internal-links

# SEO On-Page: Internal Links Guides internal linking strategy for SEO: crawlability, link equity distribution, and user navigation. **When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output. ## Scope (On-Page SEO) - **Internal links**: Contextual links; descriptive anchor text; related posts; hub pages - **Breadcrumbs**: Implement for large sites (e.g. ecommerce); see **breadcrumb-generator** ## Initial Assessment **Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for site structure and key pages. Identify: 1. **Site structure**: Hub pages, pillar content, supporting pages 2. **Orphan pages**: Pages with no or few internal links 3. **Priority pages**: Pages that need more link equity ## Best Practices ### Link Structure | Principle | Guideline | |-----------|-----------| | **Depth** | Important pages within 3 clicks from homepage | | **Orphan pages** | Avoid; ensure every page has at least one internal link; see **site-crawlability** for technical detection and crawl issues | | **Hub-to-spoke** | Link from hub/pillar pages to cluster articles; topic cluster structure | | **Contextual** | Place links in relevant body content, not just footers | ### Anchor Text | Principle | Guideline | |-----------|-----------| | **Descriptive** | Use anchor text that describes the target page | | **Variation** | Avoid over-optimization; use natural variation | | **Keyword** | Include target keyword when natural | ### Placement | Location | Use | |----------|-----| | **First paragraph** | Primary link to related content | | **Body** | Contextual links throughout | | **Related/Recommended** | End-of-article links | | **Navigation** | Key site sections | ## Common Issues | Issue | Fix | |-------|-----| | Orphan pages | Add internal links from hub pages or navigation; **site-crawlability** for technical audit | | Too many links | Focus on most important; avoid link stuffing | | Generic anchors | Use descriptive "learn more about X" instead of "click here" | | Broken links | Audit and fix 404s; see **site-crawlability** for technical audit | ## Output Format - **Internal link audit** (if auditing) - **Link opportunities** for key pages - **Anchor text** recommendations - **Structure** improvements ## Related Skills - **article-page-generator**: Related posts, contextual links, end-of-article recommendations - **website-structure**: Plan page structure and hierarchy; informs internal linking - **site-crawlability**: Internal links enable crawling - **url-structure**: URL structure affects link patterns - **content-strategy**: Topic clusters inform link structure; pillar <-> cluster; cluster <-> cluster - **breadcrumb-generator**: Breadcrumbs are internal links; category hierarchy