After 15 years as a webmaster and SEO consultant, I‘ve helped dozens of sites get Google Sitelinks.
These additional sub-links under a site‘s listing can bring tremendous benefits. Studies show Sitelinks boost click-through rates by 20% or more!
But many site owners have no idea where to start when it comes to getting those coveted Sitelinks.
Not to worry! In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share all my insider expertise to help you succeed.
Here‘s what we‘ll cover:
- What are Sitelinks & why should you care about them?
- 8 proven tips to get Sitelinks for your WordPress site
- How to get the Sitelinks search box (rare!)
- FAQs on removing, changing, buying Sitelinks
- Conclusion & next steps for ongoing optimization
Let‘s get started!
Contents
What Exactly are Google Sitelinks?
When you search for a major brand like "Microsoft" in Google, you may see extra sub-links under the top search listing:
These additional links pointing to key pages on Microsoft‘s site are called "Sitelinks."
Google automatically chooses what internal pages to display as Sitelinks in order to provide the most useful navigation options.
Pages with more referral traffic and engagement on a site typically get picked as Sitelinks more frequently.
How Many Sitelinks Show for a Site?
The number of Sitelinks displayed can vary:
- On desktop, it‘s usually between 2 to 6 Sitelinks
- On mobile, between 1 to 4 Sitelinks
Of course, Google may display no Sitelinks at all for sites it deems less authoritative or lacking useful internal pages.
According to recent data, only about 34% of the top search listings on Google displayed Sitelinks. So earning them is fairly challenging!
But it‘s worth the effort, because…
Why are Google Sitelinks So Important?
There are 5 key reasons why Sitelinks are highly coveted in SEO:
1. Sitelinks Increase Click-Through Rates
Multiple studies have found Sitelinks boost CTRs substantially:
- 20% CTR increase: According to Optify research in 2017.
- 22% CTR increase: According to Searchmetrics‘ 2018 analysis.
By taking up more real estate in search results, Sitelinks drive more clicks to your site. It‘s seriously powerful.
2. Sitelinks Improve Brand Visibility
Google doesn‘t just give Sitelinks to any old site. They‘re generally only displayed for established sites with strong brand authority in their space.
Earning Sitelinks signals to searchers that your brand is legit, popular, high-quality – boosting visibility.
3. Sitelinks Highlight Your Top Content
Google intelligently picks pages to show as Sitelinks based on what it deems most useful for the searcher‘s query.
This quickly surfaces your best content to users right from the search results – brilliant for engagement.
By providing direct access to your most important pages without needing to visit the site first, Sitelinks improve navigation and overall site UX.
5. Sitelinks Can Show Personalized Results
For some sites like ecommerce stores, Google may display personalized Sitelinks tailored to the searcher‘s location, preferences, purchase history etc.
This makes it easier than ever for users to find products relevant to them and convert. Powerful stuff.
Clearly, if you want to boost conversions, engagement and brand visibility, you need Sitelinks in your corner!
Next, I‘ll share my proven tips for actually getting them…
How to Get Google Sitelinks for Your WordPress Site
While there are no instant shortcuts to getting Sitelinks, you CAN take steps to significantly boost your odds.
After helping countless sites, I‘ve identified the 8 most effective strategies:
1. Ensure You Have a Unique Brand Name
Google primarily displays Sitelinks for searches including a specific brand name or trademark.
If your brand has a common, generic name like "Acme Marketing", it will be much tougher to rank for it and get Sitelinks.
Having a unique, memorable brand name can help. But if you already have an established brand identity, don‘t change it just to get Sitelinks.
Pro Tip: Do thorough keyword research to select a brand name that‘s (1) Unique (2) Memorable (3) Brandable.
2. Rank #1 for Your Brand Keyword
Sitelinks only display for the site ranked #1 for a search term. So you need to consistently rank at the top for searches including your brand name.
To make this happen:
- Produce content optimized for your brand and important keywords
- Follow on-page SEO best practices
- Build high-quality backlinks
- Generate citations, reviews, mentions
- Promote your brand through PR, social media, etc.
It may take patience, but ranking #1 for your brand term is 100% achievable with the right strategy.
3. Implement Structured Data Markup
Structured data enables search engines to better understand your content by providing extra metadata.
Adding proper schema markup to your pages with a plugin like Yoast SEO can aid in getting Sitelinks.
Popular schema types that help include:
- Organization
- WebPage
- BreadcrumbList
- SiteNavigationElement
Proper implementation requires technical expertise. But it‘s well worth learning or hiring a professional.
4. Optimize Your Site Architecture
Google needs to easily understand your site structure and navigation to pick useful Sitelinks.
To help with this:
- Organize your pages in a logical hierarchy
- Have clear main navigation and site menus
- Include dedicated pages like Contact, About Us, FAQ
- Implement breadcrumb navigation
- Avoid complex nested navigation
Optimizing your IA takes work but pays dividends for both UX and SEO.
