Connection failed. Please try again.

Skip to content
SEO Tools
Help and documentation
SEO Medium impact Easy ongoing

Broken links

Links leading to a 404 spoil both UX and the crawl.

What it is

A broken link leads to a nonexistent page (404) or an error. It can be internal (within the site) or external (to another site that has vanished).

Why it matters

Broken links frustrate visitors, waste crawl budget, and signal neglected maintenance. Internal broken links also prevent Google from crawling the site and passing authority.

How to do it

  1. 1Regularly scan the site for broken links.
  2. 2Fix internal 404s — edit the link or set up a 301 to a replacement.
  3. 3Update or remove external dead links.
  4. 4Watch this especially after migrations and URL changes.

Conclusion

Broken links are a silent leak of quality and traffic. The fix is easy, it just requires regularity. After every major site change, run a broken-links check — address internal ones as a priority.

Related topics