Internal linking is an essential aspect of WordPress SEO. It helps search engines understand your website structure and allows users to navigate your content seamlessly. However, broken or inefficient internal links can negatively impact your website’s rankings and user experience.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to check and verify internal links in WordPress using different methods and tools.
Why Are Internal Links Important?
Before diving into how to check and verify internal links, it’s essential to understand their importance:
- Improved SEO: Internal links help search engines discover and index your content efficiently.
- Better User Experience: Proper linking ensures users can easily navigate your website.
- Reduced Bounce Rate: Internal links encourage visitors to stay longer and explore more pages.
- Link Equity Distribution: Helps distribute authority across your website pages.
Methods to Check Internal Links in WordPress
There are multiple ways to check internal links in WordPress, ranging from manual inspection to automated tools. Let’s explore each method in detail.
1. Using the WordPress Internal Linking Report
If you use an SEO plugin like Rank Math or Yoast SEO, you can check internal link reports directly from your WordPress dashboard.
Steps to Check Internal Links Using Rank Math SEO
- Install and activate Rank Math SEO if not already installed.
- Navigate to WordPress Dashboard > Rank Math > Links.
- Here, you will find an overview of your Internal Links, External Links, and Orphaned Pages.
- Analyze the data and identify pages that need better internal linking.
2. Manually Checking Internal Links
Although time-consuming, manual verification ensures link accuracy.
How to Manually Check Internal Links
- Visit each page or post and review the embedded internal links.
- Click on the links to confirm they lead to the correct pages.
- Identify and fix broken links by editing the post or page in WordPress.
3. Using Google Search Console
Google Search Console provides an Internal Links Report, showing how Googlebot navigates your site.
Steps to Check Internal Links Using Google Search Console
- Log in to Google Search Console.
- Select your website.
- Navigate to Links > Internal Links.
- Analyze the pages with the highest internal links and find pages with little to no links.
- Adjust internal linking accordingly.
4. Using an SEO Plugin (Yoast SEO or Rank Math)
SEO plugins provide an easy way to manage and analyze internal links.
How to Use Yoast SEO for Internal Linking
- Install Yoast SEO and activate the Premium version (internal linking features are premium-only).
- Navigate to SEO > Internal Linking Suggestions.
- Review the suggested internal links and apply them to improve site structure.
5. Using an Online Broken Link Checker
Broken internal links harm SEO and usability. Tools like Broken Link Checker can help identify and fix them.
How to Use Broken Link Checker
- Install and activate Broken Link Checker in WordPress.
- The plugin will automatically scan for broken links.
- Navigate to Tools > Broken Links to view the list.
- Fix or remove broken links directly from the plugin dashboard.
6. Using Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Screaming Frog is a powerful tool for auditing internal links and finding errors.
Steps to Check Internal Links with Screaming Frog
- Download and install Screaming Frog SEO Spider (Free up to 500 URLs).
- Enter your website URL and click Start.
- Navigate to the Internal Tab to analyze link structure.
- Identify 404 errors, redirects, and broken internal links.
- Fix broken links in WordPress as needed.
7. Using Ahrefs Site Audit
Ahrefs provides an Internal Links Report, offering insights into link distribution and errors.
Steps to Use Ahrefs for Internal Link Analysis
- Log in to Ahrefs.
- Go to Site Audit > Internal Links.
- Review the report for broken or orphaned pages.
- Improve your internal linking strategy accordingly.
Best Practices for Internal Linking in WordPress
To maximize SEO benefits, follow these best practices:
1. Use Descriptive Anchor Text
Instead of generic text like “Click here,” use meaningful anchor text that describes the linked content.
2. Link to Relevant Pages
Only link to pages that add value to your content and enhance user experience.
3. Avoid Excessive Internal Links
Overloading a page with too many links can dilute link equity and confuse users.
4. Fix Broken Links Regularly
Schedule periodic audits using tools like Broken Link Checker or Google Search Console.
5. Optimize for Mobile Users
Ensure internal links are easily clickable and properly formatted for mobile devices.
6. Add Internal Links to Orphaned Pages
Use tools like Rank Math SEO to identify orphaned pages and add internal links.
Conclusion
Regularly checking and verifying internal links in WordPress is crucial for maintaining an optimized website. Whether using WordPress plugins, Google Search Console, or external tools like Screaming Frog, keeping your internal links clean and relevant will improve SEO rankings and user experience.
By following the best practices outlined in this guide, you can ensure a strong internal linking strategy that benefits both users and search engines.