internal-links

What this skill does

# 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