Broken Link

Broken Links (404s): Clean Up Your Digital Hygiene

A broken link points to a page that no longer exists, typically resulting in a 404 error. While a few broken links are normal for large sites, leaving them unchecked creates a poor user experience and wastes your "crawl budget."

Why they hurt you

• User Frustration: Clicking a link and hitting a dead end is annoying. Users often leave immediately.
• Lost Link Equity: If an external site links to a broken page on your site, that "vote" of confidence is wasted.
• Crawl Efficiency: Search bots spend time crawling dead ends instead of your new, important content.

How to fix them

• 301 Redirect: If the page moved or has a relevant replacement, redirect the broken URL to the new one.
• Remove the link: If the content is gone and irrelevant, simply delete the link from your content.
• Custom 404: Ensure your 404 page is helpful (search bar, popular links) so users don't bounce instantly.

Regular audits (e.g., monthly) with tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs are the best way to keep your link profile healthy.