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What does Broken link mean?

Synonyms: Dead link

A broken link, also known as a dead link, is a hyperlink that no longer works as intended. When users click on a broken link, they usually encounter an error page, such as a 404 error (Page Not Found), because the linked page has been removed, moved, or the URL is incorrect. Broken links can occur both within a website (internal links) or when linking to other websites (external links).

Why Do Broken Links Happen?

There are several reasons why a link might break:

  • Page Removed or Deleted: The linked content has been taken down.
  • URL Changes: The URL of the linked page has changed without a redirect in place.
  • Website Moved or Domain Expired: The website has moved to a new domain or the domain itself is no longer active.
  • Typos or Errors: An incorrect URL was entered when creating the link.

Why Are Broken Links a Problem?

Broken links can negatively affect both user experience and SEO:

  • User Experience: When users click on a link and land on an error page, it can be frustrating and lead to them leaving the site, increasing the bounce rate.
  • SEO Impact: Search engines like Google take broken links into account when ranking websites. Having too many broken links can signal to search engines that the site isn’t being maintained properly, which can lower its ranking. Additionally, search engines may struggle to crawl and index pages correctly when broken internal links are present.

How to Fix Broken Links

  1. Use a Broken Link Checker: Tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or Ahrefs can scan your site and detect broken links.
  2. Update or Redirect the Link: If the content has been moved, update the link to the correct URL, or set up a 301 redirect to guide users to the new page.
  3. Remove the Link: If the page is no longer relevant, consider removing the broken link entirely or finding an alternative resource to link to.
  4. WordPress plugin: Plugins like Swift SEO can monitor 404 pages and allows you to handle them properly and effeciently.

By regularly auditing your site for broken links, you can ensure a smoother user experience and help maintain or improve your SEO performance.

Terms related to Broken link