When planning keywords, many people first think about how to write the title and what content to put on the page. But they overlook a more fundamental question: does the page targeting this keyword have any internal links pointing to it? If the target page cannot be found through navigation, category pages, or related articles, then no matter how complete the content is, users and search engines will have a hard time associating it with the keyword. Internal linking is not a cleanup task to handle after publishing. It should be done alongside keyword planning.
The following basic metrics can be checked without professional tools. They are suitable for corporate website operators to review one by one during the planning stage.
1. Link Placement: Is the Entry Point in Navigation, Category Pages, or Body Content?
The placement of an internal link determines how likely it is to be seen. When planning keywords, first confirm whether the target page has these types of entry points:
- Entries in the main navigation or category navigation, suitable for core business terms and category-level keywords;
- Entries on category pages and list pages, suitable for product terms and service terms;
- Natural links within body content, suitable for long-tail keywords and related questions.
The test is simple: open the website, start from the homepage, and see whether you can reach the target page within three clicks. If a page for a certain keyword can only be found through the search box, its internal entry points are weak. During planning, consider where to add a link in a category or body content.
2. Anchor Text: Does the Link Text Match the Keyword?
Anchor text is the visible text of a link. When planning keywords, check two things: whether it describes the content of the target page, and whether it conveys the same meaning as the target keyword.
A common approach is to use short, stable terms for navigation and category entries, such as “website maintenance.” For body links, use more natural phrasing, such as “pages to check before publishing.” Avoid using “click here” or “learn more” for all links. These phrases neither help users judge what they will find nor support keyword planning.
Keep in mind that more anchor text is not always better. Repeatedly using the exact same text to point to the same page is unnatural and unnecessary. During planning, define one or two main phrases for each target page and use related terms or short sentences for the rest.
3. Target Pages: Do the Links Point to the Right Pages?
This is the most easily overlooked item. When planning keywords, first create a simple mapping table: keyword, target page, and current links pointing to it. Then open each link and confirm that the page it actually opens matches expectations.
Common deviations include:
- Links pointing to a category homepage instead of a specific content page;
- Multiple keywords pointing to the same page, diluting the page topic;
- Links pointing to old URLs that have been redesigned or merged.
When you find incorrect targets, prioritize changing the link destination rather than the keyword. If the link points to the wrong place, users will not see the content they expect, and the keyword plan will fail.
4. Link Volume and Distribution: Don’t Let All Links Pile Up on the Homepage
During planning, you can roughly count how many internal links are on the homepage, how many are on category pages, and how many are in body content. The point is not to get an exact number, but to see whether the distribution is reasonable.
If all keyword entry points are crowded on the homepage and there are almost no cross-links between category pages and content pages, the path for users to go deeper is broken. A more reliable approach is to let each category page carry some keyword entry points, while body links connect related pages. For example, an article about website maintenance can naturally link to related pages such as category planning and publishing checks.
Test: open any content page and see whether it links to other pages in the same category, and whether other pages link to it. If both are empty, the page is isolated within the site.
5. Hierarchy Depth: How Far Is the Target Page from the Homepage?
Hierarchy depth refers to how many link levels are needed to go from the homepage to the target page. When planning keywords, pages for core terms should be shallower, while pages for long-tail terms can be deeper.
How to check: start from the homepage, click through level by level to the target page, and record how many levels you pass. If core business pages are buried in the fourth or fifth level, they are too deep in the site structure. During planning, consider adjusting the category hierarchy or adding entry points.
Shallower is not always better. Putting every page into the top-level navigation can make navigation harder to use. A reasonable approach is to keep core pages reachable within two to three levels and ordinary content pages within three to four levels, while ensuring each level has a clear parent entry.
6. How to Use These Metrics During Planning
Combining the five items above, you can do a simple review during keyword planning:
- List the keywords you plan to target and their corresponding pages;
- For each page, record its current internal links, anchor text, and how many levels it is from the homepage;
- Mark pages with insufficient entry points, unsuitable anchor text, incorrect targets, or excessive depth;
- Sort by impact and prioritize adding entry points for core pages, then handle cross-links for long-tail pages.
This process does not require complex tools. A spreadsheet and a browser are enough. Its value lies in aligning keyword planning with site structure, rather than looking for entry points after pages are published.
7. Common Pitfalls to Avoid
First, forcing links into body content just for keyword planning. Links should appear where users need to continue learning, not just to increase numbers.
Second, adding links without checking them. After adding links, open each one to confirm it works, points to the right page, and displays the anchor text properly.
Third, not updating links after a redesign or category adjustment. If old links point to deleted or merged pages, they directly affect user experience. Include these links in your planning checklist.
The basic metrics for internal linking are not complicated. The key is to treat them as part of keyword implementation during the planning stage. Clarify entry points, anchor text, targets, and hierarchy first. This will save a lot of rework in later content updates and SEO optimization.
