Broken Links

A broken link sends visitors to a "Page not found" error or a site that doesn't respond. It frustrates visitors and makes the whole site look out of date.

Open the report under Real Time Reports > Broken Links. Each row shows the broken address (URL), the page it's on (Title), how many checks in a row have failed (Fail Count), the error (Status) and when it was last checked. Use the Link Type filter to see only links to other websites (External) or only links within your own site (Internal).

How to fix it

1. Copy or note the broken address from the URL column.
2. Select the page in the Title column, then select Edit on that page.
3. Under Content Sections, select Edit on the section that holds the link. Select the linked text, then select the Link button in the toolbar (or press Ctrl+K).
4. Paste the correct address and press Enter. If the page it pointed to no longer exists anywhere, remove the link, or the sentence around it.
5. Select Save at the top of the edit form.

Finding the right address

• For a page on your own site, open it in another tab and copy the address from the browser's address bar.
• For another organization's site, search their site for the same document or page. Organizations often move pages when they redesign.
• Open the new link once to make sure it works before you save.

Good to know

• Links are rechecked every two weeks, so a fixed link can stay on the report until its next check.
• Links can also be in buttons, menu links or link fields, not only in the text editor. If you can't find the link in the text, look through the rest of the edit form.
• Now and then a working link shows as broken, because the other site blocks automatic checks. Open the link yourself. If it works, ask your site administrator to mark it as ignored.