=== 4Linking — Internal Linking on Autopilot: Rules, Pillar Pages & Link Map === Contributors: 04codedev Tags: internal linking, pillar pages, link building, seo, interlinking Requires at least: 6.0 Tested up to: 7.0 Requires PHP: 7.4 Stable tag: 4.6.126 License: GPLv2 or later License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html Automatic internal linking for WordPress — no more adding links by hand. Keyword rules, pillar pages and a visual link map. == Description == **4Linking** automates internal linking in WordPress. You define the rules once — which keywords link to which pages — and the plugin keeps your internal link structure clean and consistent across the whole site, from a small blog to an editorial site with thousands of posts, without the manual work internal linking usually requires. https://youtu.be/qxHGYREUh18 4Linking is built around a simple, controllable idea: **rules**. Instead of guessing or linking by hand, you tell the plugin how your content should connect — and it applies those relationships automatically as you publish. = Key features = * **Rule-based internal linking** — decide which keywords link to which URLs, with custom anchor text, frequency caps and priority. You stay in full control of every link the plugin creates. * **Pillar pages** — mark your strategic pages so related content sends them preferential internal links, reinforcing your most important URLs. * **Visual link map** — see how internal links are distributed across your site at a glance, with totals per rule and per page. * **URL exclusions** — keep specific URLs (legal pages, login, checkout…) out of internal linking entirely, so links only land where you want them. * **Synonyms and variations** — a rule can match a keyword and its variations, so natural writing still triggers the right links. * **Bulk processing** — apply your rules across existing posts in one pass, not just on new content. * **Block editor and Classic editor** — works with both, no setup friction. * **Runs entirely on your server** — no external services, no account, no signup. Your content never leaves your site. = Who it's for = * **Bloggers and site owners** who want a tidy internal link structure without editing every post by hand. * **Online editors and media sites** publishing daily, who need internal architecture to scale without becoming a full-time job. * **SEO agencies and content teams** that need to apply consistent linking rules reliably across one site or many. = Why 4Linking = There are many SEO plugins, and they all have their place. 4Linking does one job well: **serious internal linking, with full control**. * **Alongside your SEO plugin (Yoast, Rank Math)** — those handle analysis and on-page SEO; 4Linking handles the actual mechanics of internal linking. They complement each other. * **Versus manual linking** — no more opening old posts to add links by hand. Define a rule once and it applies everywhere, including posts you publish later. * **Versus guesswork** — every link follows an explicit rule you wrote, so you always know why a link exists and where it points. = Privacy and data = 4Linking runs **entirely on your own server**, using WordPress's standard database and APIs. It makes **no calls to any external service**, requires no account and collects no data. Your content stays on your site. = Looking for AI content and semantic linking? = 4Linking has a separate commercial version, **4Linking PRO**, available at [4linking.com](https://4linking.com). It adds AI article generation, semantic internal linking, knowledge bases, AI image generation, translation and automation pipelines. PRO is a separate product — this free plugin is fully functional on its own and is not time-limited or feature-gated in any way. = Requirements = * WordPress 6.0 or higher * PHP 7.4 or higher == Installation == 1. In your WordPress admin, go to **Plugins → Add New** and search for **4Linking**, or upload the plugin ZIP under **Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin**. 2. Activate the plugin through the **Plugins** menu. 3. A **4Linking** entry appears in your admin menu. The welcome screen walks you through the basics. 4. Go to **4Linking → Linking** to create your first pillar pages and linking rules, then run a bulk pass over your existing posts. == Frequently Asked Questions == = Is 4Linking really free? = Yes. This version is completely free, fully functional and runs entirely on your server. There's no account, no signup, no usage limit and no time limit. = Does 4Linking work with my SEO plugin (Yoast, Rank Math, etc.)