Internal link map for hub-and-leaf search layers
What this page covers
Internal link map for hub-and-leaf search layers
An internal link map shows whether leaf pages are organised under clear hubs or left as disconnected URLs within the site structure.
Radar maps URLs across home, hub, and leaf layers so UAE teams can see whether hubs exist, leaf clusters are clear, and the structure is easy to review.
In brief
- Use the map to confirm that important hub pages exist and that related leaf pages sit beneath them instead of appearing as isolated URLs.
- If leaf pages are not grouped under hubs, the practical fix is to create the missing hub pages and link each hub to its relevant leaves.
- A useful structure output should be simple enough to share with a teammate or client, so they can understand the layout without a long meeting.
What to do
Start with a scan of a real website and read the URL structure as a home, hub, and leaf map. Check whether hubs exist, whether leaf clusters are visible, and whether any pages look randomly disconnected.
If the scan shows leaf pages without a clear hub layer, improve the structure by creating relevant hub pages and linking each hub to its related leaves. This gives the site a cleaner search layer for review and planning.
Radar’s demo output includes a URL structure map, a share link, and a basic public scans feed. The demo is capped at 1,000 pages per run, so it is best suited to quick structure validation.
What to keep in mind
This type of map is most useful when a site has enough URLs to form meaningful hub and leaf groups. If there are only a few pages, there may be limited structure to assess.
A Radar output can show details such as hubs, leaf pages, leaf-per-hub ratio, depth p90, orphan count, and empty hub count when available. One output showed 16 pages, 2 hubs, 13 leaves, depth p90 of 3, 0 orphan pages, and 0 empty hubs.
Treat the map as a structure check for the hub-and-leaf layer. Its value is in making the internal layout visible, shareable, and easier to discuss before deeper linking changes begin.