To fix broken internal links, crawl your site to find links returning 404 or other errors, then either update the link to the correct URL, add a 301 redirect from the old URL to a relevant live page, or remove the link. Re-crawl after fixing and re-scan with Plexa Trust.
Broken internal links send visitors and search crawlers to dead pages. They usually appear after renaming URLs, deleting content, or typos. Finding and fixing them is straightforward maintenance with outsized UX and SEO benefit.
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Business impact
Every broken link is a dead end that erodes trust — especially in navigation, checkout paths, or key content. Fixing them is one of the quickest ways to make a site feel professional and keep crawl budget on live pages.
Why this happens
Broken links come from: renamed permalinks without redirects; deleted pages still linked in menus or posts; hard-coded URLs in templates; staging URLs left in content; and typos. A crawler or scan lists URLs returning 4xx. Fix by correcting the href, adding 301 from old to new, or removing obsolete links.
How to confirm the issue
Manually: click through main navigation and popular pages; use a desktop crawler (Screaming Frog free tier) for a full list.
With Plexa Trust: the scan reports "Broken Links Found" with affected URLs; re-scan after fixes.
Step-by-step fix
Run a crawl or Plexa Trust scan to list all broken internal links.
For each broken URL, decide: update link, 301 redirect, or remove link.
Add 301 redirects for any old URL that still has inbound internal or external links.
Update navigation menus, footers, and CTAs.
Search the database/CMS for hard-coded old URLs.
Re-scan to confirm zero broken internal links.
Platform-specific fixes
WordPress
Install Broken Link Checker or use a crawl tool.
Add 301 redirects in Redirection plugin for renamed/deleted posts.
Update menus under Appearance → Menus.
Search posts for old URLs with a search-replace plugin (backup first).
Shopify
Use Online Store → Navigation to fix menu links.
Add URL redirects in Settings → Domains for removed products.
Static / custom sites
Grep the codebase for the broken path strings.
Fix hrefs in HTML/templates and add server redirects for old paths.
How to verify the fix
Add a 301 whenever you change a URL slug.
Re-check after migrations and redesigns.
Schedule quarterly link audits or use monitoring.
Common mistakes
Deleting pages without redirects or updating links.
Fixing only the homepage links and ignoring body content.
Linking to staging or http:// URLs in production content.
Frequently asked questions
Do broken internal links hurt SEO?
They waste crawl budget, harm UX, and signal poor maintenance — all of which can indirectly affect rankings.
Redirect or update the link?
Update the link to the correct URL when you control it; add 301 if the old URL might still be bookmarked or linked externally.
How many broken links are acceptable?
Zero is the goal for internal links on important pages. A few on archived content is less critical.
What about broken external links?
Update or remove them — they hurt credibility even though they affect SEO differently.
How often should I check?
After any migration or bulk content change, and at least quarterly for active sites.
Can broken links affect Core Web Vitals?
Not directly, but failed requests add noise and broken assets can affect LCP if they are critical resources.
What tools find broken links?
Plexa Trust scans, Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, and Search Console coverage reports.
How do I confirm it worked?
Re-scan with Plexa Trust — "Broken Links Found" should clear or drop significantly.
Think you've fixed it?
Run a free scan to verify the issue is resolved. Upgrade to Pro on Plexa Trust for the full audit, monitoring alerts, and score history.
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