Broken Links

What are Broken Links?

A Broken Link, or also dead link, is a link on a web page that no longer works because the web page encounters one or more of the following:

A wrong URL, which was entered by the website owner for as a link.
The target website has removed the linked web page (causing a so-called 404 error).
The target website has been moved permanently or no longer exists.
The user has software or is behind a firewall that blocks access to the target website.
The website owner is linked to a website that is behind a firewall that does not allow external access (e.g. a Intranet-site or a restricted access area on a website).

Broken Links can be problematic for website visitors, preventing them from accessing the resources or information they need. This can lead to users deciding to use another website to find the information they need elsewhere.

A website that has not been updated or checked for a long time can suffer from "link rot", a term used to describe a website with numerous broken links.

Broken links and SEO

Links are considered by search engines as a vote for the quality of a website. Links to your website and links within your website can affect on which Ranking your website is placed in the search results. For this reason, it is recommended to remove or update broken links.

Cleaning up broken links can improve your website's context and usability. It also makes the content within your website easier to find for visitors and search engines. Websites with too many broken links are almost always a signal of poor quality to search engines.

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FAQ

What is a broken link?

A broken link is a link that no longer points to a page or document it is supposed to point to. There are several causes for the failure of a link, for example, a change in the URL, a technical problem, a problem on the part of the provider, or an error in entering the link.

Why is it important to fix broken links?

broken links affect the usability of a website, as they take users to pages that do not exist. This is very unsatisfactory for the user experience and wastes visitors' time. In addition, a website with many broken links can affect its search engine position, as search engines evaluate broken links as bad content.

How do I find broken links on my website?

There are several tools for checking links on a website. Some of these tools are free, others are paid. Some browsers also have a built-in feature for finding and repairing broken links. In addition, broken links can be found manually by searching the pages of the website and checking each link.

What is the best solution to fix broken links on my website?

There are several ways to fix broken links on a website. The best solution depends on what type of link is broken. If it is an internal link, the URL can be changed to point to the correct page. If it is an external link, the link may need to be updated or removed.

Can I check my website for broken links myself?

Yes, it is possible to check a website for broken links. This can be done using special tools that search for links on a website and check if they point to a page or document that still exists. It is also possible to check broken links manually by checking each link to make sure it points to a correct page.

What is a 301 redirect?

A 301 redirect is a type of redirection that is used to redirect visitors from a broken page to a new page or to the home page of the website. A 301 redirect is also used to signal to search engines that the page has been moved, allowing them to update their rankings.

How can I find broken links on other websites?

There are special tools that can check other people's websites for broken links. These tools search the pages and links on a website and check if they point to a page or document that still exists. These tools can also be used to find broken links on social media channels.

How can I make sure that all links on my website work?

To ensure that all links on a website work, it is important to regularly check the pages and fix broken links. It is also useful to use special tools for checking links, so that broken links can be identified more quickly.

Can a website be penalized if it contains broken links?

Yes, search engines can penalize websites for containing broken links. If a website contains many broken links, this can affect the rankings of the website and it may no longer be found via search engines.

How can I fix broken links if they point to a page that no longer exists?

If a link points to a page that no longer exists, the link can be redirected either to a new page or to the home page of the website. It is also possible to remove the link if there is no new page, but it is important that the link is replaced with a 301 redirect so that search engines know that the link no longer works.

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Let Google work for you, because visitors become customers.

Niels Stuck

Niels Stuck has 10 years of SEO experience and is the founder of the SEO agency "WOLF OF SEO". He gained practical experience by building 20+ affiliate sites alongside his marketing studies. Finally, he wrote his bachelor thesis about the influence of SEO on Google rankings, traffic and sales development in the form of a case study. Today, he specializes in e-commerce SEO and helps more than 80 companies build a sustainable organic revenue channel through SEO. Niels advises startups, established brands and corporations in search engine optimization of their online stores and primarily focuses on data-based content strategies and link building. He shares his knowledge about SEO and online marketing in this blog, as a speaker at conferences, in podcasts and as a guest author for OMT, Forbes, Starting Up and many more platforms.

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