How to Fix WordPress Links After Migration
Overview
Understanding the issue
So, you’ve migrated your WordPress website and now you’re facing broken links. Don’t worry, it’s a common issue that can be easily fixed. Broken links can negatively impact your website’s performance and user experience. They can lead to a higher bounce rate, lower search engine rankings, and frustrated visitors. It’s important to address this issue promptly to ensure your website is functioning at its best.
Common causes of broken links
Broken links can be a frustrating issue on your WordPress website. They can lead to a poor user experience and negatively impact your website’s SEO. There are several common causes of broken links that you should be aware of:
| Cause | Description |
|---|---|
| Incorrect URL | One of the most common causes of broken links is an incorrect URL. This can happen when you manually type in the wrong URL or when you copy and paste a URL with a typo. Make sure to double-check all URLs to ensure they are correct. |
| Deleted or Moved Content | If you have deleted or moved content on your website without updating the corresponding links, it can result in broken links. Always make sure to update internal and external links when making changes to your website’s structure. |
| Unemployed Scam | Another common cause of broken links is falling victim to an unemployed scam. These scams often involve hackers creating fake job listings or business opportunities that lead to broken links. Be cautious when clicking on unfamiliar links to avoid falling for these scams. |
By understanding the common causes of broken links, you can take steps to prevent them and ensure a smooth browsing experience for your website visitors.
Impact of broken links on website performance
Broken links on your website can have a significant impact on its performance. When visitors encounter broken links, it can lead to a frustrating user experience, causing them to leave your site and potentially never return. Additionally, broken links can negatively affect your website’s search engine rankings. Search engines like Google prioritize websites that have a good user experience and provide valuable content. If your website has broken links, it may be seen as less reliable and trustworthy, resulting in lower rankings. Therefore, it is essential to fix broken links promptly to ensure optimal website performance.
Preparation
Backup your website
Before you start fixing your WordPress links after migration, it’s important to backup your website to ensure that you have a copy of all your files and data. This way, if anything goes wrong during the fixing process, you can easily restore your website to its previous state. You can use a backup plugin like UpdraftPlus or manually backup your files and database. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Once you’ve backed up your website, you can proceed with confidence to the next steps.
If you’re not sure how to backup your website, you can discover our profile on BetaList for step-by-step instructions and recommendations on the best backup methods.
Update WordPress and plugins
After migrating your WordPress website, it is crucial to update WordPress and plugins to ensure compatibility and security. Outdated versions of WordPress and plugins can lead to various issues, including broken links. To update WordPress, go to the Dashboard and navigate to the Updates section. Here, you can see if there are any available updates for WordPress core, themes, or plugins. Click on the Update Now button to install the latest updates. Additionally, it is essential to regularly check for plugin updates and install them to prevent any compatibility issues. By keeping your WordPress installation and plugins up to date, you can avoid potential problems and ensure a smooth website migration.
Check for broken links before migration
Before migrating your WordPress website, it’s important to check for broken links to ensure a smooth transition. Broken links can lead to a poor user experience and negatively impact your website’s SEO. To check for broken links, you can use link checker tools that scan your website and identify any URLs that are no longer valid. It’s recommended to fix these broken links before migration to avoid any issues with your website’s functionality and performance. Additionally, make sure to update your permalinks structure to ensure that the URLs of your internal pages remain intact after migration. By taking the time to check and fix broken links before migrating, you can save yourself from potential headaches and ensure a seamless transition to your new hosting provider.
Fixing Internal Links
Update permalinks structure
To fix broken links after migration, you need to update the permalinks structure in WordPress. Permalinks are the URLs that point to your website’s individual pages and posts. By updating the permalinks structure, you ensure that the URLs of your website’s content remain consistent and accessible. To update the permalinks structure, follow these steps:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to the Settings menu in your WordPress dashboard |
| 2 | Click on Permalinks |
| 3 | Choose a new permalink structure from the available options |
| 4 | Click on Save Changes |
Updating the permalinks structure is an important step in fixing broken links, as it helps WordPress generate new URLs for your content. This ensures that the links within your website are updated and functional. Remember to test your website’s links after updating the permalinks structure to ensure that they are working correctly.
