Recently, I received a publication shroud in plastic with an address label on the outside. Nothing unusual, except a call-to-action to visit a website for a list of recycling centers that accept #4 poly-bags. After typing the URL into an address bar, I arrived at an American Chemistry Council page with a list of resources.

Still determined to find where I could recycle the bag, I typed the URL into a search bar and was redirected to Bag and Film Recycling.org. I was pleased to see one of the five possible grocery stores in my area collect plastic bags and wraps for recycling. Hurray!

This mini adventure in finding the right website illustrates the challenge of ensuring links accurately reflect the intended content and calls-to-action. In its formative years, the internet displayed broken links as error code 404.  Now, perhaps to add a bit a levity, broken and outdated links feature cutesy cartoon characters, moping dogs, construction signs, and “Oops.”  

While a broken link might seem minor, research shows 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience with 75% admitting to making judgements on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design.[1] Eck!

With companies’ websites essentially being their front doors, it’s imperative to assign resources to routinely verify the functionality and navigation of a site, and frequently refresh its design and content. Think about it. Would you walk into a store that displayed Halloween attire in January or potting soil and gardening gloves in December? How likely would you be to return to a store if the doors were locked during their posted hours?

The reality is, if someone clicks on a social media post, responds to an online ad, types a URL, or chooses a link from search results, within seconds, they will form an opinion of the subsequent page that will determine whether they stay or drop off.

It’s a startling fact, which reinforces the axiom, “always make a good first impression,” including ensuring a published link works.

[1] SWEOR.com