Managing multiple client websites means managing multiple opportunities for broken links to damage SEO and user experience. Agencies need systematic approaches to link checking—not occasional spot checks, but regular audits across every client site. Here's how to implement broken link checking at agency scale.
TL;DR
- Regular audits prevent SEO damage from link rot
- Use TinyUtils Dead Link Finder for quick checks
- Prioritize high-traffic pages and external links
- Create a remediation workflow with your team
Why Agencies Need Systematic Link Checking
SEO Impact
Broken links are a ranking signal. Google interprets dead links as poor site maintenance—an indicator of low quality. For clients paying for SEO services, broken links directly undermine their investment. Every 404 error is a missed opportunity and a potential ranking penalty.
User Experience
Dead links frustrate visitors. A user clicking a navigation link or CTA that leads nowhere may leave and not return. For e-commerce clients, that's lost revenue. For lead-gen sites, that's lost conversions. Broken links cost money.
Client Trust
Clients hire agencies to maintain their digital presence professionally. Broken links visible to anyone who clicks them reflect poorly on both the client's brand and your agency's competence. Proactive link checking demonstrates thoroughness.
Liability and Compliance
External links can become problematic over time. Links to resources that change ownership, become malicious, or host inappropriate content create liability. Regular checking catches these issues.
The Scale Challenge
One website might have hundreds of links. An agency with 20 clients might have thousands. Manual checking is impossible at scale. You need:
- Automated scanning: Tools that check all links systematically
- Scheduled audits: Regular checks, not just when problems surface
- Prioritized remediation: Fix critical issues first
- Tracking and reporting: Document issues and resolutions
Recommended Agency Workflow
1. Baseline Audit
When onboarding a new client, run a complete link check. Document all existing broken links. This establishes your starting point and often reveals deferred maintenance from before your engagement.
2. Scheduled Monthly Checks
Set a calendar reminder: first Monday of each month, scan every client site. This catches new issues before they accumulate. For high-traffic or frequently updated sites, consider weekly scans.
3. Post-Update Scans
After major content updates, theme changes, or migrations, run immediate link checks. Changes often introduce broken links inadvertently.
4. Prioritized Remediation
Not all broken links are equal. Fix in priority order:
| Priority | Link Type | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Navigation/menu links | Site-wide impact, every visitor affected |
| Critical | CTA buttons | Direct conversion impact |
| High | Footer links | Appear on every page |
| High | External authority links | SEO value at risk |
| Medium | Blog/content links | Credibility impact |
| Lower | Archive/old content | Less traffic |
5. Documentation and Reporting
Log every issue found and its resolution. Include link health in client reports. This demonstrates ongoing value and justifies your maintenance retainer.
Fixing Broken Links
Internal Links
- URL changed: Update the link to the correct URL
- Page moved: Set up a 301 redirect and update links
- Content deleted: Remove the link or redirect to related content
- Typo in URL: Correct the URL
External Links
- Site restructured: Find the new URL on the same site
- Site gone: Replace with alternative source
- Temporary outage: Verify later before changing
- Content archived: Use Wayback Fixer to find archived versions
Using TinyUtils for Agency Work
Dead Link Finder
TinyUtils Dead Link Finder scans pages for broken links:
- Enter a client's page URL
- Choose scope (page only, same domain, or all links)
- Run the scan
- Export results as CSV for team tracking
Wayback Fixer
For external links that are truly dead, Wayback Fixer helps find archived versions on the Internet Archive. Replace dead links with archived equivalents when no better alternative exists.
Communicating with Clients
Monthly Reports
Include a "Site Health" section in monthly reports showing:
- Links checked this month
- Broken links found
- Broken links fixed
- Current site health status
Issue Escalation
For critical issues (broken navigation, dead CTAs), escalate immediately. Don't wait for the monthly report. Proactive communication builds trust.
Demonstrating Value
Track cumulative fixes. "Over the past year, we've identified and fixed 147 broken links across your site, maintaining SEO performance and user experience." Concrete numbers justify ongoing engagement.
Preventing Broken Links
- Use relative internal links: Less likely to break on domain changes
- Check links before publishing: Catch issues in staging
- Avoid deep-linking to fragile URLs: Link to home pages when possible
- Monitor external domains: Important external resources can disappear
- Set up redirect rules: When removing content, redirect to alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should we check?
Monthly for most sites. Weekly for high-traffic e-commerce or news sites. After major content updates, run immediate scans.
Should we automate this?
Yes, where possible. Schedule regular scans and generate reports automatically. Reserve human time for prioritization and remediation decisions.
What about staging environments?
Scan staging before deployment. Catch broken links before they go live. Don't ship new code or content with broken links.
How do we handle large sites?
Scan in sections. Start with key pages (homepage, navigation, top traffic pages). Expand to full site scans during lower-traffic periods.
What about dynamically generated links?
Link checkers see what renders. JavaScript-generated links are checked if the scanner waits for page load. Verify your tool handles dynamic content.
The Business Case
Broken link checking isn't glamorous, but it's essential agency work:
- Fewer “why is this broken?” emails: You catch issues before your client notices
- Easy maintenance deliverable: A recurring report that’s actually useful
- Trust: Being the team that finds problems early keeps clients calm
- Less fire‑drill work later: Fixing 5 links now beats fixing 500 when SEO tanks
Start Your Client Audits
Systematic link checking protects client investments and demonstrates agency value. Start with TinyUtils Dead Link Finder, establish your workflow, and make link health part of your standard maintenance offering.
For recovering broken external links, see our guide to fixing broken links with Archive.org. For API-based automation, check out our broken link checker API documentation.