Broken links are a common technical SEO issue that can affect website navigation, user experience, and how search engines discover pages. They occur when a link points to a URL that no longer works or cannot be reached.
A broken link might lead to a deleted page, an incorrect URL, a page that returns a 404 error, or a resource that has moved without a proper redirect. While a few broken links may not cause significant problems, a large number of them can make it harder for visitors to find information and can interfere with the way search engines navigate a website.
Finding and fixing broken links is an important part of technical SEO maintenance. This guide explains what broken links are, why they matter, how to identify them, and how to fix them using a systematic approach.
What Are Broken Links?
A broken link is a hyperlink that leads to a destination that is unavailable, missing, or otherwise inaccessible. When someone clicks the link, they may encounter an error page instead of the content they expected.
Broken links can appear in several places across a website:
- Internal links: Links that point to other pages on the same website.
- External links: Links that point to pages on other websites.
- Image links: Links to image files that have been moved, deleted, or become inaccessible.
- Download links: Links to documents, PDFs, or other downloadable files that no longer exist.
For example, a blog post might contain a link to /seo-audit-guide/. If that page is deleted or its URL changes without an appropriate redirect, the link may lead to a 404 Not Found error.
Not every broken link returns a 404 error. Depending on the server and destination, a link may produce a 410 Gone, 403 Forbidden, 500 Internal Server Error, or another response. Some links may also fail because of DNS problems, network restrictions, or temporary outages.
Why Broken Links Matter for SEO
Broken links can affect how people use a website and how search engines discover its content. Their impact depends on the number of affected links, the importance of the destination pages, and whether the problems are temporary or persistent.
1. They create a poor user experience
Visitors click links because they expect to find useful information. When a link leads to an error page, it interrupts their journey and may force them to return to the previous page or search for the information elsewhere.
This is particularly frustrating when broken links appear in important navigation menus, product pages, tutorials, or content that visitors rely on to complete a task.
2. They can interfere with search engine crawling
Search engines discover pages by following links and other signals. Internal links help search engines navigate between pages and understand how website content is connected.
When an internal link points to a nonexistent URL, the crawler may encounter an error instead of reaching the intended destination. This can be especially problematic when important pages have few alternative internal links.
A broken link does not automatically mean that a website will lose rankings. Search engines can discover pages through other links, sitemaps, and previously known URLs. The practical concern is whether the broken links prevent important pages from being discovered or accessed.
3. They can interrupt the flow of internal link equity
Internal links help distribute signals and context across a website. When a page links to another relevant page, the destination can benefit from the connection and the opportunity for visitors and crawlers to discover it.
If the destination is missing, that link cannot pass visitors to the intended content. If the missing URL was an important page with valuable inbound links, it may be worth investigating whether the page should be restored or redirected.
The number of broken links alone does not tell you how serious the problem is. A single broken link from a high-traffic page to an important resource may deserve more attention than dozens of broken links in old, rarely visited content.
4. They can reduce conversions
Broken links can disrupt important conversion paths, including:
- Links to product pages and category pages.
- Calls to action that lead to contact or registration forms.
- Links to pricing pages and service information.
- Download links for brochures, guides, and other resources.
- Links to checkout or account-related pages.
For businesses, a broken link in a key conversion path can mean a lost opportunity. Regularly checking links on high-value pages can help prevent visitors from reaching dead ends.
5. They make website maintenance more difficult
Broken links can accumulate as a website grows. Pages are deleted, URLs change, content is reorganized, and external websites update their own pages.
Without regular monitoring, it becomes harder to determine which broken links are still relevant, which are caused by temporary issues, and which need permanent fixes. A structured audit helps separate important issues from minor ones and keeps corrections organized.
Common Causes of Broken Links
Understanding why links break makes it easier to identify the right fix and prevent the same issue from happening again.
1. Deleted pages
When a page is removed without redirecting its old URL or updating links pointing to it, those links can become broken. This often happens during website redesigns, content pruning, and product catalog updates.
2. Incorrect URLs
A link may contain a spelling mistake, an incorrect folder name, an extra character, or a missing part of the URL. Even a small typo can prevent visitors from reaching the intended page.
3. Website restructuring
Changing URL structures, moving pages into new directories, or migrating to a different content management system can leave old links pointing to outdated locations.
4. Server and access issues
A destination may temporarily become unavailable because of server errors, access restrictions, or configuration problems. Some errors that appear to be broken links may resolve once the underlying issue is corrected.
5. Changes to external websites
External pages can be removed, renamed, or moved without notice. A link that worked when a blog post was published may become unavailable months or years later.
How to Find Broken Links on Your Website
The most reliable way to identify broken links across a website is to perform a crawl and review the URLs that return error responses. A manual check can help with individual links, but it is inefficient for larger websites.
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Crawl your website
Start by crawling your website with a technical SEO crawler. A crawler follows internal links and records the URLs it encounters, along with information about their HTTP status codes and the pages that link to them.
During the crawl, look for URLs returning errors such as 404, 410, 403, and 5xx responses.
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Identify the pages containing broken links
Finding an error URL is only the first part of the process. You also need to know which pages link to it.
For example, a crawl might reveal that
/old-seo-guide/returns a 404 error. The next step is to identify every page on your website that contains a link to that URL.A useful broken link report should include:
- The broken destination URL.
- The HTTP status code returned.
- The source page containing the link.
- The type of link, such as internal or external.
- The number of pages linking to the broken destination, when available.
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Check the broken URLs manually
Before making changes, open the affected URLs in a browser and verify the reported errors.
Check whether the page is genuinely missing, has moved to a new URL, requires authentication, or is experiencing a temporary outage. For external links, consider whether the destination website is temporarily unavailable or has permanently removed the content.