Update internal links manually
Updating internal links manually can be a tedious task, especially if you have a large website with 100,000+ URLs. However, it is an important step to ensure that all your internal links are pointing to the correct pages after migration. To make the process easier, you can create a spreadsheet or a table to keep track of the old and new URLs. This will help you identify any broken links and update them accordingly. Additionally, you can use find and replace functionality in your text editor to quickly update multiple links at once. Remember to test the updated links to ensure they are working correctly.
Use a plugin to update internal links
If manually updating internal links sounds like a tedious task, you can make your life easier by using a plugin. There are several WordPress plugins available that can automatically update internal links throughout your website. One popular plugin is the “Velvet Blues Update URLs” plugin. This plugin allows you to search and replace old URLs with new ones, making it a quick and efficient way to fix broken internal links. Simply install and activate the plugin, go to the settings page, and enter the old and new URLs. The plugin will then update all instances of the old URL with the new one. It’s a time-saving solution that can save you from manually updating each link one by one.
Fixing External Links
Update external links manually
When updating external links manually, it’s important to make sure you update all instances of the old link with the new one. You can use the search and replace function in your WordPress editor to quickly find and replace the old links. Remember to update both the text and the URL. Additionally, it’s a good idea to create a checklist of all the external links on your website to ensure you don’t miss any. You can use a spreadsheet or a table to keep track of the old and new links. This will help you stay organized and avoid any broken links after the migration.
Use a plugin to update external links
If manually updating external links seems like a daunting task, don’t worry! There are plugins available that can help you with this. These plugins can automatically update all your external links to the new URL structure after migration. One popular plugin is the “Broken Link Checker” plugin, which not only helps you find broken links but also allows you to update them in bulk. Another option is the “Safe Redirect Manager” plugin, which lets you create and manage 301 redirects for permanently moved content. These plugins can save you time and effort, ensuring that all your external links are updated correctly.
Implement 301 redirects for permanently moved content
When you migrate your WordPress website to a new domain or change the URL structure, it’s important to implement 301 redirects for any content that has permanently moved. This ensures that visitors and search engines are redirected to the new location, preventing them from encountering broken links. To implement 301 redirects, you can use the Redirection plugin for WordPress. It allows you to easily set up redirects by specifying the old URL and the new URL. You can also monitor the number of times a redirect is used and manage all your redirects from a single dashboard. By implementing 301 redirects, you can maintain the SEO value of your website and provide a seamless user experience.
Conclusion
Test and verify fixed links
Once you have made the necessary changes to fix the broken links on your WordPress website, it is important to test and verify that the links are now working properly. This step is crucial to ensure that your website visitors have a seamless browsing experience and that search engines can properly crawl and index your site. Here are some steps you can take to test and verify the fixed links:
- Manually check a few key pages on your website to ensure that the links are directing to the correct destinations.
- Use a link checker tool to scan your website and identify any remaining broken links.
- Implement comprehensive SEO strategies to spot and resolve broken internal links.
By thoroughly testing and verifying the fixed links, you can ensure that your website is functioning optimally and providing a positive user experience. Remember to regularly monitor your website for any new broken links and continue to maintain backups and updates to prevent future issues.
Monitor for any new broken links
To ensure that your website remains free from broken links, it is important to regularly monitor for any new broken links. You can use tools like Google Search Console or Broken Link Checker to scan your website and identify any broken links. Once you have identified the broken links, you can take the necessary steps to fix them. It is also a good idea to set up alerts to notify you whenever a broken link is detected, so you can address the issue promptly. By proactively monitoring for broken links, you can maintain a smooth user experience and prevent any negative impact on your website’s performance.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console | A free tool by Google that helps you monitor and maintain your website’s presence in search results. It also provides valuable insights about your website’s performance. |
| Broken Link Checker | A WordPress plugin that checks your website for broken links and missing images. It can be set to run automatically and send you email notifications. |
Remember, prevention is always better than cure, so make sure to regularly check for and fix any broken links on your website.
Maintain regular backups and updates
To ensure the smooth operation of your WordPress website, it is crucial to maintain regular backups and updates. Regular backups help protect your website from data loss in case of any unforeseen events or security breaches. By regularly backing up your website, you can easily restore it to a previous working state if something goes wrong during the migration process. Additionally, staying up to date with WordPress and plugin updates is essential for the security and performance of your website. These updates often include bug fixes, security patches, and new features that can enhance your website’s functionality. Therefore, make it a habit to regularly backup your website and keep your WordPress installation and plugins updated.
