First-Link Priority refers to how search engines consider only the first anchor text when multiple links to the same URL.
What Is First Link Priority?
First Link Priority is an SEO concept that applies when a webpage links multiple times to the same destination URL. Search engines like Google typically count only the first instance of the link and use its anchor text for indexing and ranking purposes. The subsequent links to the same URL may be ignored or given less weight in terms of anchor relevance.
Why It Matters in SEO:
- Anchor Text Relevance: The anchor text of the first link can influence how Google understands and ranks the linked page.
- Site Architecture: Poor internal linking can dilute the SEO value if the first anchor is generic (e.g., “click here”).
- Content Strategy: Strategic placement of contextual, keyword-rich anchor text for the first link can improve SEO effectiveness.
Best Practices:
- Always use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text for the first internal link to an important page.
- Avoid using generic phrases (“read more”, “click here”) as the first anchor to a target page.
- Audit content regularly to ensure high-priority links appear first in the HTML code.
- Keep internal linking clean and purposeful to maximize crawl efficiency and keyword targeting.
Example:
If a blog post links to your “SEO Services” page twice, and the first anchor text is “click here” while the second says “SEO Services,” Google may only consider “click here.” This weakens keyword relevance for the target page.
