The playbook
Broken Links: Practical Guide
Start with one bounded use of broken links: one page or query record, one responsible owner, and a defined next action. Repair links that lead readers to unavailable or incorrect destinations. A narrow first pass makes it easier to see whether the method works before applying it more widely.
Put the task in context
Separate an incorrect link in a shared menu from an obsolete external reference in one article. The menu repair belongs in the common component. The article may need a current replacement source or a rewritten recommendation rather than a redirect you do not control.
Define the result before starting
Write down the intended result in practical terms: repair links that lead readers to unavailable or incorrect destinations. The work should produce a usable page or query record with enough information for the next decision. Use source URL as the starting point and capture broken target, response, repair as the work progresses. Choose a scope small enough that the owner can verify it directly.
A three-step implementation process
1. Collect broken internal and external destinations
Begin with the current state. Gather the information required for this decision and record where it came from. For broken links, source URL and broken target should refer to the same item in scope. When they disagree, resolve the mismatch before building on it.
2. Identify the pages and components that link to them
Turn the first decision into a concrete working change. Replace remove or redirect links based on relevance. Keep the reason beside the change so a reviewer can distinguish an intentional choice from an accidental difference. Check the result using a representative real item.
3. Replace remove or redirect links based on relevance
Verify that someone else can use the output without guessing. Record the next owner and the remaining uncertainty. Compare the finished state with the original task, and retain the evidence needed to revisit the decision when circumstances change.
Avoid the failure that changes the outcome
Redirecting a missing resource to an unrelated sales page. Restore the expected resource or update the surrounding recommendation. Correct the cause before adding more activity. Otherwise the same problem will be repeated across a larger set of pages, records, or campaigns.
Keep a compact working record
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| source URL | The current source URL for the item being worked on; include the source when it could be disputed. |
| broken target | The current broken target for the item being worked on; include the source when it could be disputed. |
| response | The current response for the item being worked on; include the source when it could be disputed. |
| repair | The current repair for the item being worked on; include the source when it could be disputed. |
Review the outcome
Use broken links on priority pages as the outcome to define, then record a baseline and a comparable follow-up observation. Do not assume that finishing the task proves an improvement. Look at whether the intended user or receiving team can now complete the next step with less uncertainty.
Keep page purpose visible throughout the work. A technically valid page can still fail to answer the reader’s question. Separate access and discovery problems from content problems so that the assigned action matches the cause.
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