July 2024 Product Updates: Internal Linking Opportunities and Understanding Search Intent

Let’s dive into what we’re covering this month:

• Easily viewing internal linking opportunities

• Search intent vs. SEO keywords and how they affect Clearscope

Internal Linking Opportunities: The Game-Changer

You can now easily view internal linking opportunities (also sometimes called inbound link opportunities) for the pages you have tracked in your Content Inventory.

This update is a total game-changer for staying on top of healthy internal linking practices!

Here's how you do it:

1. Go to your Clearscope Content Inventory.

2. Click the "Link Opportunities" filter.

3. Select "Are Present" from the dropdown.

4. Click the "Inventory Links" button in the Content Inventory column.

5. Select "View # opportunity."

This feature was in beta testing last month, and we’re thrilled to finally bring it to everyone!

Important note regarding Content Inventory Internal Linking opportunities

Internal linking suggestions will only appear for pages that are tracked in your Content Inventory.

So make sure you have the all pages you want to monitor for proper internal linking on your site added to your Content Inventory.

For example:

Let's say you have Page A, B, C, and D tracked in your Content Inventory. But Page E is not tracked.

You’ll receive internal link suggestions for and between Pages A, B, C, and D because they're tracked in your Content Inventory.

However, you won’t be notified of internal linking opportunities for Page E or between Page E and Pages A, B, C, and D—as Page E is not tracked in your Content Inventory.

Are you using Clearscope Reports and Monitored Queries correctly?

Now, let's talk about why using monitored queries as a search intent tracker is essential to your success with Clearscope.

Why use Monitored Queries as a search intent tracker?

To ensure your Content Inventory pages are well-optimized to meet the target search intent, it's crucial to pair your content with a monitored query that aligns with your targeted search intent.

But why not just select the highest-volume SEO keyword you want that piece of content to rank for as your monitored query?

Optimizing for search intent is more effective than simply optimizing for keywords.

Clearscope’s Content Reports and Content Grade system are designed to sharply optimize content for search intents, not just keyword phrases.

Clearscope analyzes the top 30 ranking pages in Google’s search results for your targeted query, considering the location and language.

This analysis uses three of the top large language models (LLMs) to recommend the best ways for your content to meet the search intent for that query according to the search engine results page (SERP).

How search result changes affect search intent optimization

Google continuously updates its SERPs to better match the actual search intent.

And search intent changes over time.

Let’s take an example from Maeva Cifuentes’ Clearscope Webinar earlier this month on content optimization:

Searching for [face masks] in 2018 may have brought up results for skincare.

However, during the pandemic, a search for [face masks] took on a whole new meaning for users.

And now? Well, search [face masks] and Google isn’t quite sure exactly what you want, so it offers both options:

Clearscope keeps up with these changes in real time by analyzing your target search query and:

• Building a report to guide you in meeting search intent.

• Grading your content to show how well it aligns with Google’s perception of search intent.

• Monitoring your content and targeted query intents via Google Search Console data and real SERPs, allowing for quick content updates if user intent changes.

• Alerting you via Page Notices if your Content Grade drops, indicating a review and/or refresh may be needed

Maximizing Clearscope’s Effectiveness

To get the most out of Clearscope Reports and Content Inventory, run your reports based on the search intent you’re targeting—and use that phrasing (or a version of it) as your monitored query.

To see examples of search intent optimization vs. keyword optimization, check out:

• Why search intent optimization beats keyword optimization

• How to find your goldilocks keywords with search intent analysis

Got more questions? Contact us over at support. We're here to help!