How to Check Broken Links in WordPress?

Have you ever clicked on a link in a blog or website only to land on a page that leads to nowhere?

Or perhaps you just can’t make the page display its contents no matter what you try?

That’s a broken link. It can be pretty frustrating, right?

Imagine how your visitors feel when they encounter the same on your WordPress site. It looks bad and hurts your site’s reputation and search engine ranking.

This makes it super important to check broken links in WordPress and fix them. But don’t worry, you won’t have to scour through your entire site manually for them.

Let’s dive into the methods to locate and repair those pesky broken links. Whether you prefer using plugins or online tools, you’ll soon have things back on track.

TL;DR: Broken links lead your visitors to nowhere, hurting your site’s credibility and SEO. You can fix them using WordPress plugins or online tools. It is also wise to regularly back up your WordPress site to recover it in case your links have gone awry.

What are broken links in WordPress?

Broken links are links on your WordPress website that lead to pages that don’t exist anymore. They’re like paths to nowhere. These links might appear if a page was moved or deleted, or if you made changes to a URL and forgot to update it elsewhere.

Broken links are some of the most common WordPress redirect errors. Luckily, WordPress offers ways to find and fix broken links, even if you’re not a tech wizard. You can choose between special plugins that scan your site for issues or online tools that give you a fresh perspective from outside your site. These tools and plugins help keep your links working and your visitors happy.

1. Use a plugin to check broken links in WordPress and fix them

WordPress plugins make finding and fixing broken links easy. While some plugins are dedicated to this task, others include it among many features.

Now, these plugins are convenient to use. They find and fix issues quickly compared to manual checks. But remember, they use up a lot of your site’s resources and may not always catch everything. Nevertheless, let’s explore how to check for broken links using two popular plugins.

Broken Link Checker

Broken Link Checker is a popular tool for finding and fixing broken links. Here’s how to get started:

1. Install the plugin: On your WordPress dashboard, click on Plugins and then Add New. Search for Broken Link Checker and click Install Now. After installation, click Activate.

2. Find broken links: The plugin automatically scans your site for broken links. This can take some time. You can see the progress by going to Link Checker and then Local [old].

3. Fix broken links: Once the scan is done, you’ll see a list of broken links. Click on each one to edit, remove, or mark it as not broken. You can fix them directly from the plugin page, which saves time.

RankMath SEO

RankMath SEO offers a wide range of tools, including broken link checking. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Install the plugin: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins and click Add New. Search for RankMath SEO. Click Install Now and then Activate.

2. Set up for broken links: After activation, RankMath will guide you through a setup wizard. Follow these steps.

In the Advanced Mode, enable the 404 Monitor module for link checking.

3. Find and fix links: Use the RankMath SEO menu to access the broken links section. Here, you will see a report of broken links. You can fix or remove them from this section.

2. Use an online tool to check broken links in WordPress and fix them

Using an online tool to check for broken links in your WordPress site offers many advantages. These tools provide an external view of your website, giving you insights from outside. This means they don’t drain your site’s resources while running. Additionally, they tend to be more accurate than plugins and can be quite convenient. Let’s explore how to use some popular online tools:

Semrush

Semrush is a powerful tool for checking broken links. Here’s how to use it:

1. Set up your site: Create a Semrush account if you don’t have one. Then, add your website by going to Projects, entering your website details, and clicking Start now.

2. Find broken links: Use the Site Audit feature. Enter your site name and click Start Audit.

This will take you to a customization screen for your audit. Just click Start Audit Now and it will scan your site for broken links and show you a detailed report.

3. Fix broken links: Go through the report and identify the broken links.

Semrush provides information on the source and destination of each link. Click on the number count of issues to view them. 

You can then fix them on your WordPress site by editing or removing the links.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs gives you a comprehensive look at your site’s link health. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Prove ownership: Sign up for an Ahrefs account. To add your site, you will need to verify that you own it. This can be done through your DNS settings, HTML file, or other methods Ahrefs support.

2. Find broken links: Use the Site Explorer feature to analyze your site. Ahrefs will show you all broken outgoing and internal links.

3. Fix broken links: Check out the broken link report. For each link, decide if you need to update, replace, or remove it in WordPress.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free tool from Google that helps track your site’s presence. Here’s how to use it:

1. Set up your site: If you haven’t already done so, sign up for Google Search Console. Add your site and verify ownership using methods like DNS or HTML file.

2. Find broken links: Navigate to the Links sections. These will show if any pages have errors or broken links.

3. Fix broken links: Review the information provided and fix them on your WordPress site by updating or removing the problematic links.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics, although known for traffic stats, can help with broken links indirectly:

1. Set up your site: Ensure Google Analytics is configured on your site. Go to the Admin area and set up a property in Property details if not done yet.

2. Find broken links: Go to the Reports section and then the Engagement section. Click on the Pages and screens option. Scroll down to see the page lists.

Click the + next to the Page path and screen name dropdown and search for Landing page + query string. Select the option provided.

Search for Not found using the search box above the lists. This pulls up pages that displayed a ‘Not found’ message when people tried to access them. In other words, these were broken links.

3. Fix broken links: Once identified, return to WordPress and correct the links by editing or removing them.

What causes broken links in WordPress?

Understanding what causes broken links in WordPress can help you prevent them. Here are several common reasons that lead to this issue.

