Affiliate Link Audit Checklist
A practical checklist for keeping monetized links current across websites and YouTube channels.
Start with content that still earns attention
List the pages, reviews, resource hubs, videos, and Shorts that still bring in readers or viewers. Old winners deserve the first pass because broken monetized links there can quietly waste the most useful traffic.
Run a supported-link scan
Use an affiliate link checker to find supported monetized links that come back broken. For a known cleanup pass, start with the broken affiliate link checker.
Static example
Sample report
A finished scan turns confirmed supported-link failures into a grouped fix list. This sample is static, not live scan data, and mirrors the information the scanner is built to return.
- Items with issues
- 2
- Broken links
- 3
- Format
- Grouped by page or video
- 2 broken links
Holiday Gift Guide
/guides/holiday-gift-guide
https://go.example/amazon-holiday-picks
- Destination checked
- https://merchant.example/old-campaign
- Why it was flagged
- Destination returned 404 after redirect.
https://publisher.example/recommends/desk-lamp
- Destination checked
- https://merchant.example/discontinued-lamp
- Why it was flagged
- Tracked destination no longer resolves.
- 1 broken link
Desk setup video
youtube.com/watch?v=desk-setup
https://sponsor.example/creator-desk-kit
- Destination checked
- https://sponsor.example/expired-offer
- Why it was flagged
- Sponsor landing page came back broken.
Recommended fixReplace or remove each broken destination, then rerun the scan.
Fix the source content
- Replace expired product URLs with current merchant pages.
- Remove offers, codes, or sponsors that are no longer active.
- Update YouTube descriptions when a broken link belongs to a video.
- Keep a short note of changed pages or videos for the next pass.
Recheck before you move on
After edits, rerun the scan for the same website or public YouTube channel. A second pass catches missed replacements and confirms that the supported links no longer return confirmed broken destinations.
Set a repeat cadence
Monthly or quarterly audits are enough for many creators. Check more often after a sponsor campaign, a product launch, a network migration, or a large content refresh. For current network coverage, use the supported networks page.
FAQ
How often should affiliate links be audited?
For active monetized content, a monthly or quarterly pass is a practical starting point. Check launch pages and high-traffic pages sooner.
Should I audit YouTube descriptions too?
Yes. Old videos can keep earning views, and stale description links can still lose useful clicks.
What should I do after fixing links?
Rerun the scan and keep a short note of what changed, especially for pages or videos that earn regular traffic.