Technical SEO
Internal linking audit
I bring order to the structure of the site: I inventory the URLs and page types, the relationships between sections, and the signals of indexing and link accessibility. I assess the hierarchy, depth and paths to the key URLs, and point out orphan pages and bottlenecks. Finally, I prepare a “sources → targets” table with context and anchors.
About the service
Information architecture analysis and an internal linking map with URL priorities
About the internal linking service
A few service details- Inventory of URLs and page types
- Assessment of hierarchy and topical consistency
- Analysis of depth and orphan pages
- Link audit: anchors and context
- Detecting link errors and redirects
- “Sources → targets” map and URL priorities
Work process
The process of implementing and optimising internal linking
The implementation process consists of turning the linking map into specific tasks and iteratively improving the link structure based on data and observations.
- 01/ 03
Implementation plan
I set out the tasks for content, navigation and modules, and establish the order of work and the responsibilities.
- 02/ 03
Implementation and tidying up links
I carry out the changes or support their implementation, fix incorrect links, eliminate redirects and bring order to the structure.
- 03/ 03
Monitoring and iterations
I analyse the effects of the changes, update the linking map and guidelines, and adapt the structure to the growth of the site.
Internal linking: key aspects and benefits
Internal linking consists of carrying out and implementing changes to the structure and elements of the site, so that the key pages are more accessible to users and crawlers and have a logical flow of authority through links. In practice this means working on the relationships between page types (e.g. categories, products, posts) and planning the paths to the pages that matter from a business and SEO perspective. As part of the service, the hierarchy and topical consistency are assessed, as well as whether the current structure supports the site’s priorities. In addition, the places are identified where links do not lead logically from the content or navigational elements to the right targets.
The scope of work covers an inventory of the URLs and structure and an analysis of the depth and accessibility of pages, including detecting orphan pages and pages buried too deep. The distribution of internal links is checked, so that it does not favour secondary pages or create bottlenecks in the flow of links. Anchors and context are assessed — the extent to which the links are descriptive, consistent and follow logically from the content. Technical link problems are also detected, such as links to redirects or errors, outdated paths, unwanted attributes and excessive linking in repeated elements.
- Assessing the information architecture and the paths to key pages.
- Identifying orphan pages, pages that are too deep and missing links from strong sections of the site.
- Verifying the distribution of links, the anchors and the linking context.
- Pointing out technical problems in links and places with excessive linking.
Stage 1: Establishing the scope and access
Stage 1 consists of gathering information about the site, establishing the linking goals and obtaining the access needed to carry out the work. At this stage the areas to be strengthened with links (e.g. categories, products, articles) are specified and the implementation constraints are identified. In parallel, the data needed to prioritise the work is collected, in particular data on traffic and indexing. What is agreed in this step determines what the subsequent URL inventory and the planning of the linking map will look like.
A key element is the decision on the implementation model: whether I carry out the implementation directly in the CMS, or the client’s team implements the changes based on recommendations, which affects the format of the implementation materials and the scope of later QA. Access and input data are required to start the work: the ability to download a list of URLs (sitemap/export), access to the CMS or to the person doing the implementation, and traffic data and indexing data. If access to implementation is limited, this may affect the scope of the possible changes and the way they are handed over. Establishing these conditions at the start clarifies the responsibilities and minimises the risk of blockers in the next stages.
- Gathering information about the site and the linking goals (e.g. categories, products, articles).
- Establishing the implementation constraints and the roles required on the client’s side.
- Obtaining a list of URLs (sitemap/export) and traffic and indexing data for prioritisation.
- The decision on the implementation model (in the CMS vs implementation on the client’s side based on recommendations).
Stage 2: Analysis of the information architecture and site structure
The analysis of the information architecture and site structure consists of gathering and organising how the page types are connected to one another and how users and crawlers reach the key URLs. As part of the inventory I identify the current list of URLs, the page types and the relationships between sections (e.g. categories, products, posts), as well as the signals of indexing and link accessibility. I then assess the hierarchy of the site (e.g. category levels) and the topical consistency, to establish whether the structure supports the business and SEO priorities. The results of this part are the basis for planning the connections between sections later.
In the same step I check the depth and accessibility of pages, including identifying pages buried too deep and orphan pages that have no sensible paths leading to them. I also analyse the distribution of internal links, to detect bottlenecks in the flow of links and situations in which linking favours secondary pages at the expense of target pages. In parallel, I assess the anchors and the context of the links in terms of descriptiveness, consistency and fit with the content in which the link appears. In addition, I detect technical link problems, such as links leading to redirects or errors, outdated paths, unwanted attributes and excessive linking in repeated elements.
