Broken links
Broken links create a poor user experience and can damage the credibility of your website. Use this guide to identify and fix the most common types of broken links.
What are broken links?
Broken links are links that no longer work when clicked. Instead of taking users to the intended content, they lead to error pages, missing files or websites that cannot be reached.
Broken links can occur on webpages, as well as within documents you have linked to from your webpages.
Why are broken links a problem?
Broken links prevent users from accessing information and can be frustrating to navigate. They can also:
- Reduce trust in your website
- Negatively affect search engine performance
- Create accessibility barriers for users who rely on assistive technologies, such as screen readers
What causes broken links?
Links can stop working for a number of reasons. The destination page may have been:
- Deleted
- Moved to a new URL
- Renamed
- Taken offline
How to fix common broken link issues?
Expired event registration links
The issue: An event has ended and the registration page is no longer available.
The fix: Remove the registration link. Users no longer need access to the registration page once the event has passed.
External broken links
The issue: A third-party website has removed or moved the content you linked to.
The fix: Remove the link or replace it with an up-to-date and relevant source.
Internal broken links
The issue: A link to another page on the Queen Mary website no longer works.
The fix: Update the link to point to the correct page or replace it with an appropriate alternative.
Broken links inside PDFs
The issue: A PDF contains links that no longer work.
The fix: If the document is outdated, archive or remove it. If it is still required, update the original file, check all links and upload the revised version.