Sitelinks

Sitelinks are additional links under a Google result (since 2006). They lead directly to important subpages or an internal search. Controllable in Ads, automatically organic. More visibility/CTR through clear structure and internal linking.

Links that are referred to by the search engine Google as sitelinks are those that are additionally displayed, usually below the URL in the search results, and are intended to assist the user in searching. They were officially introduced by Google in 2006.

This is intended to help the seeker directly reach the page of a website they are specifically interested in through Google search.

The different types of sitelinks

Google continues to develop the display of links over the years. Therefore, there are now many different display options for sitelinks in Google.

Paid sitelinks

Sitelink extensions can appear in Google Ads ads. Unlike link ads in organic results, these can be influenced by the webmaster.

Organic sitelinks

These links frequently appear with brand-related search terms. Up to six links are included, but they only appear in the top search result.

Individual sitelinks

These appear as individual links or in a carousel under a search result. The links usually lead to other pages within a site or to a specific text section within a page.

Search field Sitelink

This link allows users to jump directly to search results of a website or an app. The search field appears only for brand-related search terms and is automatically added by Google.

Why Sitelinks are Useful

As a website operator, it is particularly advantageous to appear in organic search results with sitelinks. This means that the search result occupies more space in the SERPs, allowing you to stand out from the competition. Additionally, it helps searchers better access the information they are looking for.

How to influence sitelinks

As already mentioned, you cannot directly influence or edit the sitelinks in the organic search results. However, there are ways of website optimization that increase the likelihood of appearing in the sitelinks:

Structure of the website: A clear structure with main pages and subpages helps Google display relevant pages in the links.
Internal linking: How pages link to each other and the anchor texts of the links are important.
Noindex: if pages should not be displayed in the sitelinks, it can help to set them to noindex
Relevance: One should ensure that the content is useful for visitors. Headlines and summaries should be well integrated and formatted so that they are recognized by Google.

Criticism

Google does not provide sitelinks for every search query result, but only for websites that appear to be relevant. In the so-called "Expanded" version, the links (usually main categories of the website) include the title, a short description, and a clear visual emphasis through indented presentation and more whitespace. In this regard, Google receives heavy criticism because the already highly contested space in the top positions of the SERPs is reduced by the links. At the same time, a major part of the traffic is directed to the search engine itself, and internet users no longer search within the target page itself. This in turn reduces the dwell time on the website, which is an important factor for Google ranking. Moreover, it is criticized that Google takes away the foundation—or also the motivation—from webmasters to independently optimize the websites so that the content and products are found through organic search. Outside of organic search results, the sitelinks are displayed similarly to the "Expanded" version below the ad ads. This seems particularly sensible when users are simply searching for a brand name or company without making specific indications of what is being searched for—such as with clothing brands.