
Why It’s Important To Check That All The Links On Your Website Work
Broken links on your website might seem like a minor issue, but they can have a significant impact on your business. Not only can they frustrate potential customers, but they can also harm your website’s credibility and SEO rankings.
Why Checking Links Matters
Improves User Experience: When a visitor clicks on a link, they expect it to work. You know how frustrating it is when a link doesn't work. Your clients feel the same way and might even leave your site and look elsewhere.
Boosts SEO: Search engines like Google penalize websites with broken links. Regularly fixing these issues helps maintain and even improve your rankings.
Enhances Credibility: A website with functional links demonstrates professionalism. Broken links, on the other hand, can make your business appear careless or outdated.
Supports Conversions: Whether it’s a product link, contact form, or resource, ensuring links work smoothly can directly impact your ability to convert visitors into customers.
Website Link Checklist
To keep your website in top condition, use this checklist to ensure all your links work:
Links In The Header
Links in the main menu. This is especially important as it's the main way users navigate your site.
Your logo should link to the homepage.
Contact button.
Internal Links
Links between pages on your website.
Links within blog posts or articles that point to related content.
External Links
Links to external websites, such accreditation organisations.
Links to your social media profiles.
Call-to-Action (CTA) Links
Links on buttons for “Contact Us,” “Buy Now,” “Learn More,” etc.
Links directing users to download resources or subscribe to newsletters.
E-commerce Links (if applicable)
Product page links.
Links to shopping cart and checkout pages.
Payment gateway links.
Contact Links
Email links (e.g., mailto: links).
Phone number should contain a link so that mobile users just need to tap and it dials automatically.
Contact form submissions.
Footer Links
Links to terms and conditions, privacy policies, and disclaimers.
Links to sitemap or help pages.
How to Check Your Links
Manual Testing: Go through your website page by page and click each link to ensure it works.
Use Online Tools: There are free and paid tools available that can scan your site for broken links (e.g., Dead Link Checker or Screaming Frog).
Schedule Regular Audits: Set a repeating reminder in your calendar to check for broken links on a regular basis.
Respect Your Website Visitors. Make Sure All Your Links Work.
Broken links are more than just a minor inconvenience. They can damage your SEO, reputation and bottom line. By regularly checking your website links and you’ll create a better customer journey and look more professional.
If you know your website has issues and you’re unsure what to do, I offer a website audit service tailored to small business owners. Get in touch!