Start by testing your site as a logged-out visitor. Check the main menu, footer menu, logo link, category links, pagination, and links inside recent posts. Open each destination in a new tab and note 404 pages, unexpected redirects, or a mismatch between the label and destination. Repeat the process on a phone-sized screen; many themes use a separate mobile menu or sticky header.
In WordPress, menus may be managed under Appearance → Editor → Navigation on a block theme, or Appearance → Menus on a classic theme. Theme and plugin variations exist, so identify the active theme before following exact labels. Update the menu item to the current page rather than adding a redirect for every outdated slug. If you must retire a URL, redirect it to the closest relevant replacement and update internal links so visitors do not depend on a chain of redirects.
Google lists broken links, redirects, excessive pop-ups, and difficult navigation as possible site navigation issues in its AdSense approval guidance. The page readiness guide recommends clear, easy-to-use navigation. Focus on the actual route visitors follow rather than adding menu items just to increase link count.
Example: A footer menu links to /contact-us-old/, which redirects twice and then lands on the homepage. Replace it with the current Contact page URL, clear relevant caches, and test on desktop and mobile. Verify the target page itself loads and includes a working contact method.
Use SiteReadyScore to flag public URLs and navigation patterns worth checking. After the WordPress edit, rerun the exact visitor journey and confirm the public result, especially if a cache plugin or CDN is active.