| name | internal-linking-optimizer |
| description | Use when the user asks to "fix internal linking" or "find orphan pages"; maps link architecture, authority flow, anchor text, and crawl depth, then delivers a prioritized source/target/anchor plan. Not for external backlinks — use backlink-analyzer. 内链优化/站内架构 |
| version | 9.9.10 |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| compatibility | Claude Code and compatible agent-skill hosts |
| homepage | https://github.com/aaron-he-zhu/seo-geo-claude-skills |
| when_to_use | Use when improving internal link structure, anchor text distribution, orphan pages, or site architecture. |
| argument-hint | <URL or sitemap> |
| metadata | {"author":"aaron-he-zhu","version":"9.9.10","geo-relevance":"low","tags":["seo","internal-linking","site-architecture","link-equity","orphan-pages","topical-authority","crawl-depth","内链优化","内部リンク","내부링크","enlaces-internos"],"triggers":["improve site architecture","internal linking strategy","link equity flow","pages have no links","site architecture is messy","suggest internal links for this article","fix anchor text distribution","内链优化","孤立页面"]} |
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: sitemap or page list, key page URLs, content categories, and article/URL to link from.
- Writes: a user-facing linking 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.
- Done when: orphan pages are listed with a disposition; anchor distribution is checked against thresholds; a prioritized source/target/anchor plan and handoff summary are produced.
- 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.
Zero-dependency local helper (no tool needed): python3 scripts/connectors/crawl.py <url> | python3 scripts/connectors/linkgraph.py - computes orphans, click-depth, and internal PageRank from a live crawl. See scripts/connectors/README.md.
Instructions
Label every metric Measured (tool/export), User-provided, or Estimated (model inference); never present an estimate as measured; if a required metric is unavailable, mark it N/A — do not invent it.
When a user requests internal linking optimization:
- 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 /100 (start at 100; −10 per orphan page, −5 per important page deeper than 3 clicks, −5 per page with 0 inbound contextual links, −10 if avg links/page is outside the architecture model's target range in Link Architecture Patterns; floor 0). Flag crawl-depth and authority-flow problems.
- 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.
- Analyze Anchor Text Distribution — Check current anchor patterns, distribution by page, over-optimization, generic anchors, and CORE-EEAT R08 alignment. Anchor Score /10 and thresholds are defined in the Step 3 template.
Reference: references/linking-templates.md contains the Step 3 output template.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Decision Gates
Stop and ask the user when:
- A high-value orphan must be deleted, noindexed, or redirected and its traffic/ranking value is unknown — state what you see and ask: (1) keep and add links, (2) noindex, (3) 301-redirect to the nearest relevant page.
Continue silently (never stop for):
- Which architecture model to apply — infer it from site type and page count using Link Architecture Patterns, state the choice, and proceed.
- No crawler/analytics data — work from the provided sitemap or page list, label inferred metrics Estimated, and proceed.
- A low-value orphan with no traffic — recommend the default disposition (noindex or redirect) without stopping.
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
Next Best Skill
Primary: on-page-seo-auditor — verify that revised internal links support page-level goals.