- An inventory of URLs, page types and relationships across the site, together with the signals of indexing and link accessibility.
- Assessing the hierarchy and topical consistency and the paths to key pages.
- Identifying orphan pages and pages that are too deep, and places with missing links.
- Verifying the anchors, the context and the technical link problems (redirects, errors, outdated paths, attributes, excessive links).
Stage 3: Linking map and page prioritisation
Stage 3 is the preparation of the linking map — the decision on which pages on the site are to be strengthened with links and where those links should come from. In practice I choose the target pages to strengthen and the supporting pages, and then plan the connections between sections based on topics and user journeys. The prioritisation is based on traffic and indexing data, in order to focus the work on the URLs that need better accessibility or better link flow. This stage sets out the logic of the linking before moving on to the implementation plan.
The result is the “Relationship map: sources → targets”, prepared as a table or spreadsheet ready for implementation. In this material I indicate where to link from, where the link should lead, in what context the link should appear and which anchor is recommended. The map also makes it possible to check whether linking is distributed proportionately between page types and whether the planned connections create new bottlenecks. On that basis, the linking strategy can be turned into specific tasks in the content, navigation or modules.
- Choosing the priority pages (URLs to strengthen) and defining the sections from which they are to be linked.
- Selecting the supporting pages and planning the connections between sections in line with topics and user journeys.
- Preparing the “sources → targets” table with the recommended context and anchors.
- Material ready to be used as the basis for the plan for implementing the changes.
Plan for implementing changes to internal linking
The plan for implementing changes to internal linking consists of turning the linking map into specific tasks to be carried out on the site. At this stage I define which changes are to concern the content, the navigational elements and the repeated components, and in what order they should be delivered. The plan also takes into account the responsibilities and whether the implementation is carried out by me in the CMS or on the side of the client’s team based on recommendations. This choice affects the way the tasks are handed over and the scope of the later validation (QA).
As part of the plan, the decision is refined on whether the changes are to be scalable (in templates/modules) or one-off (links added manually in the content), depending on the size of the site and the technical possibilities. The plan also covers tidying up links: fixing links to redirects and errors, standardising linking in repeated elements and limiting excessive links. If the site lacks contextual content (e.g. very short descriptions), linking in paragraphs may require additional content or may be limited to modules and navigation. The amount of work may be increased by, among other things, the number of page types, the complexity of the navigation (e.g. filters/pagination), the number of languages, and the limitations of the CMS and access to implementation.
- Breaking the implementation tasks down into: content (contextual linking), navigation (menu, breadcrumbs, footer, navigation blocks) and modules (e.g. related articles, similar products).
- Establishing the order of work and the responsibilities depending on the implementation model (CMS vs implementation on the client’s side).
- The decision: changes in templates/modules vs manual one-off linking in the content.
- Including the tidying up and correction of links (redirects, errors, outdated paths, attributes, excessive links in repeated elements).
Monitoring results and iterations in linking
Monitoring results and iterations in linking consist of assessing whether the implemented changes translate into the expected signals in the indexing data and in user behaviour. In practice I analyse whether new orphan pages appear as the site grows and whether the key URLs keep sensible paths leading to them. Based on what is observed, the linking map can be corrected to maintain consistent connections between sections. This stage helps to keep the linking in order as new content, categories or products are added.
As part of the iterations, the “Internal linking guidelines” are also updated — the rules for maintaining consistency in subsequent publications and changes to the site. The guidelines cover, among other things, how to choose anchors, the situations in which to link, the limits on links in modules, and the rules for new content and new categories/products. If the monitoring detects a risk of over-optimisation (e.g. an excess of links or anchors), corrections are made towards a more controlled distribution of links. It should also be taken into account that a lack of access to implementation or the limitations of the CMS may make quick iterations difficult, and the service does not include a guarantee of specific rankings.
- Assessing the changes in the indexing data and in user behaviour after the implementations.
- Detecting new orphan pages and adjusting the linking map as the site grows.
- Maintaining and updating the “Internal linking guidelines” (anchors, when to link, limits in modules, rules for new content).
- Corrections that limit the risk of over-optimisation (excess links/anchors) in content, navigation and module elements.
Testimonials
What clients and the industry say
Feedback from clients and industry people I have worked with on SEO projects.
I had the chance to work with Kuba at Kulturalnie o SEO, an event I organise. Kuba did a great job as a speaker and received high marks from the audience. He showed professionalism and broad knowledge. In other projects at Vestigio, Kuba shows enormous commitment, a willingness to explore and implement new ideas, and excellent organisation of his work.
01 / 08
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