? = Yes. 4Linking complements general SEO plugins rather than replacing them. Yoast and Rank Math handle analysis, meta tags and on-page SEO; 4Linking handles internal linking mechanics. Many users run both together without issues. = Will it touch links I added myself? = No. 4Linking only manages the links it creates from your rules. Your manual links are left untouched, and you can exclude any URL you don't want it to act on. = Can I apply rules to posts I already published? = Yes. Besides linking new content as you publish, you can run a bulk pass that applies your active rules across existing posts. = Is 4Linking compatible with WooCommerce? = Yes. The plugin works alongside WooCommerce without conflicts and treats product pages like any other content type. = What happens to my data if I uninstall the plugin? = By default, uninstalling 4Linking removes its data: rules, pillar pages, exclusions, settings and the link map. There's an option in the plugin settings to preserve your data on uninstall if you prefer. = Where do I get support? = Please use the [WordPress.org support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/4linking-free/). Community support is provided there. == Screenshots == 1. Visual link map showing how internal links are distributed across the site. 2. Creating an internal linking rule with anchor text, frequency cap and priority. 3. Pillar pages configuration: strategic content that receives preferential internal links. 4. URL exclusions: pages that should never receive or emit internal links. 5. The welcome screen, with a short video and the three steps to get started. == Changelog == = 4.6.126 = * Fixed: the link map no longer shows a "Semantic" column, which belongs to the premium edition. Added a safeguard so cached scripts can't bring it back. = 4.6.125 = * Fixed: a few interface labels on the rules screen showed in Spanish regardless of the site language. Everything now follows the WordPress language setting. = 4.6.124 = * Fixed: the link map no longer shows a "Semantic links" card or column, which belong to the premium edition. = 4.6.123 = * Fixed: the link map could show an empty table. The stats queries no longer reference a table that only exists in the premium edition. = 4.6.122 = * Updated plugin listing: clearer description, refined tags and an introduction video. = 4.6.121 = * Onboarding: the welcome screen now opens with an introduction video. = 4.6.60 = * Menu order: Linking now comes before the other sections. = 4.6.58 = * The rule link-detail view now uses a slide-in side panel with a stats bar and search filter, matching the pillar detail view. = 4.6.56 = * Fixed the rule link-detail, confirm and CSV import dialogs appearing unstyled at the bottom of the page; they now display correctly centered. = 4.6.54 = * Database upgrade routine now verifies a table exists before altering it, avoiding notices in partially-initialised environments. = 4.6.53 = * CSV import/export no longer raises PHP 8.4 deprecation notices. = 4.6.50 = * The CSV rule import button is now always enabled; it validates and prompts for a file on click. = 4.6.49 = * Plugin Check compliance: safer export filenames and stream handling, "Tested up to" bumped to 7.0, and language files aligned with the plugin slug. Translations load automatically through WordPress.org. = 4.6.44 = * Output escaping: admin markup is now passed through wp_kses() with an explicit allow-list at output time. No visual change; hardens output following WordPress.org guidelines. = 4.6.43 = * Hardened database queries: post-type filters and ID lists now use prepared statements with placeholders. = 4.6.40 = * Backup restore now works reliably for everything the plugin manages (pillar pages, rules, exclusions and settings). = 4.6.36 = * Pillar pages and rules are unlimited, and the synonyms field is always available. = 4.6.29 = * Menu restructure: the sidebar is organised into clear sections. All old page URLs still resolve and redirect, so nothing breaks. = 4.4.38 = * First release: rule-based internal linking, pillar pages, exclusions and a basic link map. == Upgrade Notice == = 4.6.126 = Removes the Semantic column from the link map in this edition. = 4.6.125 = Interface labels now follow the site language correctly. = 4.6.124 = Cleans up the link map so it only shows what this edition includes. = 4.6.123 = Fixes the link map showing an empty table. = 4.6.122 = Improved plugin listing (description, tags and intro video). No changes to the internal linking engine. = 4.6.121 = Adds an introduction video to the welcome screen. No changes to the internal linking engine.