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In order to ensure the sitelinks feature is displaying the appropriate links for your site we’ve put together the following recommendations. While this process used to be as simple as demoting wrongly displayed links Google has since removed that functionality and now determines sitelinks by requiring sites to follow a set of best practices. Once these best practices are followed user behavior (such as time spent on a page, how often it’s accessed, etc.) will be a major factor in which pages appear in sitelinks.

How Sitelinks Labels Are Determined

  • Anchor text pointing to the page from internal or external links
  • Search queries for which the page was returned as a result, especially if it was either in the first or subsequent top ten position
  • Search queries for which the page was clicked upon from search results
  • Key phrases extracted from social bookmarking tags

How to Get Desired Pages to Display in Sitelinks

  • Ensure your website has a clear structure, uses relevant internal links and anchor text that’s informative, compact and avoids duplication
  • Make sure you are linking to category and/or subcategory pages that you want to show up in the sitelinks feature from elsewhere on the site, such as related blog posts
  • If you haven’t done so already, submit an up to date sitemap
  • If any of the pages currently displaying in sitelinks should not be showing up in search at all submit a support ticket and we can discuss ways to block them from being indexed entirely
Frequently Asked Questions

  • Sitelinks are additional links displayed under your main website link in the search results. They provide users with quick access to specific pages on your site, improving navigation and enhancing the user experience. Having relevant sitelinks can also increase your site's visibility and click-through rates.

  • Google determines sitelinks based on various factors, including anchor text from internal and external links, search queries for which the page was returned or clicked upon, and key phrases from social bookmarking tags. User behavior, such as time spent on a page and frequency of access, is also a significant factor in sitelink selection.

  • To improve the chances of specific pages appearing as sitelinks, you should follow these best practices: Organize your website with a clear structure and relevant internal linking. Use informative and concise anchor text for internal links. Link to category and subcategory pages you want to appear as sitelinks from other parts of your site, like related blog posts. Submit an up-to-date sitemap to help Google understand your site's structure.

  • If undesired pages are appearing in sitelinks or if certain pages should not be indexed at all, you can request changes through a support ticket. Google may consider blocking these pages from being indexed in the future.

  • No, Google's algorithm automatically generates sitelinks based on user behavior and other factors. You can optimize your site to influence the selection, but you cannot manually choose which sitelinks appear in search results.

  • Sitelinks themselves do not directly impact your website's ranking. However, they can enhance your site's appearance in search results, increase visibility, and improve click-through rates, which can indirectly benefit your overall SEO efforts.

  • Sitelinks can change periodically based on user behavior and site changes. While you cannot request specific sitelinks, following best practices and optimizing your website can increase the likelihood of displaying relevant sitelinks over time.