How to Use Broken Link Checker (2026): The No-Nonsense Guide to Fixing Your Site

Nothing kills a conversion faster than a "Page Not Found" screen. Honestly, it's the digital equivalent of walking into a store and finding the "Back in 5 Minutes" sign when it's actually 3:47 PM on a Tuesday. You just leave.

I learned this the hard way about three years ago. I was working with a client—let's call her Sarah—who ran a high-end boutique e-commerce site. Her traffic was soaring, but her sales were flatlining. We couldn't figure it out until I ran a broken link checker on her entire site. Turns out, her main "Add to Cart" button on the mobile version was pointing to a dead URL because of a typo in a site-wide update. She'd been losing roughly $1,450 a week for a month. Ouch.

The reality is that "link rot" is real. Pages move, products get deleted, and external sites you've linked to go belly-up. If you aren't regularly scanning for these, you're basically leaving holes in your net. So, let's talk about how to use a 404 broken link checker to stop the bleed.

What exactly is a broken link checker?

Basically, it's a bot that crawls your site just like Google does. It clicks every single link it finds and waits to see what happens. If the link returns a "200 OK" status, the bot moves on. If it hits a "404 Not Found" or a "500 Server Error," it flags it.

But here's the thing: not all tools are built the same. Some only check the page you're currently on. That's fine if you have a one-page portfolio, but for anyone else? It's useless. You need something that can scan the whole domain. That's why I usually recommend the broken link checker at SimpliConvert. It doesn't just look at one URL; it digs into the whole structure.

Why use this specific broken link checker tool?

You've probably seen the big names like Ahrefs or Semrush. They're great, don't get me wrong. But they're also expensive—like $99/month expensive. If you're a small business owner or a freelance webmaster, you might not want to pay for a full SEO suite just to find a few dead links.

The SimpliConvert tool is different because it’s free and it doesn't gate the report behind a massive login wall. You put your URL in, and you get results. Plus, it handles internal and external links. Ever link to a great article only to have that site shut down six months later? This tool catches that.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Your Site

Ready to clean things up? It's actually pretty satisfying once you get going. Here is the workflow I use for every audit.

Step 1: Run the Scan

Head over to the broken link checker and pop in your homepage URL. Make sure you use the full https:// address. If your site has a lot of images, you might want to check the box for "Check Images" too.

Step 2: Export the Mess

Once the scan finishes, don't just stare at the screen. Export that report. Having a CSV or a PDF lets you check things off as you go. It’s a great feeling to delete rows as you fix them. (Side note: If you're also dealing with messy text layouts, our text summary tool can help clean up your content descriptions later).

Step 3: Prioritize the "Money Pages"

Not all 404s are equal. A broken link in a blog post from 2014 isn't as urgent as a broken link on your pricing page. Look for the "Source Page" in the report. If the source is your homepage or a landing page, fix that first.

Best Practices for 2026

Look, the web is getting more complex. We're using more dynamic content, more JavaScript, and more external integrations. Here's how to stay ahead of the curve:

• Schedule Monthly Audits: Set a calendar reminder. I do mine the first Monday of every month. It takes ten minutes but saves hours of headaches.
• Don't Forget the Footer: People often change their social media handles or delete "Privacy Policy" pages without updating the site-wide footer. This tool will catch those instantly.
• Check Image Alt Tags: While you're at it, if a link to an image is broken, your SEO takes a hit. Use our image mirror tool if you need to quickly flip or adjust assets for a new layout.
• Watch Your Social Links: If you updated your LinkedIn but the icon on your site still goes to your old profile, you're losing networking opportunities. (By the way, check our LinkedIn banner size checker to make sure your profile looks sharp).

Dealing with "False Positives"

Every now and then, a 404 broken link checker might flag a link that actually works when you click it. This usually happens because the destination server thinks the checker bot is a "bad actor" and blocks the request. Don't panic. Just click it yourself to verify. If it works for you, you can ignore the flag.

And hey, if you're cleaning up your site's visuals too, don't forget to use a profile picture cropper for your team page. Consistent, working visuals are just as important as working links.

Anyway, I've rambled enough. The point is: don't let 404 errors sit there and rot. It's bad for SEO, it's bad for your brand, and quite frankly, it's just annoying for your visitors. Spend five minutes today running a scan. Your future self (and your bank account) will thank you.