How to Fix Broken Links and 404 Errors
Nothing's more frustrating than sending someone a link only to have them hit a "404 Page Not Found" error. This guide shows you how to fix broken links yourself in about 5-10 minutes using two simple methods.
We'll start with the quick fixes that solve 99% of problems, then show you advanced troubleshooting if needed. No tech degree required! 😅
If this is too nerdy for you, feel free to Submit a Ticket (above) and our team will fix it for you.
🎥 Complete Video Walkthrough
Part 1: Quick Fixes (5 minutes)
This covers the two most common causes of broken links and how to fix them fast.
These videos are a few years old now, and some menus have moved around in Pipeline Funnels. So I've put updated screenshots below. Keep scrolling for the written guide with quick-reference sections.
Understanding Why Links Break (2-Minute Crash Course)
Before we fix anything, let's understand what's happening. Your Pipeline Funnels account uses three types of links that all need to work together:
1. Domains (like yoursite.com or slenderiiz.yoursite.com) These are the actual web addresses where your funnels live. Each one needs a "Default Page" set up, so it knows what to show when someone visits.
2. Custom Values (placeholders in your system) These are shortcuts Pipeline Funnels uses in emails and texts. Instead of typing out long links every time, it uses placeholders like {{custom_values.slenderiiz_url}} that automatically fill in with your domain.
3. Trigger Links (tracking links) These special links track when someone clicks them. They redirect to your actual pages while recording the activity (when they clicked, how they got there, etc.).
When links break, it's usually because these three aren't synced up correctly. Maybe your domain doesn't have a default page set. Maybe a custom value has extra stuff after the domain. Maybe a trigger link points to the wrong place. We're going to fix all of that!
Quick Fixes That Solve 99% of Problems (5-10 Minutes)
Start here! These two simple checks fix almost every broken link issue.
Fix #1: Check Your Domain Settings
This ensures every domain or subdomain connected to a funnel or website has a home page to display.
Step 1: Go to Settings > Domains & URL Redirects and make sure you're on the "Domains" tab at the top. You should see a list of your domains
Step 2: Test Each Domain (and Subdomain if you have any) You'll see a list of all your subdomains (like yoursite.com or slenderiiz.yoursite.com, etc.).
For each one:
Click and copy the domain name
Open a new browser tab, then paste the domain and press Enter
See if the page loads correctly
Step 3: Fix Any 404 Errors If you see a "404 Page Not Found" error:
Go back to Settings > Domains & URL Redirects
Find that domain in the list and click "Manage"
Look for the "3 dots" icon on the right of each domain. When you click it, you should have an option to Edit.
Look for the "Default Page" dropdown
Select the first page of your funnel (like "Day 1" or the landing page where you want people to go by default).
You can optionally set a default 404/Error page. Ignore the "Robots.txt" option for now.
Click Save
Go back to your test tab and refresh the page. It should load now!
Step 4: Repeat for All Subdomains Go through each subdomain in your list and make sure they all load correctly. This might take 5 minutes, but you only have to do it once!
That's it for Fix #1! This solves most broken link problems right here.
Fix #2: Clean Up Your Custom Values
This ensures your email and text message links work correctly.
Step 1: Go to Settings > Custom Values (right above the Domains & URL Redirects tab)
Step 2: Click on Folders at the top. (This makes it easier to stay organized.) Then choose either Business Funnels or Product Funnels
Step 3: You'll see a list of custom values (placeholders) like:
{{custom_values.slenderiiz_url}}
{{custom_values.renew_funnel_url}}
{{custom_values.puritii_url}}
Each one should contain ONLY your domain name. That means:
✅ Good: 3x.prosperwithhawk.com
See how the bad one has extra stuff after the .com? That's what breaks your links!
Step 4: Delete Everything After the Domain For each custom value that has extra stuff:
Click the pencil icon
Delete everything after the .com (including the slash)
Leave ONLY the domain name and click Save
Step 5: Check Your Sent Messages (Optional) Want to make sure everything's working in real conversations?
