Resolving Broken External Links

What is a broken external link?

An external link points to a website outside of the UMKC web environment.

DubBot reports a broken external link when it cannot access the destination. This may occur because the page has been removed, the website is temporarily unavailable, or the URL has changed.

Before making changes

Open the reported URL in your browser to confirm the issue.

Some external websites may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance or network issues. If the website loads normally when you test it, no action may be required. DubBot will verify the link again during a future crawl.

If the destination is no longer available, determine whether:

• The content has moved to a new URL.
• A newer resource is available.
• The link should be removed entirely.

Fixing an external link in Cascade CMS

1. In DubBot, open the affected page using Open In > Editor.
2. Locate the external link within the page.
3. Replace the outdated URL with the current destination.
4. If no replacement exists, remove the link or revise the surrounding content.
5. Submit and publish the page.

Fixing an external link in WordPress

1. Edit the affected page.
2. Locate the broken external link.
3. Update the URL or remove the link if it is no longer needed.
4. Update the page.
5. Verify the corrected link in your browser.

Best Practices

• Link directly to the final destination whenever possible.
• Avoid linking to temporary or frequently changing pages.
• Periodically review links to third-party websites, especially if they contain important information.
• Consider linking to an organization’s main website instead of a specific page if appropriate.

Verify the correction

After publishing:

1. Open the published page.
2. Select the updated link.
3. Confirm it opens the intended website.
4. Wait for DubBot’s next crawl to verify the issue has been resolved.

If the destination remains unavailable after several days, consider removing the link or replacing it with an alternative resource.