For a paginated series to be effective for SEO, it must form an unbroken chain of links that search engines can follow. An unlinked pagination URL is a page in a paginated series that is not linked to from the previous page. This is a critical crawlability issue that can prevent search engines from discovering and indexing all of the content in the series. This guide will explain why this is a problem and how to fix it.

Think of your paginated series as a set of stepping stones. If one of the stones is missing, you can’t get to the other side. The same is true for your website. If a page in a paginated series is not linked to, search engines may not be able to find it. For a broader look at pagination, see our guide on the pagination category.

An illustration of a broken link, symbolizing the importance of fixing unlinked pagination URLs.

Why Unlinked Pagination URLs Are a Problem

As explained in Google’s own guide to pagination, a clear and logical sequence is essential.

  • Broken Crawl Path: An unlinked pagination URL breaks the crawl path for search engines, which can prevent them from discovering and indexing all of the content in a series.
  • Orphaned Pages: An unlinked pagination URL is effectively an orphan page, which can be a signal of a poorly structured website.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Unlinked Pagination

The goal is to ensure that every page in a paginated series has a clear, crawlable link to the next page in the series. For more on this, check out this guide to pagination best practices from Moz.

Code Example: The Fix

<!-- Before: No link to page 3 --> <!-- On page 2 --> <a href="/category/page/2/">2</a> <!-- After: A clear link to page 3 --> <!-- On page 2 --> <a href="/category/page/3/">3</a>
  1. Crawl Your Site: Use an SEO audit tool like Creeper to identify any unlinked pagination URLs.
  2. Fix Your Pagination Logic: Work with your developer to ensure that your pagination logic is correctly generating links to all pages in a series.
  3. Validate the Fix: Recrawl your site to confirm that all pagination URLs are now linked and discoverable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an unlinked pagination URL?

An unlinked pagination URL is a page in a paginated series that is not linked to from any other page in the series. This makes it an orphan page, and it can be very difficult for search engines to find and index.

Why are unlinked pagination URLs a problem for SEO?

Unlinked pagination URLs are a problem for SEO because they break the crawl path for search engines. If a crawler can’t find a link to the next page in a series, it may not be able to discover and index all of the content in that series.

How can I find and fix unlinked pagination URLs?

The most effective way to find unlinked pagination URLs is to use a website crawler like Creeper. It will scan your site and identify any pages that are part of a paginated series but are not linked to from the previous page. The fix is to ensure that every page in a paginated series has a clear, crawlable link to the next page in the series.

Ready to fix your unclickable pages? Start your Creeper audit today and see how you can improve your website’s pagination.