What is Broken Link?
Broken links are links on a website that lead to pages that no longer exist or return error responses, negatively impacting user experience and search engine crawling efficiency.
Ecommerce SEO Glossary > Off-Page SEO > Broken Link
What You Need to Know about Broken Link
Internal Navigation Damage
Broken internal links waste crawl budget and disrupt link equity distribution, while signaling poor site maintenance to search engines.
User Experience Degradation
Visitors encountering broken links experience frustration and may abandon the site, increasing bounce rates and reducing conversions.
Broken Outbound Links
Broken outbound links create poor user experience and signal inadequate site maintenance to both users and search engines.
Crawl Budget Waste
Search engine crawlers spend valuable resources attempting to access broken pages, reducing efficiency for indexing functional content.
Technical SEO Signal
High numbers of broken links signal poor site maintenance to search engines, potentially impacting overall domain authority.
Link Building Opportunities Lost
Broken links to external sites represent missed opportunities for relationship building and earning quality backlinks through industry connections.
Frequently Asked Questions about Broken Link
1. How do broken links affect SEO rankings?
Broken links waste crawl budget and signal poor site quality, potentially reducing search engine trust and rankings.
2. What tools can identify broken links effectively?
Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and Google Search Console can help you identify broken links.
3. Should I remove or redirect broken internal links?
Fix broken internal links by updating URLs to correct destinations; remove if they’re no longer relevant.
4. How often should I check for broken links?
Monthly audits prevent broken link accumulation, with immediate checks after site updates or content migrations.
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