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How to find your website's broken links, fast and free

1/30/2017

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Imagine this scenario: You're online, searching for the perfect "something" you want to buy, or looking for the information you need to complete a report or solve a problem. You're sure you've found just what you want -- the answer to all your prayers -- when you click and . . . 

The link's broken. 404 Error. Page Not Found.

Is there anything more aggravating?
404 Error image
Broken website links are really frustrating for searchers. And Google doesn't like them, either, because "The Goog" is all about giving people the best possible search experience, and broken links are not a part of that. Why? Because one way Google’s algorithms rank websites is by sending their spiders out to crawl links, so if those links are broken, the spiders can't crawl and index them. 

Therefore,
Google won't want to send searchers to that site and ultimately, a site can be penalized in search results because of those bad links.

So to avoid this problem on your website, you'll want to check for broken links on a regular basis and fix any problems as soon as possible.


About broken links – and how to find them quickly

Bad or broken links come in several types. For instance, if you delete a linked page on your site, put an incorrect URL or an accidental typo in a text link, or change a page's address without correctly updating the URL, you'll get a broken link.

Or if you have a link to another website and THAT website makes a change, deletes the page, etc., you can also end up with a broken link.

So how do you find out if all the links on your site are still good without going through every page and clicking each link?

Solution: BrokenLinkCheck.com allows you to run a free test to find problems quickly. 

This online validation tool will scan your entire site and give you a report of any broken or problem links (unlike some other scanning 
tools that list ALL the links on your site, so you have to sort through the files to find out which ones are bad and need fixing).

​Note: If you have over 3,000 pages on your site, you can contact the company to see about getting a price quote for scanning – it's probably worth it!
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This tool works on Mac and PC, iPads and even smartphones, so you can even check your site while you're on the go. Once you enter your site URL and type in a quick CAPTCHA code, you'll get a report of any link problems on your site, including the page where they're located. From there, you can examine any issues and take the steps needed to fix your problem links.

Have you used this tool or others like it? Leave a comment below!
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The #1 Free Way to Improve Your Website

1/21/2014

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Small businesses often spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on creating a website, only to find that their site fails to get visitors' attention, doesn't bring in the leads they were hoping for or meet the goals they set for the site in the first place.

So here's my suggestion for the best way to start improving your site without spending a dime: 

Ask for feedback from someone outside your office.

Huh?

That's right. Ask someone who's not very familiar with your business or your website to sit down and go through your website with you. Watch this person read, click, and navigate their way through the site, and then ask that person questions, such as:


  • Do the menus make sense? Is it easy to navigate?
  • Does the text make sense? Could it be improved?
  • Does the site make it clear what's being offered? Does it make you want to sign up,
    ​read more or buy?
  • Are there unfamiliar terms or acronyms in the text that leave you puzzled? 
  • What would make the site better, more clear or more appealing?

Why does this help? Because you and your staff know what your business does and what you want your site to accomplish. Other people don't. 

What's clear to you is clear to you -- and it may not be clear to everyone else.

Of course, there are plenty of other tools you can use to help improve your site (including Google Analytics and ClickTale), but this is the fastest way I know of to get feedback and use it to start improving your site.

Have other suggestions or comments? Leave them below!

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FoxyUtils: A Favorite Free Tool

11/18/2013

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FoxyUtils logo
I love Adobe software -- but it's expensive. And when all you need to do is combine a few pdf files, you really don't need all the bells and whistles (or the pricetag) of Acrobat Professional.

Enter one of my new favorite free tools: FoxyUtils. 

FoxyUtils is an online program that lets you merge, split, unlock and protect pdfs for free. It works on both PCs and Macs, which is a big help for those of us in the Apple world. If you sign up for a free account, you can merge files up to 50 MB; if you don't want to sign up, you can still merge files up to 30 MB. 

If you need to combine even larger pdfs (up to 200 MB) and want to enjoy the benefit of viewing the site without ads, you can set up a paid account for $4.99 per month.

This program saved me endless time and hassle last week when I needed to combine several large pdfs into one file for a client's CreateSpace book. I haven't used the other options (unlock or protect) yet, but expect I will in the near future.

Have you used this resource? Got another favorite online freebie? Let me know!

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Another cool free tool: Zamzar

8/19/2013

 
Zamzar logo
One of my new favorite free online tools is Zamzar -- a site that allows you to convert all types of documents and files. I first found this site when I was looking for a way to convert a client's old WordPerfect files into OpenOffice docs, but Zamzar allows for much more than that. 

With Zamzar, you can convert documents, eBooks, images, audio and video files for free. For instance, you can convert .eps files to .tiff or jpg files, .pdfs to .jpgs, and mp3 files to wav files, etc. Usually, you upload the file you want to convert and Zamzar emails you with a link to download the file once the conversion is done.

If you find you need to convert a lot of files (or really big files) on a regular basis, or if you want to store and manage files, you can sign up for a paid account (Basic accounts start at $9 per month).

This tool saved me a ton of time and hassle -- hope it does the same for you!


Have you tried Zamzar? Share your comments!

Share your screen for free with Join.Me

7/16/2012

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Want to share your computer screen with someone in another city, state, or country? Join.Me is one of the best small business tools I've found to help get the point across -- and it's free. 

Join.Me is a live screen sharing program, so if you want to show someone how to use a software program, share a PowerPoint presentation, review edits to a document, run a webinar, etc., you can do it all (and share with up to 250 people) by clicking to share your screen and providing your audience with the number code you're given. Viewers simply go to the Join.Me website, enter the code, and view exactly what's happening on your screen. 

Join.Me also allows you to share files with viewers, chat, and enable audio during the presentation. You can get downloads to view on mobiles, as well. 

Join.Me does have paid Pro options for business as well (yep, it's a freemium!), but if you don't need to switch presenters, have a meeting scheduler or international conference lines, you'll probably be fine with the free version.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

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Wise Penny Wednesday: Get Free Admission at U.S. National Parks

4/11/2012

 
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Good news! This year, Earth Day coincides with National Park Week, which means that from April 21 - 29, you can get free admission at any of the 397 national parks in the U.S.! There are free activities and special events at many of the parks, as well. 

Learn more about National Park Week and other free days, events and parks near you.
 

Thrifty Thursday Post: Get it For Free at Freecycle.org

3/22/2012

 
Freecycle logo
Looking to score free stuff for your home or business? Check out Freecycle. (You can also visit and like them on their Facebook page – love their new Timeline cover photo!). 

Originally founded in Tucson, AZ, Freecycle is a grassroots organization dedicated to recycling goods and keeping them out of landfills. There's no cost to join, and you can browse the (literally) thousands of listings to search for furniture, household items, books, supplies, and much more. Of course, if you have stuff you want to get rid of that you think someone else could use, you can post it here as well for no charge. (In essence, the site is kind of like Craigslist, but all for free.)

Now with nearly 9 million members in 85 countries around the world, there's a good chance you'll find a local group near you. (Colorado readers, there are about 80 groups throughout the state, so just browse the site to find the one closest to you.) 

Has anyone used Freecycle? I'd love to hear more about your experiences – post your comments here!

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    Natalie Bolton is a Boulder County-based marketing professional who helps businesses 
    improve their websites and reach their goals. 

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