A small, usable set of destinations can work better than a long list of every keyword variation.
Use the footer for useful references
Contact details, policies and relevant services can belong in the footer. A footer link is not automatically worthless, and its presence doesn't remove the need for other discovery paths. Choose destinations because visitors may need them.
Connect the explanation with contextual links
- Link when another page answers a real next question.
- Use wording that describes the destination naturally.
- Check that the target still works and fits the context.
- Avoid repeating the same sales link in every paragraph.
Do not rely on a first-link formula
An old rule that only the first anchor to a URL matters is not a dependable site-design strategy. Review the whole journey and the public HTML. Search systems can use links for discovery and context, but an editor can't assign a universal ranking weight to every placement.
Test the structure
Start from several important pages and try to find related information. Check that useful pages are not reachable only through a search form or a broken control. Record the navigation problem you fix rather than reporting a link count as an outcome by itself.
Official guidance: Google’s link best practices.