Disconnected articles are the silent killer of your Joomla site’s engagement, sending readers packing and tanking your SEO, and everyone knows that the SERPs reward sites whose content is INTERnally LINKED. Content - InterLinked is a free, battle-tested plugin that puts an end to that nonsense by auto-generating keyword-based links between articles in your Joomla 5 site. It weaves a web of connections using article keywords (metakey) and category associations, with customizable tooltips, link targets, and CSS classes, all while respecting your existing links and boosting performance with caching. Plus, links evolve over time as new articles reuse keywords, keeping your content network fresh and relevant.
How It Works
v5.0.1
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Boost Engagement, Keep Readers Hooked
Disconnected content kills user engagement and SEO—readers leave, and search engines demote sites with poor navigation. Content - InterLinked ensures every article links to related content, keeping visitors on your site longer and boosting SEO with better dwell time and internal link equity. Designed exclusively for Joomla’s core com_content component, it’s been fine-tuned for Joomla 5 to keep your site lean and mean. We’ve been running InterLinked on richeyweb.com for months, connecting blog posts with real-world success—our visitors explore more and stay longer. For example, a tech blog could link “Joomla tips” articles to “Plugin guides,” driving deeper engagement without manual effort.
Where category associations are defined, InterLinked creates keyword-based links with precision. Where no associations exist, it gracefully skips the article, leaving your content untouched. Generated <a> tags include a data attribute for tracking: data-asset-name="Content - InterLinked".
Fancy a Demo?
This plugin is running on articles within the blog section of this website. Each of the 3 blog categories is configured to pull keywords in from the others, and those created by Content - InterLinked will be displayed in green. I have turned on the tooltip feature, so you can see which articles are being linked with a simple hover.
Over on carry-texas.com, an early version of this plugin has been running for years to great success.
Why Choose Content - InterLinked?
This plugin exists to make your Joomla articles’ navigation bulletproof for users and search engines, with zero cost and maximum flexibility.
Features
- Automatic keyword-based interlinking using article metakey values
- Built-in support for Joomla’s core com_content component
- Custom category associations to link specific categories (e.g., Blog to Tutorials)
- Optional tooltips displaying linked article titles via Joomla’s Bootstrap
- Configurable link targets (_self or _blank with rel="noopener noreferrer")
- Custom CSS class support for styling (default: plg_content_interlinked)
- Caching of keyword matches and associations for blazing-fast performance
- Respects existing <a> tags to avoid duplicate linking
- Evolving links that update to newer articles reusing keywords, keeping content fresh
- Accessible links with ARIA labels for _blank targets (e.g., “opens in new window”)
Don’t let your articles be dead ends—Content - InterLinked makes internal linking effortless!
Download the Plugin
Frequently Asked Questions:
What does Content - InterLinked do?
Content - InterLinked automatically creates keyword-based links between Joomla articles, connecting related content to boost user engagement and SEO. It uses metakey keywords to link articles across specified categories, keeping visitors on your site longer and improving search engine rankings.
Is Content - InterLinked free?
Yes, it’s 100% free! You can download and use it on your Joomla 5 (or 4.x) site without any cost, with all features included.
What versions of Joomla are supported?
Content - InterLinked is built for Joomla 5.x but is backward compatible with Joomla 4.x. It works seamlessly with Joomla’s core com_content component.
How do I install Content - InterLinked?
Download the plugin from the official source, then:
- Log in to your Joomla admin panel.
- Go to System > Install > Extensions and upload the plugin zip file.
- Navigate to System > Manage > Plugins, find “Content - InterLinked,” and enable it.
- Configure the plugin settings for best results (see documentation for details).
Do I need to add special code to my articles?
Nope! Just add keywords to the Meta Keywords field in the article’s Metadata tab (e.g., “joomla, seo”) and ensure those keywords appear in the article text. The plugin does the rest, linking to other articles in configured categories.
What are category associations, and how do they work?
Category associations let you define which categories link to each other. For example, you can set “Blog” articles to link to “Tutorials” or “News” categories. In the plugin settings, map source categories to target categories, and the plugin will create links based on shared keywords.
Will it mess with my existing links?
Not at all! Content - InterLinked respects existing <a> tags in your articles and only adds new links where keywords match, avoiding duplicates.
Can I customize how the links look?
Yes! You can add custom CSS classes (default: plg_content_interlinked) to style links. You can also enable tooltips to show linked article titles on hover and choose whether links open in the same window (_self) or a new tab (_blank).
How does it improve SEO?
By creating a network of internal links, Content - InterLinked increases dwell time, reduces bounce rates, and distributes link equity across your site. Search engines like Google reward well-connected content, improving your site’s rankings.
What happens when I add new articles?
The plugin dynamically updates links as new articles reuse keywords. Older links may be replaced with links to newer, more relevant content, keeping your site fresh and engaging.
Does it slow down my site?
Nope! Content - InterLinked uses caching for keyword matches and category associations, ensuring fast performance even on large Joomla sites.
Is it accessible?
Yes! Links opening in new tabs (_blank) include rel="noopener noreferrer" for security and ARIA labels (e.g., “opens in new window”) for accessibility. Tooltips are translatable for multilingual sites.
Can I see it in action?
Check out the blog section on richeyweb.com, where Content - InterLinked links articles across three categories with green-styled links and tooltips. An early version also runs on carry-texas.com with proven success.
What if keywords don’t appear in my article text?
The plugin only creates links for keywords listed in the Meta Keywords field that also appear in the article text. If a keyword isn’t in the text, no link is generated, keeping your content clean.
How do I get support or report issues?
Visit the extension page on richeyweb.com for support details or to report issues. The plugin is actively maintained, and feedback is welcome to keep it battle-tested!
