Start with the kind of change you are making
Internal links connect pages within your own website. When a published page moves, merges with another page, or disappears, links in articles, menus, footers, and other reusable elements may need attention. A redirect can help someone who follows an old address, but it does not replace updating the links you control. A direct link gives visitors a clearer path and avoids making every visit depend on the redirect remaining in place.
Before editing, record the old page address and decide what should happen to the page. If only its address is changing, identify the new address. If several pages are being combined, choose the page that now covers each old page’s purpose. If a page is being removed without a replacement, do not assume the home page is a useful destination. Readers may be better served by a relevant overview page, or by a clear not-found page if nothing suitable exists.
Find links in more places than the article body
Search your content management system for the old address and, if possible, for distinctive parts of the page title. Check pages and posts that link to it, including older content that may not appear in your usual editing queue. Also inspect navigation menus, resource lists, calls to action, image links, buttons, and footer text. A link may use words such as “read the guide” rather than the old page title, so a title search alone can miss it.
For a small site, a simple change log can keep the task manageable. Note the old address, its intended replacement, the pages where you found links, and whether each one has been updated and tested. If your site tools provide a link report or a list of pages linking to the old address, use it as a starting point rather than treating it as a complete inventory. Reusable templates and manually maintained menus may require a separate check.
Update each link for the reader’s next step
Replace links to a moved page with its new address. For a merged page, check the surrounding sentence before changing the link: the new destination should actually answer what that sentence promises. If it does not, rewrite the sentence, choose a more relevant page, or remove the link. This is also a chance to make link text descriptive. “See the maintenance checklist” gives more context than “click here,” particularly when someone is scanning a page or navigating links with assistive technology.
Pay attention to links that point to a specific section of a page. Moving content can change its section heading or anchor, leaving a link that opens the right page but no longer reaches the intended place. Update the section link if a stable target exists; otherwise, link to the page and adjust the wording so it does not promise a precise jump. Keep the surrounding text accurate if the new page has a different scope or title.
Use redirects for old addresses, not as an editing shortcut
When an address changes, set up a redirect from the old address to the most relevant new one if your website setup supports it. This helps people using bookmarks, shared links, or search results that still contain the old address. If multiple old pages are combined into one useful resource, each old address can point to that resource. Avoid sending unrelated pages to a generic destination merely to prevent an error message.
Test redirects separately from your updated internal links. Enter an old address to see where it lands, then follow a newly edited link to confirm that it goes straight to the intended page. Watch for a chain in which an old address redirects to another old address before reaching the final page. When you can, point both redirects and internal links directly at the final destination.
Check the published site and keep a record
After publishing the edits, open a few affected pages as a visitor would. Follow the links, check that the destination loads, and read enough of it to confirm that it matches the promise of the link. Repeat the check on important navigation and resource pages. If you use a link checker, review its findings for false alarms and for links it may have missed, especially links inside buttons or site components.
Keep the change log with your content notes, including any old addresses that redirect and any links you deliberately removed. The record will help the next person understand why an address changed and make future updates easier. For a small website, a repeatable habit matters more than a complicated process: record the change, find the references, update them for meaning, and test the paths people will take.
