In order for Google to display additional links under the main search result (called site links, or “quick links”), the following points need to be considered:
1. Well-structured site navigation
- Clear site structure: Google generates sitelinks automatically based on your site’s structure. Ensure that you have a clear and logical structure with main sections (categories) and subcategories.
- Use of internal linking: Internal links between pages help Googlebot better understand the importance and interconnection between different sections of the site.
2. Use of headings and HTML structure
- H1, H2, and other heading tags: Proper use of headings will help search engines understand which sections of the site are important and which pages can be featured as sitelinks.
- Clean and clear URLs: Use SEO-friendly URLs that clearly describe the content of the page.
3. Sitemap.xml file
- Sitemap file: Be sure to provide a sitemap.xml file in Google Search Console. This file helps Google understand the site’s structure and index it correctly.
- Submitting Sitemap to Google Search Console: Ensure that the sitemap is regularly updated and submitted to Search Console, so Google knows which pages and sections are important.
4. Popularity of pages
- Page popularity: Google usually selects pages for sitelinks based on their popularity and importance. Pages that are frequently linked to or visited are more likely to appear as sitelinks.
5. Good SEO optimization
- Page optimization: Ensure that the pages you want to see in the sitelinks are optimized for key queries, contain useful content, and are important to users.
- Homepage optimization: The homepage and main sections should be well optimized and informative, as Google often selects links related to key parts of the site.
6. Use of structured data (Structured Data)
- Schema.org: Structured data markup (e.g., using Organization, Breadcrumbs schemas) helps Google better understand the structure and importance of individual pages, which may contribute to the appearance of sitelinks.
- Breadcrumbs: Add breadcrumbs navigation to the site to improve structure and navigation. This helps Google highlight key sections of the site.
7. Google Search Console
- Check settings in Search Console: You cannot directly add or manage sitelinks in Google Search Console, but ensure that the site has no indexing errors and all important pages are accessible for indexing.
- Behavior analysis: If certain pages of the site are shown as sitelinks but you want others, try improving the internal structure and SEO of those pages.
8. Minimize duplicate content
- Avoid duplicate content on the site. This helps search engines better understand which pages are the most important.
It’s important to remember:
Google decides automatically which pages to display as sitelinks based on its algorithms and the user perception of the site. However, following the above steps will increase the chances of sitelinks being displayed.
If everything is done correctly, Google may start displaying such links in search results over time, as in the example shown in your image.
