CyberLens documentation

Broken Links

Practical guide to when broken internal links really matter, how CyberLens checks them today, and how to fix them without overcomplicating the work.

Italian version
Severity
Moderate
Estimated fix time
5-10 min
Technical level
Beginner / Intermediate
Applies to
WordPressStatic SitesCMS / E-commerceSite Migrations

What it is

A broken link points to a page or resource that no longer exists, cannot be reached, or responds with an HTTP error. There are two broad categories:

  • Broken internal links: links between pages on the same domain. These are under the site's direct control and usually deserve higher priority.
  • Broken external links: links pointing to another domain that has moved, changed URL, or disappeared. They are not under the site's direct control, but cleaning them up is still useful for visitors.

The broader topic also includes broken images or assets, redirect chains, and server-side errors. The current CyberLens check, however, focuses only on a sample of internal links on the scanned page.

Technical note: Google stops following a redirect chain after about five hops, which is one reason redirect cleanup still matters during migrations.

Why it matters

  • User experience: a broken link interrupts navigation and can push visitors into dead ends.
  • Crawl efficiency: crawlers spend time on URLs that lead nowhere instead of useful content.
  • Maintenance signal: several broken links in the same area of a site often point to a structural issue, not just isolated mistakes.

Info: a single 404 is not automatically a serious SEO problem. It becomes more important when it affects navigation links, primary calls to action, or a repeated pattern that suggests a template or migration issue.

Warning: during site migrations, URL changes are a common source of broken links. Use 301 redirects only when a real equivalent page exists, avoid blanket redirects to the homepage, and prefer a helpful 404 page when no equivalent destination exists.

How CyberLens checks it

CyberLens analyzes a sample of internal links from the page and checks:

  • how many internal links were included in the sample;
  • how many broken internal links were found;
  • the affected URL and the observed HTTP status;
  • any skipped links encountered during the analysis.

Technical note: the current check is page-level and sample-based. It is not a full-site crawl, and it does not systematically check external links, images, CSS or JS assets, or redirect chains.

Future enhancements: broader checks for external links, broken assets, redirect chains, and deeper crawl coverage may be added later.

Possible findings

Each finding stands on its own, so readers can go directly to the one shown in the report.

Broken internal link

Severity: High

One or more internal links do not lead to a valid destination on the same domain. That can block user journeys and interrupt crawl paths.

Internal link unreachable / HTTP error

Severity: High

An internal link returns an HTTP error such as 404, 410, 403, 5xx, or a timeout. CyberLens shows the affected URL and the observed status.

No broken links detected in the sample

Severity: Low / Informational

No broken internal links were found in the sampled links. That does not guarantee that every internal link on the page or across the site is healthy; it only reflects the current sample.

Future enhancements: more granular findings for external links, broken assets, redirect chains, and broader site coverage may appear in future versions.

Tip: if several broken internal links are reported, check shared page elements first, such as navigation menus, sidebars, or footers. That is often where repeated mistakes originate.

  1. Broken internal link or HTTP error: correct it first, especially when it affects menus, calls to action, or key landing pages.
  2. No broken links in the sample: no urgent change is needed, but it is still worth rechecking after major updates.
  3. Future advanced checks: external-link, asset, or redirect-chain review should be treated as separate later improvements, not assumptions about the current result.

How to fix it

WordPress

Avoid leaving continuous link-scanning tools active in production unless they are truly needed. They can add unnecessary load on shared hosting. For redirects, prefer simple, controlled rules either in the CMS or at server level.

Static site

Add an automatic link check to the build or CI pipeline so broken internal links can be caught before deployment.

Note: the exact tool depends on the stack. The important part is the workflow: block publication when key internal links no longer resolve correctly.

CMS / E-commerce

When a product or category is removed or moved, make sure the related internal links are updated and that redirects are only used where a real replacement destination exists.

Site migration

Before launching a new CMS, hosting setup, or URL structure, map old URLs to their closest valid replacement. Use 301 redirects only where a relevant equivalent exists. If not, a helpful 404 is usually better than a misleading redirect to the homepage.

External links

External links are outside the current CyberLens check scope. If a referenced third-party source disappears or changes address, update the destination manually or replace it with a live alternative.

How this appears in CyberLens

In the scan report, the Broken Links finding appears with:

  • the number of internal links checked in the sample;
  • the number of broken internal links found;
  • the affected URL and observed HTTP status;
  • the source page where the issue was detected;
  • the number of skipped links during analysis;
  • a Technical details block containing page_url, checked_links, broken_links, discovered_urls, and skipped_links.

The report may use the label “broken internal links”, meaning broken internal links found in the sampled set.