Auto-Link Rules & Internal Linking
Build keyword-based auto-link rules, edit links per post, and visualize your site’s link structure — all from Tools & Analytics. Set global limits under Settings → General.
Before you start
Auto-Link Rules automatically insert internal links when a keyword appears in your content. Combined with the Link Editor (per-post control) and Link Graph (site-wide visualization), SEO Rank Genius gives you a complete internal linking workflow.
You’ll need:
- WordPress Administrator access
- Published posts or pages with real content (rules only match visible text)
- The Auto-Linking module enabled (on by default after the Setup Wizard)
Auto-Link Rules screen
Navigate to:
SEO Rank Genius → Tools & Analytics → Auto-Link Rules
The screen has three main areas: a header bar with actions, KPI stats, and the rules table.
Auto-Link Rules
Automatically insert links when keywords are found in content
| On | Keyword | Target URL | Settings | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO audit Anchor: free SEO audit | /seo-audit-guide/ | Max 1/post | 142 | |
| internal linking | /internal-linking-tips/ | Max 2/post New tab | 89 | |
| WordPress SEO | /wordpress-seo/ | Case | 0 |
Auto-Link Rules — KPI row and rules table with keyword, target, toggles, and usage counts.
KPI row explained
Create a rule
Click Add Rule to open the rule editor modal. Each rule maps a keyword to a target URL with optional fine-tuning.
Set the keyword
Enter the exact phrase to match in post content — for example content marketing strategy. Use whole phrases rather than single common words to avoid over-linking.
Choose the target
Pick a post/page from the dropdown or paste a URL. The target should be the most relevant page for that keyword — usually your pillar content on the topic.
Configure options
- Max per post — how many times this keyword links on a single page (default 1).
- Anchor text — override the visible link text (optional).
- Case sensitive — match exact capitalization.
- Open in new tab — adds
target="_blank". - Nofollow — adds
rel="nofollow"(rare for internal links).
Test and save
Use the built-in Test Rule section to paste sample content and preview which keyword matches fire. Click Save Rule when satisfied — the toggle column lets you pause rules without deleting them.
Link Editor & Link Graph
Auto-Link Rules handle automation. For manual control and big-picture analysis, use the companion tabs on the same Tools & Analytics page.
Link Editor
Tools & Analytics → Link Editor
Search any post, see every internal and external link on that page, add or remove links inline, and toggle auto-linking per post. Use this when a rule fired in the wrong place or you want hand-placed contextual links.
Link Graph
Tools & Analytics → Link Graph
An interactive node map of your internal link structure. Each node is a post; edges are links between them. Orphan pages (no inbound links) are highlighted so you know where to add rules or manual links.
General settings
Global link behavior is controlled separately from individual rules:
SEO Rank Genius → Settings → General
Max Links Per Post
This number caps how many auto-inserted internal links can appear on any single post or page (0–10, default 3). It works together with each rule’s Max per post setting — whichever limit is stricter wins.
General Settings
Core linking behavior for the entire site
Settings → General — Max Links Per Post controls the global ceiling.
Setting this to 0 disables the cap entirely (still subject to per-rule limits and word-count safety checks). Most blogs do well with 3–5.
Troubleshooting
Rules exist but no links appear on the front end
Check that the rule toggle is on, the keyword actually appears in published content (not just the title), and the post hasn’t hit the global Max Links Per Post limit. Clear any page cache and view the page logged out.
Too many links on one page
Lower Max per post on aggressive rules, reduce the global cap in Settings → General, and avoid overly broad keywords like single common words.
Import CSV fails
Ensure columns match the export format: keyword, target URL, enabled, max per post, anchor text. URLs must be valid and keywords non-empty.
Link Graph shows too many nodes
Use the cluster filter (Category or Post Type) and enable orphan highlighting only. The graph caps at 100 nodes by default for performance — focus on orphans first.
Conflicts with another SEO plugin
Disable auto-linking in your old SEO plugin before enabling SEO Rank Genius rules. Two plugins inserting links on the same keywords causes duplicate links and layout issues.