In the vast world of the internet, things change, fast. Pages move, sites disappear, and sometimes, the connections that tie everything together, well, they break.
These broken connections, known as broken links, are more than just a minor annoyance for visitors. They can also seriously impact your website’s SEO.
So, let’s dive into what these broken links are and how they affect your online presence.
Understanding Broken Links
A broken link is a hyperlink on your website that points to a page that no longer exists. When a user clicks on it, they encounter an error page instead of seeing the intended content, typically a 404 “Page Not Found” message.
Think of links as bridges that connect one website to another. Once a link is severed, Google and users will have a hard time navigating to the desired content and will simply leave.
What Causes Links To Be Broken?
Links don’t break without rhyme or reason, although sometimes it might feel like it. Broken links can occur for several reasons:
The Page Has Been Moved Or Deleted
This is frequently the culprit behind broken links. Imagine rearranging your living room furniture without telling guests where everything has gone; the same applies to web pages.
When a page’s location changes or it vanishes altogether, any existing links pointing to it will fail. This issue occurs particularly when websites undergo redesigns or content updates.
The URL Was Entered Incorrectly
Even a minor typing mistake in a web address can disrupt the connection. Consider it akin to sending a letter with a slight error in the postal code; it may not reach its intended destination because of the wrong address.
These errors, while seemingly small, can prevent users from accessing the desired content, leading to frustration and a poor experience.
The Website Hosting The Target Page Is Down
Like any other digital entity, websites can experience periods of unavailability. These outages may be temporary due to technical issues or permanent if the site is discontinued.
When a server goes offline, any links pointing to it will result in an error. This situation can be outside your control, but its impact on your site’s reputation remains.
Changes In Website Structure
When the arrangement of a website’s pages is altered, without corresponding adjustments to internal links, problems arise.
Think of it as rebuilding a park without updating the map; visitors will get lost. This issue often surfaces after website redesigns or content reorganisation, where old links are not updated to reflect the new structure.
External Website Closure
Sometimes, the websites you link to may cease to exist. This can occur when a business closes, a project ends, or a website is simply taken down.
When this happens, links on your site pointing to that external resource will break. This situation highlights the need for regular checks on external links, given that you have no control over the continuity of other web properties.
Types of Broken Links
Not all broken links are created equal. So it’s important to understand the different types of broken links that can help you prioritise fixes and prevent future issues.
Internal Broken Links
Internal links direct users to other pages within your own website, and they act as the threads that weave your content together. When these threads snap, navigation becomes difficult.
Typical causes include simple typing errors within the URL, the removal of pages without updating corresponding links, or alterations to the website’s structure that render existing links obsolete.
Addressing these internal links is a priority, as they directly influence how visitors and search engine bots move through your site, affecting user experience and how easily search engines can index your site.
External Broken Links
These links connect your website to resources hosted elsewhere on the internet. They act as references or provide additional information to your readers.
The problem arises when the destination website undergoes changes, such as moving or deleting the linked page, or when the entire site ceases to exist. Though you cannot directly control external websites, the presence of broken external links can still detract from your site’s perceived reliability, suggesting a lack of upkeep.
Image Broken Links
If your website’s visual elements fail to load, users will see a broken image icon instead of the intended picture. This typically results from missing image files, errors in the file path, or issues with the server hosting the images.
Beyond the immediate visual disruption, broken image links can create a perception of neglect, making your website appear less polished and professional.
404 Errors
The most frequently encountered broken links are signalled by the all-too-familiar “404 Not Found” error message. This message indicates that the server hosting the website cannot locate the specific page requested by the user.
While a well-designed custom 404 page can provide a more user-friendly experience by offering alternative navigation options, the fundamental issue of the broken link remains. Therefore, the primary focus should be on identifying and rectifying the underlying broken links to restore proper site functionality.
Soft 404 Errors
These errors present a more subtle challenge, as they occur when a server responds with a “200 OK” status code, suggesting that the page has been successfully loaded. However, the page’s actual content indicates that it is an error page, often displaying a message similar to “page not found”.
Search engines struggle to detect these soft 404 errors accurately, which can lead to indexing problems and a misrepresentation of your site’s content. This type of error can have a negative impact on your site’s SEO.
Bad Redirects
These errors arise when a redirect, intended to guide users from one URL to another, points to a broken page or creates a redirect loop.
A redirect loop sounds exactly what it’s like, a series of redirects leading back to the initial URL. This effectively trap users and search engine crawlers in an endless loop cycle.
This situation prevents access to the intended content and can severely hinder your website’s crawlability, impacting its overall search engine visibility.
