Internal link audit template for SEO
Name the page, the target, and the opportunity — so the links earn the rank, not the guess.
- Google Search Console
- Ahrefs
- DataForSEO
- Notion
Scan internal link opportunities for our blog.
- Pulled the links120 posts, 8 hubs, 340 internal links
- Named the page/blog/onboarding-fix — page 3, 0 internal links
- Named the target8 posts that should link to the hub
- Named the opportunity8 missing links, 3 weak anchors
The scan named the page (/blog/onboarding-fix, page 3, 0 links), the target (8 posts that should link), and the opportunity (8 missing links, 3 weak anchors). The links shipped and the hub rose from page 3 to page 1 in 21 days. The template earned the rank because it named the page, not counted the links.
An internal link audit template is the audit that earns the rank. It fixes the page, the target, and the opportunity — so the links read as a source, not a guess. An SEO who counts the links earns the guess; an internal link audit template that names the page and the target earns the rank and the traffic.
What is an internal link audit?
A reusable audit shape for the opportunity — the page, the target, the opportunity — that earns the rank and the traffic. The template fixes the shape so the links read as a source, not a guess.
Build the scan
- Page named — the one URL that needs the link
- Target named — the one URL the page should link
- Opportunity named — the one gap the link fills
Ship the links
- Name the page, do not count the links
- One target per page, not five
- Ship the opportunity, do not just name it
What page does an internal link audit name?
The one URL that needs the link — the post, the guide, the page — that earns the rank. The page is the part that earns the rank, because an SEO who counts the links earns the guess; an SEO who names the page earns the rank.
What target does an internal link audit name?
The one URL the page should link — the hub, the guide, the target — that earns the rank. The target is the part that earns the rank, because a page without the target earns the count and loses the link; a page with the target earns the traffic.
What opportunity does an internal link audit name?
The one gap the link fills — the missing link, the weak link, the opportunity — that earns the rank. The opportunity is the part that earns the rank, because a target without the opportunity earns the link and loses the rank; a target with the opportunity earns the traffic.
How the internal link audit template fits your stack
The agent reads your links and the content, drafts the page, the target, and the opportunity, and ships the scan. It pairs with the internal link copy pack and the internal link optimization templates.
- Google Search Console
- Ahrefs
- DataForSEO
- Notion
Who uses this internal link audit template
- SEO leads
- Name the page, do not count the links.
- Content leads
- One target per page, not five.
- Founders
- Ship the opportunity, do not just name it.
How to run this internal link audit template in Metaflow
Pull the links
The pages, the link map, the targets.
Name the page
Agent names the one URL.
Name the target
The one URL the page should link.
Name the opportunity
The one gap the link fills.
What you provide
- Link map
- Content inventory
- Ranking data
What you get back
- Internal link opportunity scan
- Page named
- Target named
- Opportunity named
Why use this internal link audit template?
Names the page, does not count the links
One target per page, not five
Ships the opportunity, does not just name it
Pairs with the internal link copy pack and optimization templates
Internal link audit template FAQs
How do you find internal link opportunities?
Name the one page, the one target, and the one opportunity. The scan reads as a source, not a guess, which is why the links earn the rank, not the count.
What is an internal link audit?
The audit that earns the rank — the page, the target, the opportunity. An SEO who counts the links earns the guess; an SEO who names the page and the target earns the rank and the traffic.
How do you audit internal links?
Name the one gap the link fills — the missing link, the weak link. A target without the opportunity earns the link and loses the rank; a target with the opportunity earns the traffic, because the opportunity is what earns the rank.
What makes an internal link audit convert?
A page that earns the rank, a target that earns the link, and an opportunity that earns the traffic. The audit that counts earns the guess; the audit that names the page earns the rank.
Similar SEO templates
Key takeaways
- Names the page, does not count the links
- One target per page, not five
- Ships the opportunity, does not just name it