Broken Link
A broken link is a hyperlink that leads to a non-existent or non-functional page. This typically occurs when the target page has been deleted or moved, and the link has not been updated or corrected. Broken links can negatively impact user experience and a site’s SEO, as they result in a 404 error.
What is a Broken Link
A broken link (or dead link) is a link to a web page that is no longer accessible to the user for some reason. It usually leads to a 404 (Not Found) error, indicating that the requested page could not be found.
Example:
When trying to follow a link to a page that was deleted or moved without a proper redirect, the user sees an error message, and the link is reported as broken.
Causes of Broken Links
- Page deletion. When a page on a site is deleted, but a link to it remains elsewhere, that link becomes broken.
- Moving pages without redirects. If a page is moved to a new URL but a 301 redirect is not set up, the old link will be broken.
- Errors in site code. Incorrect link configuration in the site’s code, such as typos in addresses, can lead to broken links.
- Changes in URL structure. If a site changes its URL structure (e.g., adds or removes directories), some old links may stop working.
- External sites going offline. External links sometimes become broken if the pages they point to were deleted on another site.
Impact of Broken Links on a Site
- User Experience. Broken links frustrate users because they lead to a 404 error, preventing users from accessing the desired information. This reduces user satisfaction and loyalty.
- SEO. Search engines like Google dislike broken links as they indicate poor site structure and can lower trust in the resource. Broken links harm site indexing and can lower its position in search results.
- Technical Issues. Many broken links on a site can signal underlying technical problems with its structure, making the site less effective and user-friendly for both visitors and search engines.
How to Find Broken Links
- Using website analysis tools. Specialized tools and services exist for checking broken links, such as:
- Google Search Console
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider
- Ahrefs
- Broken Link Checker
- Manual checking. Links can be checked manually by clicking on them to see if they lead to a 404 error.
- Browser extensions. Some browsers have extensions that help automatically check links on a site and report broken ones.
How to Fix Broken Links
- Updating links. If a page has been moved, it is important to update all links to its new URL or set up a redirect (e.g., a 301 redirect) from the old address to the new one.
- Removing links. If a page was deleted and will not be restored, it’s recommended to remove the broken link from the site to avoid leading users to an error.
- Creating a helpful 404 page. If broken links cannot be eliminated, you can set up a custom 404 error page containing useful information for the user, such as links to popular site sections or a search bar.
- Using redirects. To prevent broken links, set up 301 redirects from deleted or moved pages to relevant, current URLs.
Tools for Finding and Fixing Broken Links
- Google Search Console. This tool provides reports on broken links on your site and helps fix them.
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider. This tool crawls your site, helps find broken links, and provides detailed reports on each one.
- Ahrefs. A link analysis platform that shows broken external links and helps analyze their impact on SEO.
- Broken Link Checker. An online service that scans your site for broken links and suggests ways to fix them.
Real-Life Example
An online store’s website had a banner with a link to a sale page. When the sale ended, the page was deleted, but the link remained. As a result, users clicking the link saw a 404 error. To fix this, a 301 redirect to the main sales page was set up, or the link was removed from the banner.
Conclusion
A broken link is a non-functional link leading to a non-existent page, which can negatively impact user experience and SEO. To prevent such issues, it is important to regularly check the site for broken links and fix them promptly.
