Broken Link Checker

A broken link checker is a tool that visits a website, follows the links in the HTML and records what happens at each one. A link counts as broken when it leads to a page that no longer exists, a file that moved, an expired domain or a server that will not answer. The best known result is a 404, but 410 errors, server errors and failed redirects belong in the same pile.

Links come in two kinds. Internal broken links sit on your own domain, usually after a redesign, a slug change or a deleted page. External broken links point to other sites, and they rot slowly as the web changes. A good dead link checker reports both, because visitors do not care whose fault a dead end is.

Broken link status codes and what to do

The status code tells you what went wrong and how urgent the fix is. These are the ones you will see most often.

• 404 Not Found. The page is missing. Fix the link, redirect the old address or remove the link.
• 410 Gone. The page was removed on purpose. Remove the link or point it at a close replacement.
• 301 and 302. These redirects work, but a long chain or a loop can still end in an error.
• 403 Forbidden. The server refuses the request. It may be a real block or a firewall that stops automated tools, so check in a browser.
• 429 Too Many Requests. The server asked the tool to slow down. Recheck later before you change anything.
• 500 errors. The server ran into a problem. These are often temporary, so test again before you treat the link as dead.

Soft 404s and other hidden broken links

Some broken links look healthy on paper. A soft 404 is a missing page that returns a 200 code instead of a 404. The page says it cannot be found, but the server claims everything is fine. Google may treat these pages as errors and leave them out of search. Keep an eye out for thin pages that say sorry or show no results, since a scan that only reads status codes can miss them.

Broken links build up quietly, so the best time to scan is before anyone complains. These are the moments that matter most.

• After a redesign or slug change. Old paths vanish, and anything that still points at them breaks. One scan shows the damage.
• Before a campaign goes live. Ad and email landing pages gather links fast, and one wrong address wastes the spend.
• During a monthly audit. External links decay quietly, so a regular scan keeps the list short.
• After you inherit a site. A scan is the quickest way to learn the state of a site you did not build.
• When users complain. A short report shows exactly which click failed and ends the guessing.
• When other sites link to you. Pages with outside links should never return 404, so redirect any that have moved and keep the link value.

Search engines use links to find pages. When a page returns a 404 or 410, Google treats the content as gone and removes the URL from its index over time. Any ranking or link value that page held goes with it. A few dead links will not drag down a whole site. They do cut the paths that lead visitors deeper into it, though. A working menu, footer and set of article links make a site feel looked after, while a dead contact page does the opposite.

The fix is usually small. Update the address, add a permanent redirect where the old page had traffic or remove the link. A custom 404 page helps with the cases you cannot prevent. It should return a true 404 code, share the site navigation and offer a way to report the problem.

The aim is a site where every link keeps its promise. Visitors land where the label says they will, crawlers spend their time on real pages, and a migration does not leave a trail of dead addresses behind it. A monthly scan also keeps the list short. Instead of facing hundreds of failures after a year, you fix a handful at a time and confirm each repair with the same tool.

Traffsite keeps the process simple, so one scan replaces hours of manual clicking. These are the gains you can expect.

• It saves hours of clicking. A crawler can visit thousands of links while you work on something else.
• It finds hidden links. Links buried in old articles and rarely opened pages slip past manual checks and show up in a scan.
• It catches external rot. Partner sites, resources and tools disappear over time, and the report names each one.
• It protects search visibility. Pages stay easier to find when the links that lead to them work.
• It gives developers a clear list. A report with the page, the link and the status code turns a vague complaint into a ticket.
• It keeps visitors on track. People who click a menu item reach a real page, not an apology.

You can check broken links on a website in a few quick steps.

1. Enter the domain or the single page you want to inspect into the Traffsite tool.
2. Start the scan and let the crawler work through the pages it finds.
3. Review the results page by page. Broken links in your navigation and busiest pages deserve attention first.
4. Fix each link. Point it at a live page, redirect the old address or remove it if nothing suitable remains.
5. Run the broken link checker again to confirm the report comes back clean, then set a monthly reminder to scan again.

Anyone who looks after a website can get value from this tool.

• Site owners who want a tidy site without learning how crawlers work.
• SEO specialists who need a clean link profile before and after a migration.
• Developers who would rather fix links from a list than from a support thread.
• Content editors who add links every day and want a safety net.
• Agencies that look after several sites and owe each client a regular health check.

You do not need a technical background to act on the results. Traffsite shows the page, the link and the status, and the rest is a small editing decision.