How AI Crawlers Parse Internal Links (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot)
Each AI crawler has a different three-tier bot system, crawl behavior, and link processing approach. Here's the technical breakdown every SEO needs.
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AI SEO
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SEO / FOUNDER / 2026
SEO Strategist & Founder
Rohit Sharma
SEO that outlives Google updates.
Results-driven SEO strategist with 10+ years of experience helping local, eCommerce, and B2B brands turn search visibility into qualified leads and revenue. Founder of SEOShouts and primary author behind its research, playbooks, and case notes.
10+
Years Experience
10
Articles Published
8
Areas of Expertise
// Published Work
Latest Articles by Rohit
Expert insights, research-backed playbooks, and case notes on SEO, internal linking, and the AI search shift.
02
AI SEO
Internal Linking for AI Search: How ChatGPT, Perplexity & Gemini Use Your Links
AI search engines don't just follow your internal links, they use them to understand what your site knows. Here's how each platform works and how to optimize.
03
Internal Linking
Link Equity: How It Flows Through Internal Links (And Where It Leaks)
Every backlink pumps equity into your site — but where it goes after that depends entirely on your internal links. This guide explains how equity splits, flows, and leaks through your site architecture. Covers the 5 most common equity leaks (broken links, redirect chains, dead-end pages) and how to fix each one.
04
Internal Linking
How Many Internal Links Should a Page Have? (Data-Backed Answer)
There's an actual number — and going over it hurts your traffic. Zyppy's study of 23 million internal links found pages with 45-50 total links hit peak performance, while pages exceeding 50 saw measurable declines. This guide gives you benchmarks by page type and introduces the link budget calculator.
05
Internal Linking
Orphan Pages in SEO: How to Find and Fix Pages With Zero Internal Links
An orphan page has no internal links pointing to it — and Screaming Frog's research shows 96% of orphan pages get zero organic traffic. This guide explains how orphan pages happen, how to find them using free tools, and five proven methods to reconnect them to your site's link architecture.
06
Internal Linking
8 Best Internal Link Checker Tools Compared (Free & Paid, 2026)
Not all internal link checkers show the same data. We compared 8 tools. Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, Semrush, Sitebulb, SEOShouts, and more across features, pricing, crawl limits, and unique capabilities like word cloud anchor text visualization. Here's which tool fits your needs.
07
AI SEO
WebMCP: Google's New Protocol That Turns Websites Into AI Agent Tools (What SEOs Must Know)
Google just gave AI agents a front door to every website. WebMCP (Web Model Context Protocol), launched February 10, 2026, is a browser API that lets websites expose callable tools to AI agents through Chrome. SEO experts are calling it the biggest shift since structured data. Here's the full breakdown.
08
Internal Linking
Internal Linking for SEO: The Complete Guide (2026)
Internal linking is the single most underused SEO lever. Based on Zyppy's study of 23 million internal links, this guide covers everything — site architecture, anchor text strategy, crawl depth optimization, link equity distribution, orphan page fixes, and how internal links affect AI search visibility in 2026.
09
Internal Linking
Nofollow vs. Dofollow Internal Links: When to Use Which?
Are you destroying your own rankings with the "PageRank Sculpting" myth? We explain the difference between Nofollow and Dofollow links and reveal the only 3 times you should block Google from an internal page.
10
Internal Linking
Body vs. Footer vs. Sidebar: Where to Place Links for Maximum SEO Value
Not all links are created equal. A link in your footer is worth far less than a link in your blog post. Learn the "Reasonable Surfer" model and how to place internal links for maximum PageRank flow in 2026.