What are broken links?
A broken link, also known as a dead or rotten link, is a hyperlink that no longer points to its intended destination.
What causes a link to break?
A link can break for various reasons:
- The linked page is deleted
- The linked page is moved
- The URL was mistyped
- The destination website is down
Why are broken links bad?
They frustrate your visitors
Website visitors expect to find relevant information when they click on a link. Dead links can lead to a poor user experience, causing visitors to lose trust in the website and potentially abandon it altogether. Broken links can harm your website's reputation and your company's credibility.
They harm your SEO performance
Search engines like Google consider broken links when determining a website's ranking in search results. Too many broken links can signal to search engines that the website needs maintenance or is untrustworthy, resulting in lower rankings. Additionally, if broken links are internal (within the same website), they can disrupt the link flow, affecting the overall SEO performance of the site.
They can cost you sales
If someone is ready to buy from you, the last thing you want is a broken buy button or a contact page that results in an HTTP 404 error. Are you confident that people can complete the purchase process on your website at all times?
How can you keep your website free of broken links?
The best practice is regularly checking for broken links and fixing them promptly. You could check the links manually, but that takes time. That's where broken link tests and broken link monitoring software come in. They can do the hard work for you.
How can you fix broken links?
The solution depends on why the link is broken:
Update the link
If the broken link is pointing to a page or resource that has been moved or deleted, the simplest solution is to update the link to point to the correct URL.
Create a 301-redirect
If the content has been moved to a new location, you can set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one.
Fix the typo
If the broken link is caused by a misspelling in the URL, correct the mistake to restore the link.
Remove the link
If your website contains broken links to external websites, consider removing the link altogether.
