How to Do an Internal Link Audit
Internal links decide whether Google and visitors can find your pages and understand how they relate. An audit finds pages nobody links to, links that are broken or vague, and your best opportunities for quick wins. This guide gives a repeatable process with free tools, a worksheet you can copy, and a fix for every problem type.
- Free tools only needed
- Find orphan and weak pages
- Worksheet and priority scoring
- Fixes for every link problem
The red page has no links pointing to it.
List every page on your site, list the internal links pointing to each, and flag pages with zero or very few. Fix broken and redirected links, replace vague anchors like “click here”, and add contextual links from strong pages to the ones you want to grow. Google advises that every page you care about is linked from at least one other page.
Why internal links are worth auditing
Google discovers pages by following links. It generally follows only links built as an anchor element with an href attribute, so a button that works only through script may be missed. Internal links also tell Google and readers what the linked page is about through their anchor text, and show which pages you treat as most important.
Pages get found
A page with no links may never be crawled.
Pages get understood
Anchor text describes the target.
Importance is signalled
Key pages should be easy to reach.
Basics are in internal linking for beginners and anchor text. This guide is the audit method.
Step 1: gather your data
Export your sitemap URLs
Open your sitemap and copy the list of URLs into a sheet. This is your “should exist” list. See sitemap guide.
Open Search Console, Links
The Internal links section lists your pages with the most internal links. Selecting a URL shows which pages link to it. Tables show up to 1,000 rows and exports can include more.
Crawl the site with a tool
A crawler lists every link and its anchor text. Free options exist for small sites. See site audit tools and Chrome extensions.
Match crawl against sitemap
Pages in the sitemap but never reached by the crawl are orphan pages.
Step 2: build the worksheet
One simple table drives the whole audit. Copy these columns into a spreadsheet.
| URL | Inlinks | Value | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| /services/ | 3 | high | Add 5 contextual links |
| /blog/old-post/ | 0 | medium | Link or merge |
| /thank-you/ | 1 | low | Noindex, ignore |
| /guide/seo-basics/ | 12 | high | Link out to new posts |
Columns to add as you go: anchor text used, status code, whether the link is in content or in navigation, and the page it should link to next.
Step 3: find and fix every problem type
Orphan pageIn sitemap, zero inlinks in crawlAdd links from related pages, or merge or remove itUnder-linked important pageLow inlink count in Links reportAdd contextual links from strong pagesLink to a redirected URLCrawler status 301 or 302Link straight to the final URLLink that is not crawlableClick handlers or missing hrefUse a normal anchor with hrefToo many links on a pageCrawl shows long link listsPrune. Google gives no number, but if it seems too many, it probably isLinks only in menus or footersNo in-content links to a pageAdd links in body textStep 4: audit the anchor text
Google advises anchor text that is descriptive, reasonably short and relevant to both pages. A good test is reading the link text alone: if it does not reveal where it goes, it needs more detail. Generic phrases such as “click here” or “read more” give little context, and keyword stuffing in anchors breaks Google’s spam policies. Image links use the image’s alt text as their anchor, so give linked images descriptive alt text.
Vague
Also avoid clusters of adjacent links with no words between them, because context disappears.
Step 5: prioritise what to fix first
Order is my own suggestion, based on how much each problem blocks discovery or traffic.
Step 6: add the new links well
Pick source pages
Choose pages that already get visits and cover a related topic.
Link inside the content
Place the link in a relevant sentence, not only in a list at the bottom.
Use varied natural anchors
Describe the target each time without repeating the exact same phrase mechanically.
Build topic hubs
A pillar page links to detail posts, and they link back. See website structure.
Check for cannibalization
If two pages compete for one topic, merge them. See cannibalization.
Plugins can add links automatically from keywords, but review the results by hand and keep them natural.
Step 7: keep it healthy
When a page stays undiscovered even after linking, see discovered, currently not indexed.
Internal link audit questions
What is an orphan page?
A page that no other page on your site links to. Google may struggle to find it.
How many internal links should a page have?
Google gives no ideal number. Link where it helps readers, and if it feels like too many, it probably is.
Do internal links pass value?
They help Google discover pages and understand relationships. Pages linked more prominently are easier to find.
Should internal links be nofollow?
Normally no. Use nofollow for untrusted external sources, paid links or user-generated links.
How often should I audit?
Quarterly for active sites, plus after a redesign or migration.
What tools do I need?
Search Console and a crawler are enough to start. A spreadsheet holds the worksheet.
Do footer links count?
They are crawlable, but contextual links in body text carry more meaning for readers and for understanding.
The worksheet, issue table and priority order are my own working method.