Catch soft failures
If the expected text is missing from the response, the check fails, even on 200.
Keyword monitoring
Online is good.Correct is better.
The most treacherous failures are the ones the server considers a success: empty pages, error messages inside the template, broken database output, all with status code 200. The keyword check therefore validates the content as well.
HTTP / HTTPS
shop.example
Operational
Check content
Your order is confirmed.
HTTP 200 OK
<body>
confirmed
</body> Expected content found
01 / Keyword monitoring
What you can keep track of
Any text you choose
Company name in the footer, a product heading or a marker of your choice.
Combined with everything
Runs alongside status code and response time checks in the same monitor.
For CMS sites, shops and anything with a database behind it
Dynamic pages in particular can be "successfully" broken: the CMS renders an empty template, the shop shows an error inside the layout, a deployment took half the page down. A pure status code check reports all of these as fine.
- CMS sites (WordPress, Typo3 etc.) whose database can drop away
- Shop home pages and checkout entries
- Landing pages after deployments
02 / Docs
Set up in three steps
- 01
Create the monitor
Add the website as a regular monitor; the keyword check is an option on the monitor.
- 02
Set the expected text
Choose a stable, always-visible text, for example the company name in the footer.
- 03
Alert on deviation
If the text is missing from the response, the check counts as failed and alerts after confirmation.
03 / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a soft 404 and why is it dangerous?
A response that technically says 200 but is broken in substance, such as an empty page or an error message. Pure status code monitors report "all good" here; the keyword check exposes exactly that.
Which text should I choose?
One that always appears on the healthy page and disappears on a broken one: company name in the footer, the copyright line or a fixed heading. Avoid texts that change with editorial updates.
Is keyword monitoring included in every plan?
Yes, like the SSL check it is part of every plan, including the free one.
Clesk Uptime
Check what your visitors see, not just the status code.
Three monitors free forever, keyword check included.