Broken links
Links pointing to pages that no longer exist (404 errors).
What is Broken links?
Broken links are hyperlinks that point to pages that no longer exist, returning 404 (Not Found) or other error codes. They can be internal (within your site) or external (pointing to other sites).
Broken links create poor user experience, waste crawl budget, and may indicate neglected site maintenance. Internal broken links are particularly damaging as they're fully within your control.
Why Broken links matters
Broken links frustrate users and indicate poor site quality. They waste crawl budget as search engines attempt to crawl non-existent pages. Excessive broken links can negatively impact perceived site quality.
How to implement
Regularly audit site for broken links
Fix or redirect broken internal links
Update or remove broken external links
Set up monitoring for new broken links
Create helpful 404 pages for remaining errors
Submit URL removals for deleted content
Common mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring broken link reports
- Deleting pages without redirects
- Not checking external links periodically
- Having generic, unhelpful 404 pages
Examples
Internal: Link to /old-product/ that was deleted
External: Link to acquired company's old domain
Soft 404: Page exists but shows 'not found' content
Frequently asked questions
Any broken links should be fixed, but prioritize high-traffic pages. A few broken links on deep pages are less critical than broken links on homepage or main navigation.
No, this creates a poor experience and doesn't preserve topical relevance. Redirect to the most relevant existing page or let true 404s remain as 404s with a helpful error page.