Audit internal links to identify orphan and under-linked cluster pages.
- Audit internal links to identify orphan and under-linked cluster pages1 cited source1 category
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Why this matters
Auditing internal links finds orphan pages and incorrect canonical linking that dilute topical authority and reduce visibility.
Hypothetical standard operating procedure
Adapt this example to your site, access, tools, and change process. It is our suggested procedure, informed by the sources below.
- Crawl site with Screaming Frog or similar to find pages with <2 inbound internal links.
- Cross-check these with Google Search Console Pages report for low impressions.
- Verify canonicals match linked URLs for cluster pages.
- Identify cluster pages buried >3 clicks from homepage.
- Compile issues for link corrections and canonical updates.
Watch for
Orphan pages and links to non-canonical URLs weaken the cluster relevance.
Definition of done
No orphaned pages; all internal links point to canonical URLs; cluster pages properly linked and indexed.
Sources & attribution
Original checklist wording and example SOP by Best SEO Checklist, using source-grounded AI assistance. Editorial contact: Ted Kubaitis, @tedkubaitis on Teams. Check current source guidance before implementation.