Finding and Fixing Broken Links (404 Errors)
Broken links, which lead to "404 Not Found" errors, create a frustrating experience for users and can negatively impact your website's Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Regularly finding and fixing these links is an essential part of website maintenance.
Analyzing Server Logs?
If you are finding lots of 404 errors triggered by spam bots, use our IP Lookup Tool to identify their origin network and block them.
Why Broken Links are Bad
- Poor User Experience: Users click a link expecting content but hit a dead end, causing them to leave your site.
- Wasted Crawl Budget: Search engine crawlers spend time requesting pages that don't exist.
- Loss of Link Equity: If external sites link to a 404 page, the ranking value ("link juice") is lost.
- Negative SEO Signals: An excessive number of 404s can signal a poorly maintained site to search engines.
How to Fix Broken Links
- Identify the Source: Use a crawl tool or Google Search Console to determine which pages contain the broken link.
- Correct Internal Links: Fix typos, remove dead links, or update them to the new URL. Always set up a permanent (301) redirect for moved content.
- Handle External Links: If an outbound link is dead, remove it or find an alternative, relevant page to link to instead.
- Create a Helpful 404 Page: Ensure your website has a custom 404 error page that helps users navigate back to relevant content rather than a generic server error.