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name: article-links description: "Use when auditing metadata, crawlability, structured data, or indexability related to Optimize article link density. Verify the rendered HTML and HTTP response rather than relying only on source files." metadata: category: seo priority: medium difficulty: intermediate estimatedTime: "10" source: frontendchecklist.io url: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/seo/article-links

Optimize article link density

A natural link profile within articles establishes authority, improves site crawlability, and provides additional value to users by pointing them to relevant resources.

Quick Reference

• Include a balanced mix of internal and external links based on content length
• Link to authoritative external sources to validate facts and data
• Use internal links to connect related topics and keep users engaged on your site

Check

Review the article to ensure it contains a sufficient number of relevant internal and external links.

Fix

Add 2-3 internal links to related content and 1-2 external links to authoritative sources to back up your claims.

Explain

Explain the role of internal and external links in building a site's topical authority and improving the user journey.

Code Review

Review metadata generation, rendered HTML, structured data, and response headers related to Optimize article link density. Flag exact routes or templates where search-facing output violates the rule, and describe how to verify the final page output.

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For full implementation details, code examples, and framework-specific guidance, see references/rule.md.

Rule page: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/seo/article-links