# Internal Linking Checklist Template — free download from DollarWise (dollarwise.xyz)

Run through this 25-point checklist every time you publish a post, and once a quarter for your whole site. Check off each item; aim for a perfect 25.

## Per-article checks (run on every new post)

1. The new post links to at least 3 relevant existing pages.
2. The new post is linked FROM at least 1 existing page within 48 hours of publishing.
3. Every anchor text describes the target page — no "click here," "read more," or bare URLs.
4. Anchor text varies across links pointing at the same page.
5. At least one internal link appears in the first 200 words where relevant.
6. Aim for roughly 3 to 10 internal links per 1,000 words of content.
7. Links point to deep pages (guides, tools, posts) — not just the homepage.
8. Related subpages link back up to their pillar or hub page.
9. The pillar or hub page is linked from every related subpage.
10. Internal links open in the same tab — never force a new tab for internal links.
11. No internal link uses rel="nofollow".
12. Links point at final destination URLs — no redirect chains or outdated slugs.

## Site-wide structure checks (quarterly)

13. Every published page has at least one inbound internal link (zero orphan pages).
14. Every page is reachable within 3 clicks of the homepage.
15. Cornerstone and money pages are linked from the homepage or main navigation.
16. High-traffic pages link to the pages you want to rank next.
17. Breadcrumbs are present on posts and category or archive pages.
18. Related-post suggestions point to genuinely related content.
19. The same anchor text never points to two different pages.
20. Contextual body-copy links carry the strategy — not just nav and footer links.

## Maintenance checks (monthly)

21. Broken internal links (404s) are fixed or removed.
22. Old posts get fresh links to newer content each quarter.
23. Redirect chains in internal links are flattened to final URLs.
24. Link equity balance is reviewed: no key page buried 4 or more clicks deep.
25. Every internal link change is logged in a simple spreadsheet for audits.