The cluster of secondary links that appear under a top-ranked result for a brand query. Google generates them algorithmically — you can't directly request them.
Sitelinks in plain English
When a user searches for your brand name or a domain-specific navigational query, Google may render your search result with 4-8 secondary links below it pointing at key pages on your site (typically About, Contact, popular product categories, blog). These are sitelinks. They take up significantly more SERP real estate and signal authority — only sites Google considers high-quality and well-structured get them.
You can't directly request sitelinks. Google decides which sites get them based on signals: brand search volume (people specifically searching for your name), clear site architecture (Google can identify the top pages structurally), strong internal linking that emphasizes your important pages, and overall site authority. Sitelinks appear most reliably for brand-name and brand+intent queries, less often for generic terms.
What you CAN control: which pages Google considers as candidates. Clear navigation (your main category links should be in the global nav across the site), descriptive internal link anchor text, strong page titles that match the pages' actual purpose, and demotion of pages you don't want as sitelinks via Search Console's old Sitelinks demotion tool (deprecated since 2020) or by simply not linking to them prominently in your navigation.
Sitelinks are particularly valuable for ecommerce — they let Google surface your top categories or your customer service pages on a brand search, satisfying multiple search intents in one result. A search for "Patagonia" can return sitelinks for Men's Jackets, Women's Jackets, Sale, Contact — letting users navigate directly without visiting the homepage first.
Why sitelinks matters for ecommerce
Earning sitelinks signals to users that you're an established brand. For 6-to-8-figure stores in competitive categories, sitelinks differentiate the established player from upstart competitors in the SERP itself. The earning path: build genuine brand search volume (so people search your brand name regularly), maintain clean navigation, and link to your important pages from the global nav. The path takes 6-12 months of consistent brand-building, but once earned, sitelinks compound — they take more SERP real estate, push competitors below the fold, and increase CTR on brand queries dramatically.