Check the links in your article before publishing.

Say what the link is for

Read the words around each link. Is it evidence for a claim, a practical tool or another article to read? Make that purpose clear. A label such as “the export instructions” tells someone more than a row of identical “click here” links.

W3C’s content guidance recommends link text that describes the destination. You can often fix an unclear link by naming the document or task in the sentence, without adding an extra button.

Open the exact destination

Follow the final URL from your draft, including any fragment or campaign parameters. Check the page title and the section it opens. A link copied from a search result or an account dashboard may lead to a temporary page rather than the public document you intended.

A successful HTTP response does not tell you whether the page supports your statement. A general homepage, a removed article notice and an unrelated documentation page can all be reachable. Read the relevant passage and record its date when the claim depends on a changing feature.

A fictional source-link failure

Suppose an article says, “The app can export attachments”, and links to an export help page. The page opens correctly, but it describes exporting note text only. Your status check passes; your evidence check fails.

Fix the article by finding documentation that actually supports the attachment claim, narrowing the statement or removing it. Do not keep a stronger claim merely because the general help page looks official. This example describes a review method, not a limitation of a named app.

Check access and disclosure

When a destination requires sign-in or payment, tell the reader before they follow it. For your own pages, make sure the link reaches a published route rather than a preview that only you can open. Test internal section links after changing headings.

If a link is paid advertising or an affiliate placement, make the relationship clear beside it. Google documents sponsored link attributes for paid outbound links; those attributes do not replace a reader-facing disclosure. This publication currently has no paid or affiliate links.

Keep a small review log

A short note on the important sources is enough to make later corrections easier. Recheck links when you substantially update an article. Avoid claiming that a one-time link check guarantees a destination will stay unchanged.

• Destination: does the exact URL open the intended page or section?
• Evidence: does the relevant passage support the associated claim?
• Date: is the source current enough for this particular statement?
• Access: does the reader need an account, payment or special permission?
• Label: can someone understand what the link opens?
• Relationship: is any paid connection visible and technically qualified?

Use this next

• Build a consistently named campaign link
• Check the article before publishing