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Fix Broken Links After Site Migration in Elementor

Table of Contents
  1. Why Fixing Broken Links is Crucial
  2. Common Causes of Broken Links After Site Migration
  3. Identifying Broken Links on Your Website
  4. Steps to Fix Broken Links After Site Migration
  5. Automating Broken Link Monitoring
  6. Best Practices for Preventing Broken Links
  7. Enhancing User Experience with Fixed Links
  8. Benefits of Fixing Broken Links
  9. Conclusion

Site migration is a common process, whether you’re moving to a new host, changing your domain name, or upgrading your website’s architecture. However, one of the most common issues during migration is broken links. Broken links disrupt navigation, harm user experience, and negatively impact your SEO rankings. Knowing how to fix broken links after a site migration in Elementor ensures your site remains functional and user-friendly.

Check out our frequently visited guide on Bulk Search Replace in Elementor for E-commerce Stores

This guide explores why broken links occur after migration, how to identify them, and actionable steps to resolve the issue effectively.

Broken links create a frustrating experience for users and can have serious consequences for your website:

  • Decreased User Trust: Visitors may leave your site if they encounter non-functional links.
  • SEO Penalties: Search engines may lower your rankings for having broken internal and external links.
  • Reduced Conversions: Key pages, such as product pages or contact forms, may become inaccessible, leading to lost sales or leads.

Addressing broken links promptly helps maintain your website’s credibility, functionality, and search engine visibility.

Understanding why broken links occur can help you take preventive measures during site migration.

  • Changed URL Structures: Modifying permalinks or folder structures during migration can break links.
  • Missing Media Files: Images, videos, or downloadable content may not transfer correctly to the new site.
  • Incorrect Database Configuration: URL references in the database may not update to the new domain or folder structure.
  • Third-Party Link Dependencies: External links to third-party resources might become invalid or outdated.

Before fixing broken links, you need to locate them. Several tools can help identify broken links efficiently.

Use Online Link Checkers

Tools like Broken Link Checker scan your website for broken links and provide a detailed report.

Leverage SEO Plugins

WordPress SEO plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math include broken link monitoring features. These plugins integrate seamlessly with Elementor.

Run a Website Crawl

SEO tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs crawl your website to identify broken links, missing resources, and other technical issues.

Fixing broken links involves updating URLs, restoring missing resources, and implementing redirects where necessary.

Update Internal Links

  1. Open the WordPress dashboard and navigate to your pages or posts.
  2. Use Elementor’s editor to manually check and update any broken internal links.
  3. Replace outdated URLs with the correct ones reflecting your new site structure.

Use Search and Replace Tools

For websites with multiple broken links, manually updating each link can be time-consuming. Use tools like Better Search Replace to update URLs in bulk:

  1. Install and activate the Better Search Replace plugin.
  2. Navigate to Tools > Better Search Replace in your dashboard.
  3. Enter the old URL in the search field and the new URL in the replace field.
  4. Select the database tables you want to update, such as wp_posts or wp_postmeta.
  5. Run the search and replace operation to fix broken links site-wide.

Implement Redirects

Redirects are essential for managing links that cannot be updated or restored. Use the Redirection plugin to set up 301 redirects:

  1. Install and activate the Redirection plugin.
  2. Navigate to Tools > Redirection in your WordPress dashboard.
  3. Add the old URL in the Source URL field and the new URL in the Target URL field.
  4. Save the redirection to guide users and search engines to the correct page.

Restore Missing Media Files

If media files were not transferred correctly during migration, re-upload them to your WordPress media library. Use tools like FileZilla to check your site’s server for missing assets and reassign them in Elementor.

Check External Links

For third-party links, verify their validity and replace them with updated URLs or alternative resources if necessary.

Once you’ve fixed broken links, ongoing monitoring ensures new issues are addressed promptly.

Install Broken Link Checker

The Broken Link Checker plugin scans your website periodically for broken links. Set up email notifications to stay informed about link issues.

Learn more at Broken Link Checker.

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Enable Regular Crawls

Use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to schedule regular website crawls, ensuring you catch and fix broken links as they appear.

Use Cloudflare’s Analytics

If your website uses Cloudflare, its analytics tools can help identify 404 errors and other broken link issues. Visit Cloudflare for details.

While fixing broken links is essential, prevention is always better than cure.

Plan Your Migration

Before migrating, map out your current site structure and URLs to ensure a seamless transition. Use a staging environment to test the migration process.

Update Permalinks Consistently

If changing your permalink structure, use WordPress’s permalink settings to standardize URLs across your site. Test pages and posts for functionality post-migration.

Explore this highly recommended read on Post-Migration Search Replace for Elementor Content

Keep Backups

Always back up your website before and after migration. Use plugins like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy to safeguard your files and database.

Maintain Documentation

Document all changes made during migration, including URL modifications and folder reorganizations, for easy reference when resolving issues.

Fixing broken links is not just about SEO—it directly impacts your visitors’ experience on your site.

Improve Navigation

Ensure menus, buttons, and hyperlinks lead to functional pages. A seamless navigation structure keeps users engaged.

Boost Mobile Accessibility

Test links on mobile devices to confirm they work as expected. Elementor’s responsive editing mode is an excellent tool for this.

Optimize Redirects

Minimize redirect chains to improve loading times and maintain a smooth browsing experience.

Addressing broken links post-migration offers several advantages:

  • Enhanced User Trust: Functional links create a positive impression of your brand.
  • Improved SEO Rankings: Search engines reward websites with clean and updated links.
  • Higher Conversions: Restoring key pages ensures uninterrupted access to your products or services.
  • Reduced Bounce Rates: Visitors stay longer on sites with working navigation.

Conclusion

Broken links after site migration can disrupt your website’s performance and frustrate your users. By using tools like Better Search Replace, Redirection, and Elementor’s editor, you can efficiently fix broken links and maintain a seamless user experience.

Regular monitoring and preventive measures ensure your website stays functional and optimized for both users and search engines. Start addressing broken links today to protect your site’s credibility and performance.

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