Broken Links: Why They Matter and How to Fix Them

Broken Links: Why They Matter and How to Fix Them

Broken links may look like small hiccups, but they can hold your entire site back. You’ve probably clicked on a link before and found yourself stuck on a 404 error or a dead page. It’s annoying. If a user sees too many of these errors on your site, they may never come back. Search engines also spot them, and that can drag down your site’s potential to rank.

In this guide, we’ll break down how broken links creep in, why they matter, and how you can fix them for good. You’ll also get tips on redirecting old or changed pages, plus real-life examples to paint the picture of how a few link fixes can make a major difference.

Broken Links TLDR

A broken link is a hyperlink that sends users to a page or resource that doesn’t exist. Sometimes the page was deleted without a redirect. Other times, the link has a typo. Or maybe the domain you’re linking to disappeared. In any case, users see an error (commonly 404 Not Found) instead of the content they expected.

Why is that a problem?

• Frustrated Visitors: People click a link expecting valuable info and get an error page instead. They lose trust fast.
• Lost SEO Value: Broken pages don’t help pass link authority to the rest of your site. Search engines see them as a sign the site might not be maintained.
• Missed Opportunities: Anyone linking to your now-broken page is wasting that link juice. Plus, it’s a chance to convert visitors that you’re throwing away.

The Consequences of Ignoring Broken Links

Ignoring broken links can cause more trouble than you might think:

• Worse User Experience
  People who hit repeated 404 pages often stop browsing. They’ll likely head back to Google. This raises your bounce rate and sends signals that your site doesn’t meet expectations.
• Damaged SEO Signals
  Search engines like Google rely on internal and external links to discover and rank pages. If your internal links are broken, search engines might skip crucial sections of your site or assume content is outdated. If inbound links from other sites point to your broken pages, you lose any SEO benefits from them.
• Lower Crawl Efficiency
  Crawlers have a finite “budget” when exploring sites. Too many dead ends waste their time, which can lead to missed content or slower updates to your indexing.
• Loss of Credibility
  Visitors associate 404s or broken resources with poor site upkeep. You come across as less professional, especially if your competitors have well-maintained, error-free pages.
• Hidden Redirect Issues
  Sometimes broken links are a side-effect of half-finished redirects. If you keep changing URLs without proper steps, you can trigger Redirect Chains or even loops. These annoy crawlers and slow user experience.

Frequently Asked Questions on Broken Links

Why do links break in the first place?
They often break when a page URL changes or a page is removed. A simple typo or an outdated link to another domain can trigger 404 errors as well.

Do small sites really need to worry about broken links?
Yes. Even small blogs or personal sites benefit from consistent navigation. One or two broken links may not ruin you, but they can still hurt the user’s trust and limit search engine visibility.

Are internal or external broken links worse for SEO?
Both matter. Internal links help shape site structure and passing of link authority, so broken internal links can cause direct SEO harm. External broken links also interrupt the user experience. Broken inbound links (backlinks) are missed opportunities for passing authority to your site.

Could I just leave the page up, even if the content is outdated, so the link isn’t broken?
Some owners do. But outdated pages can confuse visitors. A better option is to redirect those outdated pages to a more relevant, up-to-date resource. Or merge the old content with a new page.

What is the difference between a broken link and a redirect loop?
A broken link leads to a 404 or another error. A redirect loop sends a browser on an endless cycle (A → B → C → back to A). If you suspect loops, see Redirect Loops: Why They Matter and How to Fix Them for more info.

What if I see “Potentially Inaccessible Links” in my ScanMySEO report?
That means Cozmo, our SEO crawler, found links that might not actually load. You can confirm by visiting the source page and testing the link directly. If it’s indeed broken, update the link or redirect it to a valid page. If it’s an external link you can’t fix, remove it or replace it with a working resource.

