Broken links can be a big problem for user experience as well as SEO, but the tool you use to check for those broken links matters. Recently the Broken Link Checker plugin has been removed because of a security vulnerability and because it is nearing the end of its life. Additionally, using any WordPress plugin to check broken links can slow down your site’s performance. Below are some options recommended by UNC ITS Digital Services to use for checking broken links.
- Check My Links browser extension. This quickly goes through all the links on your webpage and highlights the ones that are broken.
- This article also lists a few tools that can be used to check for broken links on a WordPress site.
While removing the plugin will improve site performance and keep your site protected from vulnerabilities, broken links happen. URLs change, sites are discontinued, posts get archived, content ages, etc… It is up to you as Web Masters to remain vigilant of your site’s fidelity.