Are you experiencing broken links reported by SemRush and a link checker website after exporting your Webflow site? Although all the links work, you're still finding it strange. Have you encountered this issue before and found a solution? Thank you.

Broken links reported by SemRush or link checker tools after exporting your Webflow site can often be caused by relative paths, missing files, or external tool limitations—even if links function correctly in the browser. Here's how to investigate and resolve this issue.

1. Check for Relative vs. Absolute Paths

• Webflow uses relative paths (e.g., /about.html) when exporting, which works fine on the live server.
• However, link checkers may not interpret these paths correctly if they simulate crawling in a different environment (e.g., local preview or different directory).
• Solution: If you’re hosting the exported site on a different platform, ensure it's configured to handle relative paths properly.

2. Confirm All Linked Files Are Exported

• Webflow exports only files (HTML, CSS, JS, images) that are actively used in the design.
• If a link points to an image or file that’s not actually placed on a page, it may not be included in the export, resulting in a 404.
• Solution: Place all linked assets directly in the layout before exporting, or manually ensure their inclusion.

3. Double-Check Link Typos or Extra Slashes

• Links might function in the browser due to browser correction but may still be flagged by crawlers.
• Watch for:
• Double slashes (//page.html)
• Mixed casing (/Blog vs /blog)
• Missing file extensions (Webflow uses .html in exports)
• Solution: Do a manual audit of link URLs in your code editor or use a local server to test exported files.

4. Use a Proper Local Server for Testing

• If you’re using tools like file:// to open exported sites locally, relative links might break or function erratically.
• Solution: Use a local server like Live Server (VS Code extension) or host the site temporarily on Netlify or Vercel for reliable testing.

5. Be Aware of Third-Party Crawler Limitations

• Tools like Semrush or Broken Link Checker may show false positives based on:
• Timeout settings
• JavaScript-rendered content not being scanned
• Inability to crawl local site versions properly
• Solution: Cross-check with another tool (e.g., Screaming Frog or Ahrefs). If multiple tools confirm no broken links, the issue may not be with your site.

6. Check Exported Site Structure

• Webflow exports individual .html files like index.html, about.html.
• If Semrush expects /about/ rather than /about.html, it will flag it as broken unless you've configured URL rewrites in your hosting platform.
• Solution: If hosting yourself, use .htaccess (Apache) or equivalent rewrite rules to point clean URLs to proper files.

Summary

Even if links work in your browser, relative paths, missing assets, or false positives from analysis tools can lead to broken link reports after exporting a Webflow site. Always test using a live server setup and check exported assets and paths carefully. If everything functions live, the flagged issues are likely tool-related, not actual user-facing problems.