Why I Created This Tool
The Problem I Faced with Broken Links
As someone responsible for managing a large website with thousands of pages, I regularly encountered issues with broken links. Each page contained numerous internal, external, and downloadable document links. When these links broke, visitors would see frustrating messages like "404 Page Not Found," making it difficult for them to find the content they needed. These broken links also negatively affected our website's visibility on search engines like Google.
Issues with Existing Tools
I tried various existing link-checking tools, but they usually scanned entire websites, including stable sections like menus or footers that rarely changed. This repeated scanning wasted time, unnecessarily overloaded our website, and produced excessive, irrelevant reports.
Why I Developed My Own Solution
Realizing the need for a more efficient approach, I developed my own specialized link checker. I wanted a tool that would target specific content sections without causing performance issues or slowing down the site. It was also important for me to check for links that led to pages with redirects (301 redirects), as maintaining direct and absolute links is crucial for efficient crawling by search engines and user experience. This targeted tool runs directly in my browser, allowing me to quickly identify broken links, links leading to redirects, and clearly report specific HTTP status codes exactly when and where I needed.
Ensuring Privacy and Security
Privacy was important to me, so I designed this tool to operate entirely within the browser. It doesn't track browsing activities or send data externally, ensuring my—and your—privacy remains fully protected.
Improving Website Health and SEO
Using this tool regularly helps me swiftly find and fix broken links, identify and update links leading to redirects, maintain consistent linking practices, and manage HTTP status codes effectively. This supports strong SEO practices, helping ensure our website remains visible, accessible, and highly ranked by search engines while reducing frustrating experiences for visitors.
Sharing It with Others
After seeing how beneficial this tool was for my workflow, I decided to share it. It's especially useful for content managers and SEO specialists, empowering them to quickly identify and resolve link-related issues, ensuring their websites remain reliable and user-friendly.
Future Development and Your Feedback
I'm planning to enhance this tool further by adding features like comprehensive on-page link checking and detailed accessibility analysis, to ensure all links comply with best practices. I'd genuinely appreciate your feedback or any suggestions you might have.
If there’s a specific way you'd like to use this tool, or if you have ideas for new features, please don't hesitate to Contact Me. Your input is incredibly valuable and helps make this tool even better for everyone.