If you run a WordPress site, you know that broken links can be a real pain. Not only are they frustrating for your readers, but they can also hurt your SEO.
But it can also feel impossible to keep track of all the links, especially if you have a lot of content. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to manage broken links: use a plugin!
When you install a link management plugin on your WordPress site, it will automatically scan and monitor your content for any broken links. That way, you can fix them quickly and easily, without having to go through your website with a fine-toothed comb.
There are some other ways to fix this issue too, however.
So let’s get started reviewing some of the ways you can locate and fix broken links in WordPress.
1. Broken Link Checker Plugin
This is arguably the best plugin for finding and fixing broken links on WordPress. It can quickly identify any broken links, images, or missing redirects on your website, allowing you to fix them with a single click. Plus, it’s free and easy to use.
2. Link Whisper
Link Whisper is another great plugin for managing broken links in WordPress. It helps you to quickly find and replace broken links, while also suggesting related content that you can link to. This makes it a great tool both for SEO purposes and for improving your readers’ experience.
A single site license for Link Whisper costs $77 per year.
3. Link Checker Professional
The Link Checker Professional Plugin is a great option for managing broken links in WordPress, too. It can scan your entire website and identify any broken links, while also giving you the ability to bulk edit the affected content. Plus, it’s free!
4. Ahrefs Site Audit Tool
Ahrefs Site Audit Tool is another tool you can use to identify broken links on your website. It offers detailed information about the status of each link, allowing you to quickly determine which ones need to be fixed. Plus, it has an intuitive interface that makes managing broken links easier than ever before.
This tool is free to use if you can verify you can own the site for which you’re checking links, which is a pretty nice bonus.
5. Ahrefs Free Broken Link Checker
If you don’t need the full Ahrefs Site Audit Tool, then their free Broken Link Checker is a great option. It can quickly scan your website and identify any broken links, so you can fix them fast.
It’s also completely free to use, making it an affordable way to manage this issue.
6. Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog is another great tool for identifying broken links in WordPress. It can quickly scan your entire website and identify any broken links, while also giving you additional information about the status of each link. It can also identify server errors and you can bulk export all of these errors and broken link URLs into a single file so you can then use it as a guide to fix links on your own or you can send the file to a developer to make the repairs for you.
7. Online Broken Link Checker
The Online Broken Link Checker is a handy tool you can open up in your browser to give your site an impromptu check. Just paste in your website’s URL and the tool will scan it for broken links. It’s fast and free, so it’s a great option for getting a quick overview of your site’s link health.
8. Dead Link Checker
Dead Link Checker is another free online tool that can help you identify and fix broken links on your WordPress website. It can quickly scan an entire website and give you a detailed report of any broken links or server errors, so you can easily make the necessary repairs.
9. Use Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool from Google that can help you identify and fix broken links on your WordPress website. It’s especially useful if you’ve had any recent changes to the site or have been having trouble with indexing, as Google will flag any broken links it finds during its indexing process.
10. All-in-One SEO Pack
All-in-One SEO Pack is a powerful WordPress plugin that can help you manage broken links in WordPress. It scans your entire website and identifies any broken links, while also giving you detailed information about the status of each link. It accomplishes this through the use of its Redirection Manager tool, which sets up redirects for broken links automatically.
11. Fix Broken Links Manually
If you’d rather fix broken links manually, the easiest way to do this is to set up 301 redirects. You can do this by going to the WordPress admin dashboard, then navigating to the Settings section and clicking on the Permalinks tab. Click on the 301 redirects option, then enter your old URL, followed by the new one you want visitors to be taken to. This will ensure that any visitors who click on a broken link are automatically sent to the correct page.
You can also manually fix broken links by editing the links directly on each page or post. If a link is pointing to an old page that no longer exists, you can simply remove the link or edit it so that it points to a valid page instead.
You could also use a plugin such as Redirection, which makes it easy to set up manual redirects for any broken links on your website.
Fixing Broken Links is a Must — And You Can Do It Easily
Using any of these plugins or tools can make fixing broken links on WordPress much easier and faster. So if you’re looking for a way to identify and fix broken links in WordPress, give one of these tools a try! You’ll be glad you did.
It’s important to remember that while these plugins and tools can help you quickly find and repair broken links on your website, they won’t prevent them from happening in the future. To ensure that your website’s link health remains intact, it’s best to regularly monitor your site and make sure any new links are working properly.
Good luck!
