By Emil Klitmose—March 5

How to Track Internal Linking: Complete Guide to Monitoring Your Website's Link Performance

How to Track Internal Linking: Complete Guide to Monitoring Your Website's Link Performance

Quick Answer

You can track internal linking on your website using:

  1. Google Search Console's Links report
  2. Google Analytics with event tracking
  3. SEO tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs
  4. URL shorteners with analytics like Beckli
  5. Custom tracking scripts

Why Internal Link Tracking Matters

Internal links – hyperlinks that connect pages within the same website – are a crucial element of both SEO and user experience.

They serve several important functions:

  • Search engine discovery - Help search engines find and index your content
  • SEO value distribution - Spread "link equity" throughout your site to improve rankings
  • User navigation - Make it easy for visitors to find related content
  • Content hierarchy - Establish information architecture and topic relationships
  • Conversion paths - Guide users toward key actions and conversions

Tracking these internal links is important because it lets you:

  • See which links are being clicked most frequently
  • Ensure your key pages are easily accessible
  • Identify underperforming links that need improvement
  • Optimize your site structure based on actual user behavior

In this guide, we'll explore multiple approaches to internal link tracking – from simple, free methods to more advanced implementations.

Method 1: Google Search Console for Internal Link Analysis

Google Search Console (GSC) provides basic but valuable internal link data without any special setup required.

How to Access Internal Link Data in GSC:

  1. Log in to your Google Search Console account
  2. Select your property from the dashboard
  3. In the left menu, navigate to Links
  4. View the Internal links section
  5. Click on "More" to see the complete report

What GSC Internal Links Report Shows:

  • A list of your site's pages ranked by the number of internal links pointing to them
  • The total count of internal links to each page
  • Ability to sort and filter pages based on internal link count

Limitations of GSC for Link Tracking:

  • Only shows link quantity, not click data
  • Doesn't reveal which specific links are being clicked
  • No user behavior insights (just structural information)
  • Limited to 1,000 pages in most views

GSC is best for a high-level overview of your internal linking structure rather than detailed click tracking.

Method 2: Google Analytics for Internal Link Click Tracking

Google Analytics provides much more detailed tracking of actual user interactions with your internal links.

Universal Analytics Method:

If you're still using Universal Analytics (UA), you can track internal link clicks using event tracking:

  1. Set up event tracking for internal links
  2. View reports under Behavior > Events

GA4 Method:

For Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the process is somewhat different:

  1. Create a GA4 event for internal link clicks
  2. Access data in the Events report

Using Google Tag Manager for Implementation:

The easiest way to implement internal link tracking in GA is through Google Tag Manager (GTM):

Step 1: Set Up Required Variables

  1. In GTM, go to Variables > Configure
  2. Enable Click Element, Click URL, Click Text, and other click variables

Step 2: Create a Trigger for Internal Links

  1. Go to Triggers > New
  2. Choose Just Links as the trigger type
  3. Select Some Link Clicks
  4. Set conditions: Click URL contains your domain name
  5. Save the trigger

Step 3: Create a Google Analytics Tag

  1. Go to Tags > New
  2. Select Google Analytics: GA4 Event (or Universal Analytics Event)
  3. Configure the event name (e.g., "internal_link_click")
  4. Add parameters like link URL, link text, etc.
  5. Set the trigger to your internal links trigger
  6. Save and publish your GTM container

Custom Code Implementation (Without GTM):

If you don't use Google Tag Manager, you can add this JavaScript directly to your site:

// For GA4
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
  var internalLinks = document.querySelectorAll('a[href^="' + window.location.origin + '"], a[href^="/"]');
  
  internalLinks.forEach(function(link) {
    link.addEventListener('click', function() {
      gtag('event', 'internal_link_click', {
        'link_url': this.href,
        'link_text': this.innerText,
        'page_location': window.location.pathname
      });
    });
  });
});

// For Universal Analytics
// Replace gtag('event'...) with:
// ga('send', 'event', 'Internal Link', 'Click', this.href);

Method 3: Using Beckli to Track Internal Link Clicks

For a simpler approach without coding, Beckli provides an easy way to track internal link clicks.

What is Beckli?

Beckli is a free URL shortener and tracking tool that offers:

  • No registration requirement
  • Unlimited link tracking
  • Click analytics including location and device data
  • Simple, user-friendly interface

How to Track Internal Links with Beckli:

  1. Visit Beckli.com
  2. Enter the internal URL you want to track
  3. Get a shortened link with built-in analytics
  4. Use this shortened link in your content instead of the direct internal URL
  5. View click analytics any time by visiting Beckli

You can easily track your link in the field below:

Paste the URL to be shortened
bcl.ink/yournameoptional

Advantages of Using Beckli:

  • No setup required - Works instantly without code changes
  • Free with no limits - Track as many links as needed
  • Advanced analytics - See geography, timing, and device data
  • Works across platforms - Track links from any source

Potential Drawbacks:

  • Links go through a redirect (though it's nearly instantaneous)
  • URLs don't show your domain (unless you use a custom domain)
  • Doesn't integrate directly with your analytics platform

Method 4: Professional SEO Tools

Several professional SEO tools can analyze your internal linking structure:

1. Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Screaming Frog crawls your website and provides detailed internal link analysis:

  • Lists all internal links on your site
  • Shows anchor text distribution
  • Identifies broken internal links
  • Creates visualizations of internal link structure
  • Free version allows up to 500 URLs

2. Ahrefs Site Audit

Ahrefs offers comprehensive internal link analysis:

  • Internal link distribution report
  • Orphaned page detection (pages with no internal links)
  • Internal link opportunities
  • Link value distribution analysis

3. Semrush Site Audit

Semrush provides similar capabilities:

  • Internal linking audit
  • Link distribution visualization
  • Click depth analysis
  • Internal link optimization recommendations

These tools excel at structural analysis but don't typically track actual user clicks on internal links.

