How to Fix Broken Links

What are Broken Links?

Broken links, sometimes known as “dead links”, reference URLs that do not lead to a valid destination URL. In terms of SEO, they hinder website performance by resulting in “404 Not Found” errors, server errors, or other 4XX or 5XX status codes – impacting search engine accessibility. Search engines prioritize sites with functional links and efficient navigation, rewarding them with better visibility on results pages.

These broken links can occur when:

• A page is deleted from a website and old links still point to that URL
• A typo is made in a URL when linking
• Server issues are encountered
• Websites experience errors due to plugin conflicts, code updates, or other technical changes

Importance of Fixing Broken Links

For search engines, encountering broken links can impact crawlers’ ability to discover website content, not only by reaching a “dead end” but over time by affecting crawl budget and priority. Broken links don’t pass any SEO link value and can damage the perceived quality of the page and E-E-A-T signals.

For users, broken links significantly deteriorate user experience and trust. Visitors encounter frustration when clicking on unresponsive links, leading to confusion, site abandonment, and lower conversion rates. This is impactful not only directly to the user’s experience, but in the engagement metrics that search engines rely on.

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Common Causes of Broken Links & How to Resolve Them

Deleted Content

When a webpage is removed without a proper replacement, any internal or external links pointing to it will result in a 404 error, frustrating users and harming SEO. Over time, too many broken links can signal poor site maintenance.

Solution: Before deleting a page, determine if it has valuable backlinks or internal references, which can be done by using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz. If so, set up a 301 redirect to a relevant alternative. If no suitable page exists, consider reinstating the content or redirecting to a relevant parent URL.

Moved Content without URL Redirects

Changing URLs during a site migration, restructuring, or content update without proper redirects can cause links to break, leading to lost traffic and rankings.

Solution: Whenever a URL permanently changes, implement a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one to preserve SEO value and user experience. Make sure that XML sitemap accuracy is maintained and URLs are updated accordingly.

URL Typos

A simple mistake, such as a missing character or incorrect capitalization in a URL, can render a link useless, leading users to an error page instead of the intended content.

Solution: Regularly audit internal links using tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog to identify and correct URLs that contain formatting errors. Encourage copy-pasting URLs rather than manually typing them to minimize human error.

Broken External Links from Source Updates

Websites frequently update their content, restructure URLs, or remove pages, which can turn outbound links to other domains into dead ends. Over time, too many broken external links can negatively impact user trust and SEO – especially when these links are used to cite sources or bolster claims made within your content.

Solution: Conduct routine link audits to identify broken external links. If an updated version of the page exists, replace the broken link with the correct one. If no alternative is available, either remove the link or link to an authoritative substitute to maintain the resource’s value.

How to Monitor for Broken Links

Monitoring for broken links keeps your website healthy and user-friendly. Make it a routine to scan your site at least monthly for these issues.

You can use crawlers like Screaming Frog to identify dead links. At TechAudits, we have systems in place to continuously monitor our customers’ sites for broken links, among many other things. We also offer a Website Health Scan, which includes insights on any broken links discovered on your site.