Go to Conversations in your left menu
Open a recent conversation where the system sent an email/text to a lead or customer
Click on the links in those messages to test them
If they work now, you're all set!
That's it for the quick fixes! Test your links now. If they're all working, you're done! If you're still seeing 404 errors, move on to the advanced troubleshooting below.
Advanced Troubleshooting (For Persistent Problems)
If the quick fixes didn't solve your problem, don't worry! This advanced method will find and fix the issue. It takes about 10 minutes but solves 100% of link problems.
The Process: Compare and Fix
Here's the game plan: We're going to send ourselves a test link, see what's broken, compare it to what it should be, then fix the mismatch.
Step 1: Send Yourself a Test Link
Find a trigger link to test:
Go to Conversations
Find a conversation where you sent a link that's not working
Right-click on that link and select "Open in new tab"
If it shows a 404 error, we've found our broken link!
Step 2: Copy the Broken Link for Analysis
Right-click on the 404 link in your address bar
Select Copy
Open a notepad, Google Doc, or any text editor
Paste the link so you can look at it
We're going to compare this broken link to what the actual working link should be.
Step 3: Get the Actual Working Link
Now let's find what the link is SUPPOSED to be:
Go to Sites in your left menu
Click Funnels
Find the funnel that link should go to (look at the page name in your broken link for clues)
Click into that funnel
Find the specific page
Look at the link at the top of that page
Right-click and copy that link
Paste it into your notepad, right below the broken link
Test this link! Open it in a new tab. If it loads correctly, we've found the working version.
Step 4: Compare the Two Links
Now we're detectives! Look at both links in your notepad:
Broken link (from the 404 error)
Working link (from the funnel)
Ignore everything after the question mark (?) - that's just tracking codes.
Look for these two things:
A) Do the domains match?
See the problem? The subdomain at the beginning is different ("brilliant" vs "bookme").
B) Does the path match? (everything after the .com)
Broken: /3-the-big-aha-moment-12345
Working: /3-the-big-aha-moment
See the problem? The broken one has extra numbers at the end.
Step 5A: Fix Domain Mismatches
If your domains don't match, here's how to fix it:
Go to the funnel settings:
Open the funnel in Sites > Funnels
Click Settings in the funnel
Look at the Domain dropdown
Change it to match the domain in your trigger link
Click Save and Continue
Test the broken link again. Refresh the 404 page and it should work now!
Step 5B: Fix Path Mismatches
If your paths don't match (extra characters, numbers, or different wording), here's the fix:
Go to the individual page settings:
Open the funnel in Sites > Funnels
Find the specific page with the problem
Click on that page
Click the Publishing tab
Look for the Path field (the part after your domain)
Edit the path to match what your trigger link expects
Delete any extra numbers or characters
Click Update Step
The link at the top should update immediately. If it matches now, you're done!
Test the broken link again. Refresh that 404 page one more time. It should work perfectly now!
Important tip: Try to keep your trigger links the same and change the funnel settings to match them. This prevents breaking other links that might be using the same trigger.
Step 6: Repeat for Any Other Broken Links
If you have multiple broken links, just repeat this process:
Copy the broken link
Get the actual working link
Compare them
Fix the mismatch (domain or path)
Test
It gets faster each time once you understand the pattern!
Real-World Scenarios
Before a big Facebook ad campaign: You're about to spend $500 on ads. Test every single link first using Fix #1 above. Check each subdomain, make sure they all load. Nothing worse than burning ad budget on broken links!
After onboarding: You just finished setting up your account. Go to Settings > Domains and Settings > Custom Values right away. Make sure everything's configured correctly before you start sharing links. Takes 5 minutes now, saves hours of headaches later.
Sent 50 messages with broken links: Don't panic! Use the advanced troubleshooting to find and fix the problem. Once you fix the trigger link, all 50 of those old messages will start working automatically. Your leads can click the same links you already sent them!
Link worked yesterday, broken today: Someone probably edited a funnel and accidentally changed the domain or path. Use the advanced troubleshooting to compare what it is now vs. what it should be, then fix the mismatch.
