# People-First Intros and Natural Internal Linking (Reference)

**Last Updated:** 2026-03-23

Short synthesis for editors and AI workflows. External sources: Google Search Central “helpful, reliable, people-first content”; internal linking guidance (descriptive anchors, contextual placement in body copy). Not legal or Google policy advice — editorial orientation only.

## Principles (5–8 bullets)

1. **Audience-first:** Write so HR/operations readers get an answer or decision support, not so the page “explains its SEO role.”
2. **No strategy narration in body copy:** Search intent, cannibalization, PAA coverage, and “why this URL exists” belong in `SERP_ANALYSIS.md`, `CONTENT_OUTLINE.md`, and `KEYWORD_DECISION.md` — not in published `<p>` intros. **Likewise forbidden:** framing for “search” or “results pages” (e.g. *In Suchergebnissen tauchen …*, *Suchbegriffe aus dem Privatkontext*), or structural meta like *unten ordnen wir …*. Explain disambiguation in **reader terms** (Bankprodukt vs. HR-Saldo, Missverständnisse im Team), not SEO mechanics.
3. **Open with situation + outcome:** Scenario, role, or question the reader has; avoid “Warum ein eigener Artikel…?” as a rhetorical frame.
4. **Links in context:** Place internal links where the topic is discussed; use natural anchor text (topic term or short phrase). Avoid editorial “wir verlinken …” / “verweisen wir gezielt.”
5. **Differentiate siblings in plain language:** e.g. “Den Überblick liefert …; hier geht es um …” — not “Suchintention” or “Suchanfragen bedienen.”
6. **Trust and clarity:** Substantive first paragraphs beat meta framing; keep keyword and 1:1 lexikon links in the first ~100 words where cluster rules require it, without sounding like a checklist.

## Related project docs

- [INTERNAL_LINKING_WORKFLOW_2026.md](INTERNAL_LINKING_WORKFLOW_2026.md)
- [CONTENT_DEPTH_GUIDELINES.md](CONTENT_DEPTH_GUIDELINES.md)
- `v2/scripts/blog/audit-meta-intro-language.py` — automated flag list for review (wrapper: `scripts/blog/audit-meta-intro-language.py`; `make audit-blog-meta-intros`). **Pre-apply / pre-publish:** `python3 v2/scripts/blog/audit-meta-intro-language.py --json-posts --path-contains lexikon/SLUG --fail-on high` must exit 0 for the touched post.

## QA (after substantive intro/body edits)

- **Local:** Spot-check readability and links on `http://localhost:8003` for touched `/insights/lexikon/…` URLs (preview server not started by automation).
- **After deploy:** Run [Google Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results) on published URLs for Article + FAQ where applicable; confirm no regressions in rendered body.

## Backup reference (batch rewrites)

Pre-edit copies for the 2026-03-21 meta-intro pass: `docs/backups/blog-meta-intro-cleanup-2026-03-21/` (`*.content.html.bak`, `*.json.bak` per slug).