# Internal Linking Strategy

## Link Types

| Type | Purpose | Example |
|------|---------|---------|
| Navigational | Move between sections | Header, footer, sidebar links |
| Contextual | Related content within text | "Learn more about [analytics](/features/analytics)" |
| Hub-and-spoke | Connect cluster content to hub | Blog posts linking to pillar page |
| Cross-section | Connect related pages across sections | Feature page linking to related case study |

## Internal Linking Rules

1. **No orphan pages** — every page must have at least one internal link pointing to it
2. **Descriptive anchor text** — "our analytics features" not "click here"
3. **5-10 internal links per 1000 words** of content (approximate guideline)
4. **Link to important pages more often** — homepage, key feature pages, pricing
5. **Use breadcrumbs** — free internal links on every page
6. **Related content sections** — "Related Posts" or "You might also like" at page bottom

## Hub-and-Spoke Model

For content-heavy sites, organize around hub pages:

```
Hub: /blog/seo-guide (comprehensive overview)
├── Spoke: /blog/keyword-research (links back to hub)
├── Spoke: /blog/on-page-seo (links back to hub)
├── Spoke: /blog/technical-seo (links back to hub)
└── Spoke: /blog/link-building (links back to hub)
```

Each spoke links back to the hub. The hub links to all spokes. Spokes link to each other where relevant.

## Link Audit Checklist

- [ ] Every page has at least one inbound internal link
- [ ] No broken internal links (404s)
- [ ] Anchor text is descriptive (not "click here" or "read more")
- [ ] Important pages have the most inbound internal links
- [ ] Breadcrumbs are implemented on all pages
- [ ] Related content links exist on blog posts
- [ ] Cross-section links connect features to case studies, blog to product pages