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Maintaining a healthy website is key to a greater user experience, improved SEO rankings and boosting credibility. But one of the major issue that harms website’s healthy is “broken links”.
It is very important to fix these links as they can make your pages dead, poor user experience and erode your SEO efforts.
In this artile we are going to explain as how to check the broken links and how to fix them. IT Company also offers free site maintenance report, if you are interested in auditing your broken links checking and fixation, explore this opportunity free of cost.
What Are Broken Links?
A broken link, also known as a dead link, occurs when a URL points to a webpage that no longer exists or is unreachable. When users try to click on these links, they are either directed to a 404-error page or another undesirable outcome.
Why Broken Links Matter
- User Experience: Broken links frustrate visitors and may drive them away from your site.
- SEO Impact: Search engines like Google consider broken links a negative factor. They may reduce your site’s rankings.
- Website Credibility: Too many broken links can make your website look outdated or poorly maintained.
How to Check for Broken Links: Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Manual Check
A simple, although time-consuming, method is to check links manually. This is more effective on smaller websites, but not recommended for larger sites.
- Go to each page of your website.
- Click on every link to see if it leads to the correct page.
- If you encounter a 404 error, the link is broken.
While effective for smaller sites, this method is time-consuming and error-prone for large websites with many pages and links.
Step 2: Use Online Tools
The more efficient way to find broken links is by using online tools designed to scan your site. These tools automatically identify dead links and provide reports. Here are some popular options:
- Google Search Console: This free tool by Google helps you monitor and maintain your site’s presence in search results. It reports broken links under the “Coverage” section, where you can see any 404 errors.
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider: This software crawls your website and provides detailed reports on broken links. It’s ideal for larger sites.
- Ahrefs: A comprehensive SEO tool that not only checks for broken links but also provides detailed analysis and suggestions.
- Dead Link Checker: This free tool scans your website for broken links and gives you a clear report.
Step 3: Analyzing the Reports
Once you run a scan with one of the tools mentioned above, you’ll get a report listing all broken links. Here’s how to interpret and act on the report:
- 404 Errors: These are the most common type of broken links. They indicate that the page you’re linking to no longer exists or has been moved.
- Redirects (301/302): Links that redirect to other URLs can sometimes be problematic, especially if the redirection is too complex or the target page is not relevant.
- Server Errors (500): These errors mean the server could not retrieve the page, often due to server issues.
Step 4: Fixing Broken Links
After identifying the broken links, the next step is to fix them. Here’s how you can do that:
- Update or Replace the Link: If a page was moved or renamed, update the link to reflect the new URL. If the page no longer exists, replace it with a relevant link.
- Remove the Broken Link: If a link leads to a page that is permanently unavailable, simply remove the link from your site.
- Implement Redirects: If a page has been moved to a new location, set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one. This helps preserve SEO value.
- Check for Typos: Sometimes, broken links are simply due to a typo in the URL. Double-check spelling, especially for internal links.
Step 5: Testing After Fixes
Once you’ve updated or removed the broken links, run another scan to ensure all issues have been resolved. This step is crucial to confirm that the site is in good shape and free of dead links.
How to Avoid Broken Links
Fixing broken links is important, but preventing them in the first place can save you time and effort. Here’s how you can avoid broken links on your website:
- Use a Link Checker Regularly: Tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog can be used periodically to ensure there are no broken links on your website. Make it a habit to run these checks monthly or quarterly.
- Redirect Old URLs: When pages are deleted or moved, always set up a 301 redirect to the new URL. This ensures that visitors and search engines are directed to the correct page, preserving SEO rankings.
- Monitor External Links: External links can break if the third-party website goes down or changes its structure. Make sure to monitor these links and update them when necessary.
- Keep URLs Consistent: Avoid changing URLs frequently. If you must, make sure redirects are set up correctly. This prevents links from breaking due to changes in the site structure.
- Check Links After Major Website Changes: After significant updates to your website (like redesigns or migrations), always check for broken links. It’s easy to overlook this step, but it can save you from major headaches down the line.
Different Types of Broken Links
Here’s a table summarizing the different types of broken links you may encounter:
| Type of Broken Link | Description | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 404 Error (Page Not Found) | The most common type of broken link. The target page no longer exists. | Update the link or redirect to a relevant page. |
| 301 Redirects | A permanent redirect, often used when pages are moved. While useful, too many redirects can slow down your site. | Minimize redirects and ensure they are pointing to the correct destination. |
| 302 Redirects | A temporary redirect. These are less common but can still create issues if used incorrectly. | If the redirect is permanent, change it to a 301. |
| 500 Server Error | A server error indicating that something went wrong on the server’s end. | Check server settings or contact your hosting provider. |
| 403 Forbidden | The server is refusing to fulfill the request, often due to permission issues. | Fix file permissions or contact server admin. |
| Bad URL (Typo) | A broken link caused by a typo in the URL. | Correct the typo in the URL. |
Conclusion
Broken links are a common problem for website owners, but they can be easily managed with the right tools and strategies. Regularly checking for broken links, fixing them promptly, and implementing preventive measures will ensure that your website remains in top shape. By maintaining a healthy website, you improve user experience, boost SEO performance, and enhance your site’s credibility. Make it a priority to monitor and fix broken links to ensure the ongoing success of your site.
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