Internal Linking Optimizer

Analyzes internal link structure, authority flow, orphan pages, anchor text, and topic clusters, then delivers a prioritized linking plan with source/target/anchor recommendations.

Quick Start

Start with one of these prompts, then finish with the standard handoff summary from Skill Contract.

Analyze internal linking structure for [domain/sitemap]
Find internal linking opportunities for [URL]
Create internal linking plan for topic cluster about [topic]
Suggest internal links for this new article: [content/URL]
Find orphan pages on [domain]
Optimize anchor text across the site

Skill Contract

Expected output: a scored diagnosis, prioritized repair plan, and a short handoff summary ready for memory/audits/.

• Reads: the current page or site state, symptoms, prior audits, and current priorities from CLAUDE.md and the shared State Model when available.
• Writes: a user-facing audit or optimization plan plus a reusable summary that can be stored under memory/audits/.
• Promotes: blocking defects, repeated weaknesses, fix priorities, and pending decisions to memory/open-loops.md.
• Primary next skill: use the Next Best Skill below when the repair path is clear.

Handoff Summary

Emit the standard shape from skill-contract.md §Handoff Summary Format.

Data Sources

Uses ~~web crawler and ~~analytics when connected; otherwise asks user for sitemap, key page URLs, and content categories. See CONNECTORS.md and SECURITY.md §Scraping Boundaries.

Instructions

When a user requests internal linking optimization:

1. Analyze Current Structure -- Capture domain, pages analyzed, total internal links, average links/page, link distribution, top linked pages, under-linked important pages, and a structure score. Flag crawl-depth and authority-flow problems.
2. Identify Orphan Pages -- List pages with no inbound internal links. Prioritize high-value orphans with traffic/rankings, medium-potential pages that need category/tag links, and low-value pages to delete, noindex, or redirect.
3. Analyze Anchor Text Distribution -- Check current anchor patterns, distribution by page, over-optimization, generic anchors, and CORE-EEAT R08 alignment.

   Reference: references/linking-templates.md contains the Step 3 output template.

4. Create Topic Cluster Link Strategy -- Map pillar/cluster links, recommend structure, and list specific links to add.

   Reference: references/linking-templates.md contains the Step 4 template.

5. Find Contextual Link Opportunities -- For each page, identify topic-relevant source/target/anchor opportunities and prioritize high-impact additions.

   Reference: references/linking-templates.md contains the Step 5 template.

6. Optimize Navigation and Footer Links -- Review main/footer/sidebar/breadcrumb navigation; recommend pages to add, demote, or remove.

   Reference: references/linking-templates.md contains the Step 6 template.

7. Generate Implementation Plan -- Include executive summary, current-state metrics, phased priority actions, implementation guide, and tracking plan.

   Reference: references/linking-templates.md contains the Step 7 template.

Example

User: "Find internal linking opportunities for my blog post on 'email marketing best practices'"

Output: 5 high-value links with source paragraph, destination URL, recommended anchor text, and priority. Example targets might include list-building, subject-line, segmentation, automation, and tools pages.

Reference: See references/linking-example.md for the full worked example.

Tips for Success

• Prioritize relevance and user navigation over link volume.
• Use descriptive, varied anchors; avoid exact-match repetition.
• Link important pages from hubs, navigation, or strong contextual sources.
• Audit regularly as content grows.

Save Results

Ask to save results; if yes, write a dated summary to memory/audits/internal-linking-optimizer/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>.md. Hand off veto-level risks to the auditor gate before any hot-cache marker.

Reference Materials

• Link Architecture Patterns -- Architecture models, selection thresholds, migration safeguards, and measurement targets
• Linking Templates -- Detailed output templates for steps 3-7
• Linking Example -- Full worked example for internal linking opportunities

Next Best Skill

Primary: on-page-seo-auditor -- verify that revised internal links support page-level goals.