From SERPs to Sitelinks: A Practical Guide to Earning Google's Top Spots
Have you ever searched for a brand on Google and seen this sitelink search result?
In this tutorial, we'll walk you through the exact, proven steps to earn sitelinks, using a fictional website, aabbccdd.com, as our case study. These steps are applicable whether you're on a Blogger-hosted site or a modern CMS like WordPress.
The Core Principle: Google Rewards Clear Structure
Digital Marketing Content Creation Graphic Design Web Development
The 4-Step Blueprint to Earning Sitelinks
Step 1: Create a Central Hub Page
Step 2: Build a Strong Internal Linking Structure
Main Navigation: Add a link to your new hub page in your website's main menu. For aabbccdd.com, we would add a menu item called "Courses." For seosiri.com, this is the "EXAMS & QUIZZES" dropdown menu.Cross-Linking: Link from each individual course page back up to the main /courses/ hub page. A simple "« Back to all courses" link is perfect.
On Blogger: This is done inLayout → Link List Gadget . You create the dropdown by adding an underscore before the child items (e.g., _Digital Marketing).On WordPress/Other CMS: This is typically done inAppearance → Menus by dragging and dropping pages to create sub-menu items.
Step 3: Implement Website Schema Markup
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "WebSite",
"name": "AABBCCDD Courses",
"url": "https://www.aabbccdd.com/",
"potentialAction": {
"@type": "SearchAction",
"target": {
"@type": "EntryPoint",
"urlTemplate": "https://www.aabbccdd.com/search?q={search_term_string}"
},
"query-input": "required name=search_term_string"
},
"hasPart": [
{
"@type": "WebPage",
"name": "All Courses",
"url": "https://www.aabbccdd.com/courses/",
"description": "The central hub for all online courses from aabbccdd.com."
},
{
"@type": "WebPage",
"name": "Digital Marketing Course",
"url": "https://www.aabbccdd.com/courses/digital-marketing"
},
{
"@type": "WebPage",
"name": "Content Creation Course",
"url": "https://www.aabbccdd.com/courses/content-creation"
}
]
}
</script>
How to Add Schema to Your Site:
On Blogger: Go toTheme → Edit HTML . Find the closing </head> tag. Just before it, paste the schema code inside a conditional tag: <b:if cond='data:view.isHomepage'> [YOUR SCHEMA HERE] </b:if>. This ensures it only loads on the homepage.On WordPress: This is much easier. Use a free SEO plugin likeRank Math orYoast SEO . They have sections (often under "Advanced") where you can paste schema code or header scripts directly without touching your theme's files.On Other CMS (Shopify, Squarespace, etc.): Look for a "Code Injection" or "Custom Code" area in your theme settings, which will allow you to add scripts to your homepage's header.
Step 4: Ensure a Clean Technical Foundation
Submit Your Sitemap: Make sure your XML sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console. This is how you tell Google you've created new pages (like your hub page).Check robots.txt: Ensure you aren't accidentally blocking Google from crawling these important pages. Your robots.txt file should allow crawlers full access to your content.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
We've covered the blueprint, but let's tackle two advanced, real-world questions that often come up.
Q1: Can a website have multiple hub pages considered for sitelinks?
A: Yes, absolutely. A well-structured website often has several important hubs. For example, seosiri.com has a hub for "Exams & Quizzes" and another for "Services." Google's goal is to show the most useful and popular links to users. The key is to signal which hubs are most important. The ones featured prominently in your main navigation menu and linked to frequently from your homepage and other important posts are the strongest candidates for becoming sitelinks.
Q2: What happens if a site (like seosiri.com) already has sitelinks and we implement this new structure?
A: This is a great question and a very common scenario. When you implement this strategy on a site with existing sitelinks, you are sending new, stronger signals to Google.
You are telling the algorithm, "Hey, this 'Exams & Quizzes' hub is now a very important part of my site structure."
Over time, as Google recrawls your site and recognizes the importance of the new hub page (through the navigation menu, internal links, and schema), it will re-evaluate. If its algorithm determines that the "Exams & Quizzes" hub is more relevant or prominent than one of the existing sitelinks (for instance, the "Pricing" page), it may swap it out .
You aren't replacing sitelinks directly; you are influencing the algorithm to make a better choice for the user based on your new, clearer site structure.
Q1: Can a website have multiple hub pages considered for sitelinks?
Q2: What happens if a site (like seosiri.com) already has sitelinks and we implement this new structure?
It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint
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Practice What You've Learned
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Best,
Author:
Momenul Ahmad is a passionate Digital Marketing Strategist and SEO Specialist dedicated to unraveling the complexities of search engine optimization.
With a keen eye for algorithm shifts and a commitment to practical, results-driven strategies, Momenul helps businesses and individuals enhance their online visibility and achieve sustainable organic growth.He believes in sharing knowledge to empower fellow marketers and contributes regularly to SEOSiri, simplifying advanced SEO concepts and providing actionable insights for the digital community.
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