What is Deep Linking?

Basically deep linking is the linking of information to another page from a website page instead of the actual home page itself. A regular link will point to yahoo.com for example, where as a deep link will point to a particular web page inside of yahoo. Or perhaps consider a regular link will point to the MySpace homepage, a deep link will point to a members profile or some other specific feature page inside of MySpace.

Many large companies discourage the practice of deep linking into pages on their own websites as it allows visitors to go directly to a specific page of interest and avoid their sponsor advertising or other such features that may be a source of profitability for the company. Deep linking however is very desirable to an average internet user who is intent on going directly to the relevant pages of interest. The truth is that companies or owners of website can actually benefit by allowing deep linking to pages inside of their websites.

Deep linking improves the usability of a website for their visitor, new internet users or users less knowledgeable in the ways of web world are most likely to easily find what it is they are looking for by going directly to a page within a site by clicking on a deep link. Imagine for a moment you were searching for a particular recipe, chicken casserole for example, when you click on a link that promises a chicken casserole recipe, not a whole lot of other information with little or no clue of how to find that cherished chicken casserole. Allowing your site visitor to go straight to the recipe they are looking for ensures that you will have a returning visit, confusing and disappointing your visitor is not the best way to create interested visitors.

Certainly there are even more advantages for allowing deep linking into your website. Allowing deep linking makes it far easier to follow your website visitors viewing tracks. Your website stats will display exactly what pages and information your website visitor was interested in viewing when they entered your website. This will clearly define what you have that is of value and know the true popularity of your website content.

Deep linking also greatly improves your websites attractiveness for search engine rankings. Take for example a website devoted to dogs that provided links to each specific breed of dog from the homepage, when someone searching the internet is looking for Husky information the search engine will include this website and the person looking easily find what they are looking for on your website.

Pay per click advertising or PPC, as it is often referred to uses deep linking to point to exactly what your advertisement is about, this helps your conversion rates. Let's say that your site is devoted to home furnishings and place an advertisement for beds, deep linking the advertising to point directly to your beds. If this advertisement pointed only to your homepage some visitors may wander off looking at bits and pieces they are not interested in actually purchasing.

You may experiment with these ideas and see the results for yourself. Begin by creating deep liking a blog and link directly to specific content inside of the website. Be sure to include deep links in articles submitted to article directories. Successful results will certainly be evident real soon.

Robert Paul Williams is the Editor of Work At Home Business Website. Are You Promoting a Product or Service Online? Come Visit WAHBWS to Get Your Free and Low Cost Website Advertising Ideas