URL is misspelled or incorrect: One of the simplest reasons for a broken link is a typo. If the link is misspelled, the browser can’t find the page.

Page’s URL or slug has changed: Sometimes, you might change a page’s URL or slug, maybe to improve SEO or readability. If you don’t update the links pointing to this page, they become broken.

Deleted or missing page: When you delete a page, any links to it become broken. This also happens if the page is moved without updating the links.

Expired or deleted domain: If a URL points to a domain that no longer exists or has expired, the link breaks.

Unavailable domain: Sometimes, the domain might be down temporarily. During this time, any links directing to it will not work.

HTTP to HTTPS migration without redirects: Moving your site from HTTP to HTTPS is one of the first steps towards securing your site. But doing so without setting up proper redirects can cause broken links. Old links might still direct traffic to the non-secure version.

Plugin conflicts: Plugins can sometimes conflict with each other, affecting how links work. A plugin might rewrite URLs incorrectly, leading to broken links. You will need to find the culprit plugin and deactivate it to fix this issue.

Why should you fix broken links in WordPress?

Fixing broken links in WordPress is vital for both your site’s SEO and user experience. Ignoring them can have negative effects that hurt your website’s success. Let’s look at why you should address broken links promptly.

SEO impact: Broken links can harm your SEO efforts. Google sees them as a sign of poor site maintenance. This can lead to lower search rankings as search engines prefer well-maintained sites. A drop in rankings means less visibility and fewer visitors finding your site.

User experience: Users visiting links that result in error pages get frustrated. They expect to reach useful content. Instead, they are met with a dead end. Frustrated users are likely to leave your site, increasing bounce rates. High bounce rates signal dissatisfaction and can further impact your SEO. Moreover, users might question the quality and upkeep of your site, and lose trust in your site in the process.

Reduced traffic and sales: When users encounter broken links, they may avoid returning to your site. This can lead to reduced website traffic. For businesses, fewer visitors can mean fewer sales and conversions. Ensuring all links work keeps users engaged, which is crucial for building trust and securing potential sales.

How to avoid broken links in WordPress?

Avoiding broken links in WordPress involves good practices and regular maintenance. By being proactive, you can keep your site running smoothly and enhance user experience. Here are some tips to help you avoid creating broken links.

Use absolute URLs: When linking internally or externally, opt for absolute URLs. These contain the full URL path, like https://www.example.com/sample-page/. They continue to work even if pages are moved. This reduces the chances of links breaking when you change site structure.

Link to high-quality resources: Select only high-quality and relevant resources when adding links. Reliable resources are more likely to remain online. Avoid schemes or excessive links meant purely for SEO. This can help keep your links from becoming obsolete.

Check links before publishing: Before you publish new content, verify all inserted URLs. Doing so helps prevent broken links right from the start. Checking links ensures a smooth reader experience from the moment content goes live.

Regularly review links: Set a schedule to check for broken links across your site. For sites with heavy traffic or frequent publishing, do this monthly. If your site is less active, perform checks quarterly. Regular reviews help maintain link health over time.

Update internal links: If you restructure your site or change permalink settings, update your internal links. A tool like Better Search Replace can make this task easier. Staying updated prevents internal links from breaking due to structural changes.

Keep plugins and themes up-to-date: Ensure your WordPress plugins and themes are current. Often, updates include bug fixes and improvements for link handling. Keeping plugins and themes updated can help avoid link issues related to software conflicts.

Regularly back up your website: Create regular backups of your site to establish restore points. This prepares you for accidental link issues or other problems. Having a backup means you can restore your site to its previously functional state if needed.

Final thoughts

Keeping your WordPress site free of broken links keeps your visitors happy and maintains good search rankings. You can easily find and fix these links using plugins or online tools. Checking for broken links should be a regular part of your website maintenance regimen. This keeps your site working well and looking good and helps protect its reputation.

Besides fixing links, you also need to keep your whole site safe. And the first step to do that is to take regular backups of your site. That’s where MalCare helps. MalCare backs up your site data off-site in an encrypted format. This keeps your data safe and doesn’t slow down your site. But MalCare does more than backups. It also includes a malware scanner, a one-click malware removal tool, and vulnerability detection capabilities. With these features, MalCare offers strong protection and keeps your site running smoothly.

FAQs

How to view broken links in WordPress?

To find broken links in WordPress, you can use a plugin like Broken Link Checker. It scans your site for broken links and shows them on your WordPress dashboard. This makes it easy to see and fix any link problems. You can also use online tools like Semrush or Ahrefs. These tools check your site from the outside and give you a report on broken links. This helps you manage them without slowing down your site.

How do I remove bad links in WordPress?

To remove bad links in WordPress, first find the broken or bad links using a plugin like Broken Link Checker or an online tool like Semrush. Once you have a list of bad links, go to your WordPress dashboard and edit the posts or pages where these links are. You can either update the link with a correct one, remove the link entirely, or replace it with a link to a different, relevant resource. Be sure to save your changes once you’ve fixed or removed the bad links. This keeps your site clean and user-friendly.

How to check if a site has broken links?

To check if a site has broken links, you can use online tools like Semrush or Ahrefs. These tools analyze the site from the outside and create a report showing any broken links. You can also use a browser extension or a web service like W3C Link Checker. These options scan the site and list any links that lead to error pages. This helps you spot broken links without needing to check each one manually.