Broken Links Guide

Fields and Columns:

• URL: The broken link URL that was accessed.
• Referring URL: The URL from which the broken link was accessed, if available. Sometimes this can be the same as the broken URL, especially if redirects from HTTP to HTTPS are involved.
• Instances: The number of times this broken link has been triggered (i.e., how many hits or impressions it has received).
• Last Break: The timestamp or relative time since the last time this broken link was accessed.

You can export the entire set of broken links or a filtered set of links.

Note:

• you can export up to 5,000 records to a CSV file
• the Exported URLs preserve the full protocol (http or https), which is critical for accurate redirect setup
• the export may include older records not visible on the screen due to pagination limits

Data Considerations:

• The screen shows all-time instances since logging began, whereas Site Analysis 404 impressions are time-bound (e.g., last 7 or 30 days), so numbers may not match exactly

• Some discrepancies between broken links and 404 page impressions can occur due to:
  - Redirects masking broken links
  - Bot filtering and JavaScript requirements for 404 tracking
  - Aggregation rules differing between reports

• Occasionally, referral URLs may appear identical to the broken link but differ in protocol (http vs https). This can be due to how URLs are stored and processed internally

Usage Tips:

• Use the date range and instances filters to focus on the most critical broken links for your site.
• Regularly export broken links to create redirects and reduce user 404 errors.
• Be aware that some broken links may be caused by bots or malicious activity (e.g., SQL injection attempts), identifiable by unusual URL parameters.
• Monitor referral URLs to understand where broken links originate and address source issues if possible.