How to monitor and fix broken short links?

What is a Short Broken Link?

A short broken link is a URL that no longer directs visitors to its intended destination.

Typically, these links return a 404 error, indicating that the page cannot be found.


Why You Need to Monitor and Check Your Short Links

Monitoring your short links helps to:

  • Maintain User Experience: Avoid frustrating visitors with dead ends.

  • Improve SEO: Search engines favor working links over broken ones.

  • Track Performance: Identify which links need updating or removal to maximize click-through rates.


How Do I Check if I Have Broken Short Links?

Follow these steps to perform a broken link check in your Linko account:

Note: Broken link management is available on Business and Agency Plans.

  1. Login to your Linko account.

  2. Navigate to the left sidebar and scroll down.

  3. Hover over the “Link” icon.

  4. Select “Broken Links” from the list.

  5. Click the “Manually Check Links” button.

  6. Wait for the system to scan and list any broken links.

This process quickly identifies which short links are failing so you can take action.


How Do I Fix If I See a Broken Short Link?

Before making any changes, check the Status of your link on the dashboard:

  • 404 Status: Indicates the link is broken.

  • Other HTTP Codes: May signal a different issue (e.g., redirection or server error). (Mostly they are non-critical)

If a link shows a 404 status, you have two options:


Common HTTP Status Codes

Below is a list of popular HTTP status codes grouped by their response class, each with a one‐line explanation of what it means and whether it’s considered critical.


1xx: Informational

  • 100 Continue – The server has received the initial part of the request and the client should continue sending the rest; generally not critical.

  • 101 Switching Protocols – The server is switching to the protocol the client requested; non-critical and rarely seen in everyday use.

Non-critical - ignore it.


2xx: Success

  • 200 OK – The request succeeded and the server returned the requested data; standard and not critical.

  • 201 Created – The request has been fulfilled and resulted in a new resource being created; a positive outcome and non-critical.

  • 202 Accepted – The request has been accepted for processing but is not completed yet; generally informational and not immediately critical.

  • 204 No Content – The server processed the request successfully but returned no content; normal for some operations and not critical.

Non-critical - ignore it.


3xx: Redirection

  • 301 Moved Permanently – The resource has been permanently moved to a new URL; important for SEO and caching but not a server error.

  • 302 Found – The resource is temporarily located at a different URL; common for temporary redirects and not critical.

  • 303 See Other – Directs the client to retrieve the resource via a GET request at another URL; non-critical and used for redirection after a POST.

  • 304 Not Modified – Indicates that the resource has not changed since the last request, allowing cached versions to be used; not critical.

  • 307 Temporary Redirect – Similar to 302, this code tells the client to repeat the request at a different URL while preserving the request method; non-critical.

  • 308 Permanent Redirect – Like 301, but keeps the original HTTP method; important for maintaining request consistency, yet non-critical.

Non-critical - ignore it.


4xx: Client Error

  • 400 Bad Request – The request is malformed or contains invalid parameters; critical if persistent as it blocks proper communication.

  • 401 Unauthorized – Authentication is required and either missing or incorrect; critical for access control.

  • 403 Forbidden – The server understands the request but refuses to authorize it; critical when access is denied.

  • 404 Not Found – The requested resource could not be found on the server; common and usually non-critical but can affect user experience.

  • 405 Method Not Allowed – The HTTP method used is not supported by the resource; indicates a misconfigured request and is moderately critical.

  • 408 Request Timeout – The server timed out waiting for the request; can be critical if it happens frequently, affecting performance.

  • 429 Too Many Requests – The client has sent too many requests in a given timeframe; critical in protecting the server from abuse.

In case of short links, only 404 is critical.


5xx: Server Error

  • 500 Internal Server Error – A generic error when the server encounters an unexpected condition; highly critical as it disrupts service.

  • 501 Not Implemented – The server does not support the functionality required to fulfill the request; critical as it indicates missing features.

  • 502 Bad Gateway – The server received an invalid response from an upstream server; critical when it disrupts client access.

  • 503 Service Unavailable – The server is temporarily unable to handle the request, often due to overload or maintenance; critical when persistent.

  • 504 Gateway Timeout – The server did not receive a timely response from an upstream server; critical as it indicates network or server issues.

  • 505 HTTP Version Not Supported – The server does not support the HTTP version used in the request; generally non-critical and rarely encountered.

Non-critical - ignore it.


FAQs

How often should I check my broken links?

Regularly, such as once a week, to ensure a smooth user experience and optimal SEO.

Can a link show an error other than 404 and still be fixed?

Yes. Links showing codes like 403 or 503 are not critical and you can ignore them.

What happens if I delete a broken short link?

The link is removed permanently, so ensure it isn’t generating significant traffic before deletion.

Can I edit a broken short link to fix it?

Absolutely. Editing the link to update the destination URL will fix the broken link, provided the new URL is valid.