Absolute Internal Links and their Affect on Rankings for Local Businesses

[Kirch]

For many localized search terms (City + Profession), I'm noticing that OpenSiteExplorer is reporting high numbers of backlinks for anchortext from Absolute internal links from that same domain. Now, I'm familiar with the difference in relative and absolute internal links but am wondering if this type of linking may be carrying a lot of weight for rankings.

It may be a correlation over causation situation if it's more that those companies that are including absolute internal links for terminology are just doing a better job (generally) with internal linking... but I feel like this may be something worth digging into.

Everything I have read says that search engines view absolute and relative internal links essentially equally but does anybody have their own insight on the effectiveness for these two types of internal links in regards to small local businesses who otherwise are getting basically no links at all?

[Raydon]

use absolute internal links, safer in general. do not stress more than naturally needed. GET THEIR LOCAL SEO GOING.

think of users, if I am copying that relative link, guess what, as a user, i have to actually DO the part that crawlers take care of in a nanosecond via code... and that is just not so cool in today's ADHD user world. make it easier to get links with every available ounce of opportunity, and this is just a tiny one.

what do you mean getting no links at all, that sounds like you are in a deep black hole!