How does strategic internal linking uniquely benefit SEO for expansive fandom wikis compared to smaller sites?

Strategic internal linking uniquely benefits SEO for expansive fandom wikis compared to smaller sites primarily by *efficiently distributing 'link juice' (authority) across a vast content network, improving crawlability, and guiding users through complex information architectures*, thus enhancing user engagement and overall site authority. Internal linking involves creating hyperlinks between different pages within the same website. Expansive fandom wikis often contain thousands of pages covering diverse topics within a franchise. By strategically linking related pages, the wiki can distribute link juice – a measure of authority passed from one page to another – more effectively. This ensures that even less popular or newer pages benefit from the authority of more established ones, boosting their visibility in search results. For example, a page about a minor character can gain authority by being linked from a highly authoritative page about the main storyline. Secondly, internal linking significantly improves crawlability, making it easier for search engine bots to discover and index all the wiki's content. This is particularly important for large wikis where orphaned pages (pages with no internal links) might otherwise be missed. Thirdly, internal links act as navigational aids, guiding users through the wiki's complex information architecture. This improved user experience leads to longer session durations, lower bounce rates, and increased page views, all of which are positive signals for search engines. Smaller sites benefit from internal linking too, but the impact is magnified on expansive wikis due to the sheer volume of content and the complexity of interrelationships within the fandom universe.