Links
The links audit checks the internal and external link profile of the page, identifies broken links, and reviews anchor text diversity.
Details
Internal links
Internal links connect pages within the same domain. They help Google discover new pages, distribute PageRank, and understand site structure. Pages with too few internal links may be under-discovered by crawlers.
External links
Links to external sites signal topical context and add credibility. Use rel='nofollow' or rel='sponsored' on paid or untrusted external links. Links to authoritative sources (Wikipedia, official docs) can help demonstrate topical depth.
Broken links (404s)
A broken link points to a URL that returns an error (typically 404 Not Found). Broken internal links create poor user experience and waste crawl budget. Broken external links suggest outdated content.
Anchor text
The visible text of a hyperlink ('anchor text') tells Google what the linked page is about. Generic anchors like 'click here' or 'read more' provide no context. A mix of branded, keyword-rich, and generic anchors is healthy.
Metrics
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Total links | Total number of <a href> elements found on the page. |
| Internal links | Links pointing to the same domain. |
| External links | Links pointing to other domains. |
| Nofollow links | Links with rel='nofollow' — Google does not pass PageRank through these. |
| Broken links | Links returning HTTP 4xx or 5xx responses. |