Simple Steps to Fix Broken Links

Here’s your blueprint for tackling broken links:

1. Scan and Identify the Broken Ones
   Use a crawler or your CMS’s link checker. In ScanMySEO, you’ll see flags for “Potentially Inaccessible Links.” External tools like Screaming Frog also highlight 404s. In Google Search Console, check the “404 Not Found” errors in the Indexing or Coverage reports.
2. Decide Which Links to Keep or Remove
   
   • Remove if the link points to something irrelevant or completely outdated.
   • Redirect if the old page is gone, but there’s a newer or more relevant resource to show.
   • Fix the Typo if it’s just a small error in the URL.
3. Set Up Redirects (When Relevant)
   Use a 301 redirect for pages that permanently moved. This passes most link authority. Avoid linking to the old URL in the first place. Update your internal links so they go straight to the correct, final page.
4. Reach Out for Backlink Updates
   If external sites link to your old URL, contact them to update it. If that’s not possible, at least set up a redirect from your old URL to your new URL. For inbound links you can’t control, a redirect is crucial so you don’t lose traffic or link value.
5. Re-Crawl and Verify
   Run another crawl after your changes. Confirm each broken link is either gone, updated, or properly redirected. Check your logs or scan results for leftover 404s.
6. Stay on Top of Maintenance
   Every so often, run a new site scan. Content changes and external pages go down. If you rearrange site categories, rename pages, or do a redesign, watch out for new 404s or misconfigurations.

Fast Improvements and Futureproof Advice

• Consolidate Old Pages: If you have multiple outdated pages, consider merging them into a “Best of” resource or a more complete guide. Then redirect the old URLs to the new resource.
• Check External Links Periodically: Even high-profile sites go offline or rebrand. Remove or replace these links if they break.
• Watch Out for Redirect Chains: A chain is A → B → C → D. This slows performance and can confuse search engines. If you find multiple hops, point the original URL (A) directly to D. For more details, see Redirect Chains: How to Spot Them, Why They Matter, and How to Fix Them.
• Use the Right Status Codes:
  404 or 410 for pages that are truly gone.
  301 for a permanent move.
  302 for a quick, temporary redirect (rare in most content-based sites).
• Update Your Sitemap: If the link structure changed, ensure you remove broken pages from the XML sitemap. This helps search engines crawl efficiently.
• Prevent Future Hassles: Before removing or renaming a page, add a redirect or adjust your links in one go. Also keep track of any external references to that URL and reach out where possible.

Real-Life Example: A Store with Moved Product Pages

Let’s say you run an online shop selling running shoes. You once had a product page at example.com/products/lightweight-shoes, but you deleted it last year. Now, anyone who tries to visit that link sees a 404 page.

You decide to fix it because you have a better, updated page at example.com/products/lightweight-shoes-pro. You do the following:

• Search your site for references to the old page. Sure enough, your “New Arrivals” section still links to the outdated URL. You correct the link to point to the new product.
• Add a 301 redirect from /products/lightweight-shoes to /products/lightweight-shoes-pro. That way, if a user (or search engine) visits the old link or finds it via Google, they instantly land on the new product page.
• Re-check your site using a crawler. No more broken product link. Bounce rates on your new page drop, and user satisfaction goes up.

Within a few weeks, you notice more visits to the new product page. You also retain any link authority that old page had earned from blog mentions or social media posts.

Wrapping Up: Your Next Moves for Complete Optimization

Broken links won’t vanish on their own. They block users from reaching valuable content and can weaken your SEO signals. The good news is that fixing them is fairly straightforward. With a crawl and a careful plan of attack, you can reclaim potential link authority, keep users happy, and show search engines you run a well-maintained site.

Key next steps:

1. Audit your site for 404s or flagged broken links using a tool like ScanMySEO.
2. Prioritize pages with high-value links or heavy traffic.
3. Fix broken links by updating or removing them, or redirecting to a relevant replacement.
4. Double-check your internal links and sitemaps after making these updates.
5. Keep an eye on your analytics for changes in bounce rates and user behavior.

Quick Reference: Checklist and Top Resource Links

Summary Checklist

• Run a crawler (or open your ScanMySEO report) to see all broken links.
• Update or remove old links. Redirect to new pages if relevant.
• Contact sites that link to your defunct URLs to fix or update those backlinks.
• Scan your site again to confirm 404s are gone.
• Revisit your link structure every few months or after big site changes.

Relevant Links

• MDN 404 Documentation
• SEO.com’s 404 Error Overview
• Redirect Loops: Why They Matter and How to Fix Them
• Redirect Chains: How to Spot Them, Why They Matter, and How to Fix Them

Broken links can sneak up on you, but they’re one of the easiest SEO issues to fix. Once you handle them, you’ll enjoy a healthier, more user-friendly site that search engines are happy to rank higher.