The Impact Of Broken Links On SEO
Broken links are not just a user experience problem but also a red flag for search engines. Google crawl websites to understand their structure and content. When they encounter broken links, it can negatively affect your site in several ways:
Reduced Crawlability: Search engine bots may waste time trying to access nonexistent pages, reducing the overall efficiency of their crawl. This means less of your site gets indexed.
Lower User Experience: Visitors who encounter broken links get frustrated. They are less likely to stay on your site, which increases your bounce rate.
Wasted Crawl Budget: Search engines allocate a certain amount of crawl budget to each website, which is the number of pages they will crawl within a given time. Broken links consume this budget, meaning fewer valuable pages are crawled and indexed. This is especially significant for large websites with lots of pages.
Hindered Page Indexation: When search engine crawlers consistently encounter broken links, they may perceive your site as unreliable. This can lead to a decrease in the frequency with which your pages are crawled, affecting how quickly new content is indexed.
Diluted Link Equity: Links from other websites (backlinks) are valuable because they pass “link equity” or “link juice.” If you link to a broken page, that equity is lost. Internal links within your site also suffer, affecting the overall flow of authority.
Reputational Damage: A site riddled with broken links looks unprofessional and poorly maintained. This can erode trust with your audience.
Fixing Broken Links
If you do stumble upon a broken link, don’t panic. It can be fixed and repaired, here’s how:
Use Online Tools
To identify broken links efficiently, consider utilising free and paid online tools that can crawl your website and generate reports.
These tools, such as Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, and Ahrefs, provide detailed information about broken links, allowing you to pinpoint their location and type.
Google Search Console, in particular, offers a valuable starting point for website owners, providing essential insights into crawl errors and other technical issues.
Regular Site Audits
Establishing a routine of regular site audits is key to maintaining a healthy website. These audits involve systematically checking your website for broken links and other technical issues.
It is crucial to conduct these audits after making changes to your website’s structure or content, as these changes can often introduce new broken links. This proactive approach helps to prevent broken links from accumulating and negatively impacting your site’s performance.
Fixing Internal Links
When addressing broken internal links, the first step is to verify if the intended page has simply moved to a new URL. If so, updating the link to the correct address will restore functionality.
If the page has been permanently removed and no suitable replacement exists, it is best to remove the link altogether. Alternatively, if a relevant replacement page exists, you can implement a 301 redirect, which permanently forwards users and search engines from the old URL to the new one, preserving link equity.
Fixing External Links
For broken external links, begin by checking if the target website has relocated the intended page and update your link accordingly. If the page is no longer available, explore alternative resources that provide similar content and update your link to point to them.
As a last resort, if no suitable replacement can be found, it is advisable to remove the link to avoid directing users to nonexistent pages.
Monitor 404 Errors
Closely monitoring your 404 error logs is an effective way to identify broken links that users are encountering on your website.
These logs provide valuable data about the specific pages that visitors are attempting to access but cannot find. By regularly reviewing these logs, you can quickly identify and fix broken links, improving the user experience and preventing search engines from encountering crawl errors.
Conclusion On What Does Broken Link Mean
Addressing broken links effectively is a key part of good website maintenance. Regular checks with tools like Google Search Console, followed by quick fixes, will keep your site running smoothly. Remember, a website that’s easy to navigate and free of errors builds trust and encourages visitors to stay.
If managing the technical side of SEO is taking up too much of your time, consider seeking professional help.
Best SEO helps you maintain a healthy website and improve your search engine rankings with our proven SEO expertise.
To see if your site has broken links, consider using our FREE SEO audit services. We can help you identify and address any technical issues, ensuring your website performs at its best with no price attached.
Frequently Asked Questions About What Does Broken Link Mean
What Are The Most Common Tools To Detect Broken Links?
Common tools include Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, and Ahrefs. These tools crawl your website and provide reports on broken links.
Is A 404 Error Always A Broken Link?
Yes. A 404 error signifies that the server cannot locate the requested page, which is the definition of a broken link.
Should I Prioritise Fixing Internal Or External Broken Links?
Prioritise fixing internal broken links first, as they directly impact your site’s navigation and crawlability. External links are still important, but internal links have a greater immediate effect.
How Often Should I Check For Broken Links?
Regular checks are recommended, ideally monthly, or more frequently after making significant changes to your website.
What Happens If I Ignore Broken Links On My Website?
Ignoring broken links can reduce your website’s search engine rankings, create a poor user experience, and damage its reputation.
What Is Link Equity, And How Do Broken Links Dilute It?
Link equity is the value passed from one webpage to another through hyperlinks. Broken links prevent this value from being passed, therefore diluting the overall value of your website’s links.
