Don't be shy, make sitelinks fly Apr 25, 2024
Ever searched for your favorite brand on Google and noticed those neat little links hanging out beneath the main result? Those are sitelinks, and they’re basically the VIP section of search results!
What are sitelinks anyway?
Sitelinks are like your website’s greatest hits album. They’re those extra links Google (and Bing!) shows under your main search result that point to other pages on your site. Think of them as the search engine saying, “Hey, this site is so awesome, let me show you some shortcuts!”
Here’s the kicker: they only appear for results search engines think are trustworthy and useful. No pressure!
Types of sitelinks (they come in flavors!)
| Type | What it does | Where you’ll see it |
|---|---|---|
| Organic sitelinks | Up to 6 links with descriptions | Top result for branded searches |
| One-line sitelinks | Horizontal links (usually 4) | Various search results |
| Paid sitelinks | Ad extensions you control | Google Ads campaigns |
Why should you care?
Real estate, baby! Sitelinks make your search result HUGE. It’s like upgrading from economy to first class. Plus:
- More clicks: people get exactly where they want to go
- Trust boost: Google’s basically giving you a thumbs up
- Brand visibility: show off your best pages upfront
- Better UX: users jump straight to the good stuff
Fun fact: Some sites see over 12% of their branded traffic clicking sitelinks instead of the main result!
How to make sitelinks happen
Bad news: You can’t directly control them. Search engine algorithms call the shots.
Good news: You can totally influence them! Here’s how:
1. Structure your site like a library
Keep things organized and logical. If your navigation is a mess, Google won’t know what to promote.
2. Internal linking is your BFF
Link to important pages and use descriptive anchor text. Make it clear what each page is about! Bonus points for adding breadcrumb navigation—it helps both users and search engines understand your site hierarchy.
3. Write killer title tags
Make them descriptive and concise (50-60 characters). These help search engines understand your pages. And hey, avoid duplicate titles—each page should have its own unique title!
4. Own your brand name
Rank #1 for your brand? Sitelinks are way more likely to show up. Simple as that.
5. Create an XML sitemap
This is a sitemap.xml file that lists all your important pages. Most platforms (WordPress, Shopify) generate this automatically at yoursite.com/sitemap.xml. Submit it to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools so search engines know where to find it!
6. Add structured data
Schema markup helps search engines understand your content better. Add Organization schema to your homepage with your business name, logo, and contact info. It’s like giving search engines a cheat sheet about your site!
Don’t want a page as a sitelink?
If a page keeps showing up as a sitelink and you don’t want it there, you can add a noindex tag to remove it from search results entirely. Just be careful—this removes the page from all search results, not just sitelinks!
The reality check
Here’s the honest truth: search engine algorithms decide everything. You can’t force sitelinks to appear, and you can’t edit them manually (well, not anymore). But following best practices definitely tips the scales in your favor.
Think of it like being a good host at a party. Set everything up nicely, make it easy for guests to find what they need, and let the magic happen naturally.
Quick win checklist
- [ ] Clean, logical site structure
- [ ] Strategic internal linking
- [ ] Descriptive page titles
- [ ] XML sitemap submitted
- [ ] Schema markup on homepage
- [ ] Ranking well for your brand
- [ ] Important pages are accessible
Bottom line
Sitelinks are like getting a gold star from search engines. They make your search result stand out, help users find what they need faster, and signal that you’ve got a solid, trustworthy site.
Can’t force them? True. But build a well-structured, user-friendly site with great content, and you’ll be well on your way to sitelink stardom!