An internal link report is useful only when it identifies where a link appears, what happens at the destination and who can repair it. Build a queue of verified issues rather than changing every redirected URL automatically.
Collect source and destination evidence
Record the source page, anchor, destination, response and final URL after redirects. Keep the crawl date and scope. A link inaccessible to one crawler may need a manual check, especially where authentication, rate limits or rendering affect the observation.
Choose the correct repair
A moved page may need a direct link to its relevant replacement. A removed product may need a useful alternative or no link at all. Do not point every broken link to the homepage; that can preserve a successful response while abandoning the promise made by the anchor text.
Verify templates and reader journeys
Group navigation and template issues so one repair can address repeated occurrences. Test important journeys after publishing, including mobile navigation and forms. Gavek’s current snapshot is not a site-wide link crawler; use a suitable external crawl or a separately agreed review to collect comprehensive link relationships.
Put the method to work
Illustrative queue: installation guides link to a retired specification. The team confirms an updated document covering the same product and edits the relevant source pages. It checks the anchor and destination content together, rather than treating any HTTP 200 response as a successful fix.
Your next steps
- Save source, anchor and destination.
- Verify uncertain crawler findings.
- Choose a relevant repair.
- Retest the complete reader journey.
Questions & answers
Should every redirect be removed?
Review context. A direct current destination may be cleaner, but a redirect can be intentional and functional.
Can Gavek automatically fix all links?
No. Automatic CMS link changes are not currently offered. Repairs require an authorised implementation process.
Documentation & further reading
- developers.google.com · › search › docs › crawling-indexing › links-crawlable
- developers.google.com · › search › docs › crawling-indexing › 301-redirects
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