# Internal linking & topic silos

German title: Interne Verlinkung & Themen-Silos

> Google generally follows only links marked up as an a element with an href. Every important page should be linked from at least one other page, with descriptive anchor text. Google gives no ideal number of links. Hub and spokes are an editorial model; cluster sizes are not verified.

Manfred Sulzmann: “Internal links are the glue of your SEO strategy. Without them, strong individual pages stay isolated.”

## Facts

- **Crawlable:** a element with href
- **Anchor text:** descriptive, no stuffing
- **At minimum:** one internal link to every important page
- **Cluster size:** not verified

## What Google documents

- Google generally follows only  elements with an href . Links that work only via onclick may not be recognized.
- Every important page should have at least one link from another page on the site.
- Link related resources in context; this helps readers and Google understand the structure.
- Anchor text: descriptive, concise, understandable on its own; avoid “click here”, no keyword stuffing.
- Google gives no ideal number of links; too many links indicate a problem.

## Hub and spokes as an editorial model

A hub (overview with definition) links to spoke articles on sub-topics that link back to the hub and to related spokes. This is an organizational model of this website, not a Google requirement. Google documents contextual links and reachability, but no “silo” concept. Links between clusters are fine; they should help the reader.

## What is not verified

Neither a minimum or maximum number of articles per cluster nor the statement that search systems recognize and prefer clusters is verified in the sources read. The URL structure does not turn pages into a silo either; links and topical assignment decide.

## Not verified

Hub and spokes are an editorial model of this website; an effect on rankings or AI citations is not verified.

## Sources

- Google Search Central: SEO link best practices (primary source)

Checked on: 24 October 2026.

## Questions

### How many internal links per page are ideal?

Google gives no ideal number and notes that very many links indicate a problem.

### Do links have to be an a element with href?

Google generally follows only such links. JavaScript-inserted links work if they use the same markup.

### How large should a cluster be?

There is no verified value.

### Are footer links enough?

The Google page read makes no statement on this. What is documented is the recommendation to link related content in context.

## Related

- [SEO basics for knowledge portals](https://munichmedia.com/reports/seo-basics-fuer-wissensportale.md)
- [Technical SEO: fundamentals](https://munichmedia.com/reports/technisches-seo-grundlagen.md)
- [On-page SEO & content structure](https://munichmedia.com/reports/onpage-seo-content-struktur.md)

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