Some links work, some don't: Go through Fix #1 systematically. Test each subdomain one by one. Mark off which ones work and which don't, then fix the broken ones individually.
When to Get Help vs. Fix It Yourself
Fix it yourself when:
✅ You see a 404 error on any link
✅ Links worked before but stopped working
✅ You have 5-10 minutes to troubleshoot
✅ You're comfortable clicking through settings
Get support help when:
⚠️ Links still don't work after trying both methods
⚠️ You're getting errors other than 404 (like "Access Denied" or "Server Error")
⚠️ Pages load but show the wrong content
⚠️ You're not comfortable making changes in settings
To get help: Click the chat button in the lower right corner of your Pipeline Funnels dashboard and describe what you've tried. The support team can look at your specific setup and help!
Pro Tips for Avoiding Future Problems
💡 Test before launching: Always test your links in a private/incognito browser window before sharing them publicly. This catches problems before your leads see them.
💡 Keep a link reference doc: Create a simple document with all your important links and what they're for. Test them monthly to catch problems early.
💡 Don't edit paths casually: If you're editing funnel pages, be careful about changing the "Path" field in the Publishing tab. That's what's in your tracking links, and changing it breaks old links.
💡 Set default pages during setup: When you create a new subdomain, immediately set its default page. Don't wait until you find a broken link later.
💡 Clean up custom values during onboarding: Right after your account is set up, go to Settings > Custom Values and make sure each one only has the domain name. This prevents future headaches.
💡 Take screenshots: When you're doing a big campaign, screenshot your link settings. If something breaks later, you can see what changed.
Frequently Asked Questions
I fixed everything but links still don't work. What now?
Try these additional checks: (1) Clear your browser cache and try again, (2) Test in a different browser or incognito mode, (3) Make sure you're testing the exact link from the trigger link, not a different version, (4) Wait 5 minutes after making changes - sometimes updates take a moment to propagate. If still broken, contact support via chat.
How long do fixes take to work?
Most fixes are instant! As soon as you save your changes, the links should work. If you're seeing delays, try clearing your browser cache or testing in an incognito window.
Will fixing the link retroactively fix old messages I already sent?
Yes! That's the beauty of trigger links. Once you fix the underlying funnel settings, all the old links you sent in texts and emails will start working again automatically. Your leads can click those same old links and they'll work now.
Do I need to fix these for every funnel individually?
Unfortunately yes. Each funnel has its own settings, so if multiple funnels have broken links, you'll need to go through the process for each one. The good news is it gets much faster once you understand the pattern!
What if I don't see a "Default Page" option in my subdomain settings?
Make sure you have at least one funnel created first. The default page dropdown should show all your available funnel pages. If you truly don't see the option, that's a setup issue - contact support via chat.
Can I prevent links from breaking in the first place?
Yes! During initial setup: (1) Set default pages for all subdomains immediately, (2) Clean up custom values to only include domain names, (3) Don't change page paths after you've shared links, (4) Test everything before your first campaign.
What's the difference between a subdomain and a custom value?
A subdomain is the actual web address where your page lives (like slenderiiz.yoursite.com). A custom value is a placeholder shortcut used in emails/texts (like {{custom_values.slenderiiz_url}}) that gets replaced with your subdomain. Both need to be set up correctly for links to work.
Should I delete and recreate my funnel if links are broken?
No! Never delete and recreate. That will break even more links and lose all your analytics. Always fix using the methods in this guide. The problem is almost always in the settings, not the funnel itself.
Can I test my trigger links before sending them to leads?
Absolutely! Go to Conversations, create a test contact, send yourself a text or email with the trigger link, then click it. This is actually the best way to test - it shows you exactly what your leads will experience.
What does "everything after the question mark" mean?
In a URL like yoursite.com/page?tracking=12345, everything after the ? is tracking information. You can ignore that part when comparing broken vs working links. Focus on the domain and the path (the stuff between .com and ?).
Questions? If you've tried these fixes and still have broken links, our support team is available through the chat button in your dashboard. Include screenshots of the broken link and what you've tried!
