Sampled Internal Links OK
Also known as No broken links · Link health
A representative sample of internal links resolves with HTTP 200 rather than 404 or other errors.
What it is
This check follows a sample of the site's internal links and confirms they return a successful 200 response instead of 404 (not found), 5xx, or broken redirect chains. It is a quick proxy for overall link health before launch.
Why it matters
Broken internal links frustrate users, waste crawl budget, and strand pages that can no longer be discovered or cited. Clean linking preserves trust at launch and helps both search and answer engines navigate the full site.
How to verify
Run a crawler or link checker (for example Screaming Frog, or a CI link check) and look for non-200 internal responses. Spot-check navigation, footer, and in-content links manually, watching the network tab for 404 and 5xx statuses.
How to fix
Fix or update each broken target, repoint links to the correct URLs, and add redirects where pages moved. Run a full-site link check before launch and wire it into CI so regressions are caught early.
Related terms
- Custom 404 pageA branded, helpful page served for unknown URLs that also returns the correct HTTP 404 status so crawlers know the resource does not exist.
- XML SitemapAn XML file listing a site's canonical URLs to help search engines discover and prioritize pages for crawling.
- Canonical TagA link element that names the preferred URL for a page so search engines consolidate duplicate or similar versions.
- No Placeholder TextVerifying that no lorem ipsum, TODO notes, or obvious dummy copy remains on the homepage or other key pages.
Official references
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