Method 5: Advanced: Custom Database Tracking

For complete control and detailed tracking, you can implement a custom tracking solution:

Basic Architecture:

  1. Set up a database table to store link click data
  2. Create an API endpoint to record clicks
  3. Add JavaScript to your site to send click data to the endpoint

Example Database Structure:

CREATE TABLE internal_link_clicks (
    id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    source_page VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    destination_page VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    link_text VARCHAR(255),
    user_agent VARCHAR(255),
    ip_address VARCHAR(45),
    click_time DATETIME DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

Example PHP Endpoint:

<?php
// record-click.php
$db = new PDO('mysql:host=localhost;dbname=your_database', 'username', 'password');

$source = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'source', FILTER_SANITIZE_URL);
$destination = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'destination', FILTER_SANITIZE_URL);
$linkText = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'linkText', FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

$stmt = $db->prepare("INSERT INTO internal_link_clicks 
    (source_page, destination_page, link_text, user_agent, ip_address) 
    VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)");

$stmt->execute([
    $source,
    $destination,
    $linkText,
    $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'],
    $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']
]);

echo json_encode(['success' => true]);
?>

Example JavaScript:

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
  var internalLinks = document.querySelectorAll('a[href^="' + window.location.origin + '"], a[href^="/"]');
  
  internalLinks.forEach(function(link) {
    link.addEventListener('click', function(e) {
      // Prevent immediate navigation
      e.preventDefault();
      
      var destination = this.href;
      var linkText = this.innerText;
      
      // Send data to tracking endpoint
      fetch('/record-click.php', {
        method: 'POST',
        headers: {
          'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
        },
        body: 'source=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location.href) +
              '&destination=' + encodeURIComponent(destination) +
              '&linkText=' + encodeURIComponent(linkText)
      }).then(function() {
        // Continue navigation after tracking
        window.location.href = destination;
      });
    });
  });
});

This method offers complete control but requires development resources and ongoing maintenance.

Practical Tips for Internal Link Tracking

1. Focus on Key Pages First

Start by tracking the most important internal links:

  • Navigation menu items
  • Call-to-action buttons
  • Links to key conversion pages
  • Featured content links
  • Related product/content recommendations

2. Consider Context When Analyzing Data

When evaluating internal link performance, consider:

  • The page location (header, footer, content area)
  • Link prominence and visibility
  • Surrounding content context
  • User intent on the source page
  • Mobile vs. desktop differences

3. Create a Regular Review Schedule

  • Weekly: Check data for quick wins and issues
  • Monthly: Look for trends and patterns
  • Quarterly: Conduct comprehensive internal link audits

4. Compare Against Benchmarks

  • Compare link click rates to site averages
  • Set internal benchmarks for different link types
  • Look at historical data to spot improvements or declines

5. Test and Experiment

  • A/B test different link placements
  • Try various anchor text options
  • Experiment with link styling and formatting
  • Test contextual vs. navigational internal linking

Common Internal Linking Issues to Watch For

Through your tracking, watch for these common problems:

1. Orphaned Content

Pages with few or no internal links pointing to them. These pages:

  • Are difficult for users to discover
  • May receive less SEO value
  • Often perform poorly in search results

2. Over-linking to Certain Pages

Too many internal links to the same page can:

  • Dilute the SEO value being passed
  • Create an unbalanced site structure
  • Potentially look manipulative to search engines

3. Poor Click-Through Rates

Links with low engagement may have issues with:

  • Unclear or unappealing anchor text
  • Poor placement or visibility
  • Lack of relevance to the surrounding content
  • Confusing context or unclear value to users

4. Broken Internal Links

These create a poor user experience and waste "link equity":

  • Links to deleted or moved pages
  • URL structure changes without proper redirects
  • Typos in internal URLs

Advanced Analysis Techniques

Once you have basic tracking in place, consider these advanced analysis approaches:

1. Click Path Analysis

Map the common paths users take through your internal links:

  • Identify popular navigation patterns
  • Find where users commonly exit your site
  • Optimize conversion funnels based on actual behavior

2. Content Cluster Performance

Analyze how users navigate between related content:

  • Evaluate performance of topic clusters
  • See if users follow your intended content journeys
  • Identify opportunities for additional internal links

3. Link Position Impact

Analyze how link placement affects performance:

  • Above-the-fold vs. below-the-fold
  • In-content vs. sidebar links
  • Beginning vs. end of content
  • Image links vs. text links

Final Thoughts

Tracking internal links gives you valuable insights into how users navigate your website and how link equity flows through your site. While simple tools like Google Search Console provide basic structural information, more advanced methods using Google Analytics, Beckli, or custom solutions offer deeper insights into actual user behavior.

The best approach depends on your specific needs:

  • For basic structural analysis: Google Search Console or Screaming Frog
  • For user behavior tracking: Google Analytics with event tracking
  • For quick, simple tracking: Beckli or similar URL shorteners
  • For comprehensive control: Custom tracking solutions

By implementing a solid internal link tracking strategy, you'll gain the insights needed to optimize your site structure, improve user experience, and enhance your SEO performance. Start with the simplest approach that meets your needs, then expand your tracking as your requirements grow.