Broken links can hurt your SEO, confuse visitors, and make your site look outdated. The good news? You can usually fix them with a simple redirect. This article covers two easy ways to do that:
- Using
.htaccess on your server (for more advanced users)
- Using a WordPress plugin (easier for most site owners)
Why Broken Links Happen
Links break for a lot of reasons:
- You renamed or deleted a page.
- You changed your site’s structure or moved to a new CMS.
- You’re getting traffic from backlinks that point to old URLs.
Regardless of the cause, you’ll want to redirect old URLs to new, working pages to keep visitors happy and maintain your search engine rankings.
Option 1: Fixing Broken Links Using .htaccess (Apache Servers Only)
If your website is hosted on an Apache server, you can use the .htaccess file to set up redirects. This file is located in the root directory of your website.
Step 1: Access Your .htaccess File
- Use FTP (or SFTP) or your hosting control panel’s File Manager.
- Look for a file named
.htaccess in your root folder (e.g., /public_html/).
- Make a backup of this file before making any changes.
⚠️ Important: Be careful editing this file—one wrong character can take your whole site down.
Step 2: Add Redirect Rules
To redirect a broken URL to a working one, add a line like this:
Redirect 301 /old-page.html https://www.yoursite.com/new-page/
Explanation:
Redirect 301 tells browsers and search engines this is a permanent redirect./old-page.html is the broken or outdated URL (relative path).- The full URL is where you want users to go instead.
- There's a space or a tab between the two.
You can add as many lines as you need—one for each broken link.
Step 3: Save and Test
- Save the file and upload it.
- Visit the old URL to make sure it redirects properly.
- Test your home page and other pages to make sure doing this didn't cause issues.
Option 2: Fixing Broken Links in WordPress with a Plugin
If you’re running WordPress, there’s an easier way to manage redirects—using a plugin. One of the most popular (and trusted) options is Redirection.
Step 1: Install the Plugin
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for Redirection by John Godley.
- Click Install Now, then Activate.
Step 2: Set Up Your First Redirect
- Go to Tools > Redirection.
- If it’s your first time, go through the setup wizard.
- Click Add New.
Enter the following:
- Source URL: The broken URL path (e.g.,
/old-page)
- Target URL: The working URL you want it to go to (e.g.,
/new-page or a full URL)
Click Add Redirect and you’re done.
Bonus: Automatic 404 Monitoring
The Redirection plugin can also track 404 (not found) errors. This helps you catch broken links as they happen:
- Go to the 404s tab to see a list of broken URLs.
- You can add redirects right from that screen.
Tips for Managing Redirects
- Avoid redirect chains (e.g., A → B → C). Always redirect directly to the final destination.
- Use 301 redirects for permanent changes. Use 302 only for temporary situations.
- Don’t redirect to the homepage unless there’s truly no relevant page. It’s better to create a custom 404 page or redirect to something close in topic.
Need Help?
If you're not comfortable editing .htaccess or want someone to look over your redirects, contact the Webstix team and we’ll help you take care of it.