5. Build Internal Links Between Pages
Internal links help search bots crawl your site and determine the most important pages worthy of Sitelinks.
Actively link out to related content from blog posts and other pages on your site. Don‘t just isolate pages.
Using an internal linking plugin like Yoast SEO can streamline this process.
6. Submit an XML Sitemap in Search Console
To determine Sitelinks, Google needs to know about ALL your site‘s pages. An XML sitemap helps.
Generate a sitemap and submit it in Google Search Console. This gives Google a list of your pages to index.
Note: Having a sitemap alone won‘t get you Sitelinks. But it helps Google determine what pages are good candidates.
7. Build Your Brand‘s Authority
Well-established sites with widely known brand names tend to earn Sitelinks more easily.
To build authority, focus on:
- Getting press mentions
- Generating word-of-mouth
- Growing social media followings
- Earning high-quality backlinks
- Publishing great content
- Getting citations on review sites
- Running events/sponsorships
It takes serious marketing muscle but pays dividends for Sitelinks.
8. Analyze Your Site Traffic Data
Check Google Analytics to identify your top-trafficked site pages. These are prime candidates for Sitelinks.
Once you know which pages drive the most engagement, ensure they are fully optimized with:
- Descriptive titles
- Compelling meta descriptions
- Strong keyword targeting
- Quality backlinks
- Internal links from other pages
- Structured data markup
Dialing in on-page SEO for your winners gives Google every reason to showcase them.
While this takes effort, I‘ve used this framework to help dozens of sites successfully unlock Sitelinks. With persistence and the right strategy tailored to your brand, you can too!
Now let‘s look at how to take Sitelinks to the next level…
Getting the Coveted Sitelinks Search Box
Some sites may also get a Sitelinks search box, enabling searching directly within that site from Google.
For example, WPBeginner has one:
This is more rare and usually reserved for huge internet brands with vast content. But it‘s possible to get one by:
- Publishing an extensive library of content (1,000+ pages)
- Generating tons of search traffic
- Building a widely recognizable brand name
- Optimizing site architecture for discoverability
- Making all pages indexable
Even following these tips, a search box isn‘t guaranteed. But for content-heavy sites publishing mountains of info, it can be an amazing perk.
Next, let‘s tackle some common questions about Sitelinks:
Frequently Asked Questions
Let‘s review answers to key questions site owners have about manipulating their Sitelinks:
Can I manually remove or change Sitelinks?
There is no direct way to edit or remove specific Sitelinks in Google. They are chosen algorithmically based on relevance factors.
You can try indirectly tweaking them by updating page titles, modifying content, or adjusting internal linking. But there are no guarantees.
The nuclear option is noindexing your entire site – but this removes ALL Sitelinks, which obviously isn‘t ideal.
Can I pay to get Sitelinks?
You cannot pay to get regular organic Sitelinks in natural search results. However, Google does offer Sitelink ad extensions for paid AdWords campaigns.
Paid Sitelink extensions only appear on your ads though – they do not influence the organic Sitelinks displayed for a non-paid listing.
Why did my Sitelinks suddenly disappear?
Google may remove Sitelinks for various reasons:
- Your rankings dropped for important keywords
- The pages shown no longer seem relevant to Google
- Your brand presence and authority decreased
- Google‘s algorithms changed or devalued certain factors
Don‘t panic – work on building rankings and authority again, and you can recover your lost Sitelinks.
How long does it take to get Sitelinks?
There‘s no fixed timeline, since many factors are at play. Be patient:
- Newer, less authoritative sites may take many months or years of work to earn Sitelinks.
- Established sites with strong foundations can potentially get them in a few weeks/months by focusing on the right optimization tactics.
Keep expectations realistic, and concentrate on high-quality, white hat SEO wins. Don‘t chase shortcuts.
Conclusion & Next Steps
Getting Sitelinks for your WordPress site provides tremendous benefits.
But earning them takes knowledge, persistence, and focusing on the SEO fundamentals.
By optimizing your content, site architecture, backlinks, brand authority, and more, you maximize your chances of being rewarded with Sitelinks.
Here are some recommended next steps:
- Conduct keyword research to identify your top brand terms
- Perform an SEO site audit focusing on on-page factors
- Identify any technical SEO issues to fix
- Build out content pillars around your top pages
- Develop an internal linking plan
- Brainstorm backlink opportunities from high-DA sites
- Set up Google Analytics and Search Console
With the right strategy tailored to your brand, unlocking Sitelinks is within your reach.
Now you have all the tools you need to make it happen. Time to execute!
I hope this guide gave you a wealth of tips and ideas you can use right away. Let me know if you have any other Sitelinks questions!
