Manual editorial links vs automated internal linking

Manual editorial links vs automated internal linking

Both belong in a pSEO build — at different layers. Don't pick one; layer them with gates.

1. Automated links (programmatic): siblings, parent/child, "related by attribute." Owner-action: generate from the data graph, cap at 8-12 per page.
— Gate: every automated link target must be an indexable 200 page. Block links to noindex/404.
2. Manual links (editorial): from your authoritative pillar pages and blog into key money templates.
— Use for: pages that need a ranking push automation can't justify.
3. Decision rule: automation builds the mesh, editorial builds the spikes. Automation gives even distribution; manual concentrates equity where you choose.
4. Guardrail: anchor variation. Automated links reusing one exact anchor across 5k pages reads as manipulation — rotate among 3-4 templated anchors.
5. Gate: orphan check — zero indexable pages with fewer than 1 internal inbound link.

Rollback: regenerate the link graph; it's deterministic from data.

Ship gate: don't publish until all boxes are checked.