Before learning, you should understand the impact of broken internal links on SEO. Broken links on websites are not good for either SEO or user experience. It can hurt your site’s rankings by preventing search engines from crawling your pages properly. For example, they can waste crawl budget or lead to higher bounce rates, affecting user experience.
If you perform regular website audits, you can quickly find and fix broken links, helping to improve SEO. Regular website audits keep your site running smoothly and avoid ranking issues.
This guide will show you how to identify and fix internal broken links.
1. What Are Broken Internal Links?
Internal links are hyperlinks that connect one page of your website to another page. They help users navigate your site and help search engines in crawling and indexing your pages.
Broken internal links occur when the destination page no longer exists or is unreachable. This can happen for several reasons, such as:
- The page is being moved or deleted.
- The URL structure is being changed without updating the link.
- A typo or mistake in the URL.
2. Why Fixing Broken Internal Links Is Important
Impact on User Experience:
- Frustrates visitors: Broken links lead to error pages, causing frustration for users who are unable to find the content they are looking for.
- Leads to higher bounce rates: If users encounter broken links, they are more likely to leave your site, resulting in a higher bounce rate.
SEO Consequences:
- Negative impact on website authority: Broken links signal poor site maintenance, which can negatively affect your site’s credibility and authority in the eyes of Google.
- Wasted crawl budget: Search engines have a limited crawl budget for each website. Broken links waste this valuable resource, preventing search engines from crawling and indexing important pages.
Link Juice and Crawlability:
- Internal links distribute “link juice”: Internal links help spread page authority (link juice) across your website, boosting SEO performance.
- Broken links hinder proper page indexing: When internal links are broken, search engines cannot crawl the linked pages, preventing them from being indexed and ranked properly.
3. How to Identify Broken Internal Links
- Using Google Search Console: Go to the “Google Search Console (GSC).” In the “Overview” page, click on “Pages” under “Indexing” on the left-hand side. Find pages with errors like 404s, which indicate broken links.
- Third-Party Tools: Tools like Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, and SEMrush can crawl your site and identify broken internal links by scanning for 404 errors and other issues.
- Manual Check: For small websites, click through links to check if they lead to live pages.
Pro Tip: For larger sites, automate the process using crawlers to quickly detect and fix broken links.
4. How to Fix Broken Internal Links
When fixing broken internal links, you have a few options: redirect, update, remove, or recreate. Each option depends on your website’s needs and the content involved. Here’s how to approach it.
Redirect Broken Links
- Use 301 redirects: A 301 redirect sends users and search engines to a relevant page when the original one is broken.
- When and how to implement: Implement redirects when a page has been moved or permanently deleted. Use a tool like Google Search Console or your website’s backend to set up these redirects properly.
Update the Link URL
- Editing the broken link: If the link leads to a page with a new URL, simply update the link to point to the new page.
- How to update link text: Ensure the link text stays relevant to the content. This helps both users and search engines understand the purpose of the link.
Remove the Broken Link
- When to remove: If there’s no replacement page, it’s better to remove the broken link than to leave it pointing to nowhere.
- Impact of removing internal links: Removing internal links can affect SEO if the link was important for spreading link juice, but it’s better than keeping a broken one.
Recreate the Missing Content
- Recreate the content: If the missing content was valuable, consider recreating it. This keeps your site fresh and ensures visitors find what they’re looking for.
- Importance of fresh, relevant content: Regularly updating and maintaining content helps with SEO rankings and user engagement.
Fixing broken links ensures a smooth user experience and supports your SEO efforts!
5. Best Practices for Preventing Broken Internal Links
- Regular Link Audits: Perform regular link audits, ideally once a month, to identify broken links. Use tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or Ahrefs for automatic monitoring and quick detection.
- Create an Internal Linking Strategy: A planned internal linking structure helps connect pages and maintain relevance. Regularly check and update your internal links to avoid broken ones and ensure smooth navigation.
- Proper URL Management: Maintain consistent, clear, and descriptive URLs. When modifying URLs, ensure that internal links are updated to prevent broken connections and to keep the site’s structure intact.
- Establish Clear Redirection Policies: Set up 301 redirects for moved or deleted pages. A redirection policy ensures that users and search engines are guided to the correct page, preventing broken links from affecting SEO.
7. How Often Should You Check for Broken Internal Links?
The frequency of checking for broken internal links depends on the size and changes on your website. For small websites, monthly checks may be sufficient, while larger websites may need weekly audits to stay on top of any issues.
Broken links can appear at different rates depending on changes made to your site, such as moving or deleting pages, updating URLs, or adding new content.
For large websites, it’s recommended to automate the link-checking process using tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog. For smaller sites, manual checks can be effective, but automation saves time and ensures accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions / Answers
1. What happens if you don’t fix broken internal links?
If broken internal links aren’t fixed, users may encounter error pages, leading to frustration and higher bounce rates. It can also negatively affect SEO, as search engines may struggle to crawl and index your site properly.
2. Are broken internal links harmful to SEO?
Yes, broken internal links are harmful to SEO. They can prevent search engines from crawling your pages effectively, causing them to miss valuable content, and may reduce your website’s overall authority and ranking.
3. Can I remove a broken internal link without affecting SEO?
Yes, removing a broken internal link can be fine for SEO if there is no relevant replacement. However, ensure that the removed link doesn’t affect the overall navigation or structure of your site.
4. Why are broken internal links a problem for users?
Broken internal links are a problem for users because they lead to dead ends or error pages (404s). This creates a frustrating experience, potentially causing users to leave your site.
5. What is a 301 redirect, and why is it important for fixing broken links?
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from an old or broken URL to a new one. It’s important because it helps preserve SEO value, guides users to relevant pages, and ensures search engines can properly index the new page.
6. How do I know if an internal link is broken?
You can identify broken internal links by using tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or Ahrefs. These tools crawl your site and highlight links that lead to 404 error pages.
7. What is the difference between broken internal links and external links?
Broken internal links point to pages within your website that no longer exist or are inaccessible. External links, on the other hand, link to external websites, and if broken, they lead to pages outside your site.
8. What should I do if I can’t find a page to replace a broken link?
If you can’t find a page to replace a broken link, consider removing the link altogether or redirecting it to a relevant page, if possible.
9. Can broken internal links affect my Google rankings?
Yes, broken internal links can negatively impact your Google rankings. They hinder proper crawling and indexing, making it harder for search engines to understand and rank your content.
10. Is it better to use a 301 or 302 redirect for broken links?
A 301 redirect is better for broken links because it’s permanent and transfers the SEO value from the old page to the new one. A 302 redirect is temporary and doesn’t pass as much SEO value.
11. How often should I audit my website for broken links?
For most websites, performing a link audit monthly is a good practice. Larger websites with frequent updates may need to audit weekly, while smaller sites can check quarterly.
12. Should I remove or update broken links on my website?
If a replacement page is available, update the link. If no relevant page exists, it’s better to remove the link entirely rather than leaving a broken one.
Conclusion
Fixing broken internal links is important for maintaining a smooth user experience and improving your website’s SEO performance. If you don’t fix broken internal links, then you’ll lose your on-page, off-page, and technical SEO efforts because broken links can be frustrate visitors, waste crawl budgets, and hurt your website’s authority, which can ultimately affect your search engine rankings. By conducting regular audits, implementing a solid internal linking strategy, and using redirects, you can keep your site in top shape.
Start implementing the steps shared in this guide today to fix broken internal links and improve both user satisfaction and SEO. Don’t wait until issues pile up—act now to ensure a seamless experience for your visitors!