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Review internal and external broken links separately
Internal broken links are usually within your control. You can update the link, restore the missing page, or redirect the old URL to a relevant replacement.
External broken links are more difficult because you do not control the destination website. You may need to find an updated resource, replace the reference, or remove the link if no suitable alternative exists.
Common HTTP Status Codes to Check
When auditing broken links, review the HTTP status code returned by each destination. The status helps explain what happened when the crawler requested the URL.
| HTTP status | Meaning | What to investigate |
|---|---|---|
| 404 | Not Found | Whether the page was deleted, moved, or entered incorrectly. |
| 410 | Gone | Whether the page was intentionally removed. |
| 403 | Forbidden | Whether access restrictions are blocking the request. |
| 500 | Internal Server Error | Whether a server-side problem is affecting the destination. |
| 502 | Bad Gateway | Whether an upstream server or gateway is failing. |
| 503 | Service Unavailable | Whether the server is temporarily unavailable. |
A crawler's results reflect what it could access at the time of the audit. If a page returns an error during one crawl, verify that the issue persists before making permanent changes.
How to Fix Broken Links
Once you have identified the broken URLs and their source pages, choose a fix based on what happened to the destination. Not every broken link should be redirected, and not every missing page needs to be restored.
1. Update links that contain incorrect URLs
If a link contains a typo or points to the wrong location, correct the URL on the page where the link appears.
| Incorrect URL | Correct URL |
|---|---|
/blog/seo-audti/ | /blog/seo-audit/ |
/services/technical-seo | /services/technical-seo/ |
Check that the corrected destination loads successfully and contains the content visitors expect. If the incorrect URL is used in multiple places, update every relevant instance rather than correcting only the first page you find.
2. Redirect permanently moved pages
If a page has moved to a new URL and the old page no longer exists, a permanent redirect can guide visitors and search engines to the replacement.
A 301 redirect is commonly used for permanent URL changes. For example:
A redirect should point to a page that satisfies the original link's purpose. Avoid redirecting unrelated deleted pages to the homepage simply to eliminate 404 errors.
If a page has been permanently removed and there is no suitable replacement, returning a 404 or 410 response may be appropriate.
3. Restore important deleted pages
Sometimes a page is deleted accidentally or removed even though it still provides useful information.
If the original content is still relevant, consider restoring the page at its previous URL. This can be particularly useful when other pages still link to it or when it serves an important purpose for visitors.
Before restoring a page, check whether its content is accurate, whether it duplicates another page, and whether the original URL should remain in use.
4. Replace or remove broken external links
External broken links require a different approach because you cannot directly change the destination website.
If an external resource has moved, look for the updated URL and replace the old link. If the original source has been removed, find another reliable resource that supports the same information.
If no suitable replacement exists, remove the link and revise the surrounding text if necessary. For example, an article citing an outdated government resource might need to link to the current official publication rather than an archived or unavailable page.
5. Fix broken image and file links
Broken links are not limited to ordinary web pages. Images, PDFs, downloadable files, and other resources can also become unavailable.
If a page contains a missing image, check whether the file was renamed, deleted, or moved to another directory. Update the image source to the correct file location or restore the missing asset.
For broken downloads, verify that the file exists and that visitors have permission to access it. Replace outdated download links with the correct files and test the downloads after updating them.
6. Correct internal links pointing through unnecessary redirects
Not all links that successfully reach a page are ideal. Some internal links may point to old URLs that redirect to a new destination.
Although a functioning redirect can preserve access, updating internal links to point directly to the final destination reduces unnecessary redirect steps and makes the website easier to maintain.
Update the source link and retain the redirect when it is still needed for visitors or external websites using the old URL.
How to Prioritize Broken Link Fixes
A large website may have hundreds or thousands of broken links. Fixing every issue at once may not be practical, so prioritize based on the importance of the affected pages and the likely impact on visitors.
| Priority factor | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Page importance | Broken links on key landing pages, product pages, and navigation. |
| Link frequency | Destinations linked from many pages. |
| Visitor impact | Links that interrupt important tasks or access to useful information. |
| Business impact | Broken links affecting leads, sales, registrations, or downloads. |
| Error type | Persistent missing pages versus temporary server or access errors. |
| Available fix | Whether a relevant replacement page or resource exists. |
Broken links on important pages
Start with links on high-traffic pages, navigation menus, conversion paths, and other content that visitors rely on. A broken link in a prominent location may affect more people than a link buried in an old article.
Broken links in supporting content
Review links in older blog posts, resource pages, and secondary landing pages. Replace missing destinations with relevant alternatives or remove links that are no longer useful.
Low-impact or irrelevant links
Some broken links may exist in outdated content that receives little traffic and has no continuing purpose. Decide whether to update the content, remove it, or leave an appropriate missing-page response.
Prioritization should also account for recurring errors. If the same broken URL appears across dozens of pages, fixing the underlying source or template may resolve multiple issues at once.
How to Prevent Broken Links in the Future
Fixing existing broken links is only part of maintaining a healthy website. A few routine practices can help prevent the same problems from returning.
1. Audit links regularly
Schedule periodic website crawls to identify newly broken links. The frequency depends on how often your website changes.
A frequently updated ecommerce site may need more regular checks than a small informational website that rarely publishes new content. You can also run a crawl after a major redesign, URL migration, or content restructuring.
2. Check links before publishing content
Before publishing a new article or landing page, verify that the links work and lead to the intended destinations.
This includes internal links, external references, images, and downloadable files. Checking links before publication can prevent avoidable errors from entering your website.
3. Use redirects during website migrations
When changing URL structures or moving content, create a redirect plan before the migration takes place.
Map old URLs to their appropriate new destinations, implement the redirects, and test the results. Also update internal links, navigation menus, and important references to use the new URLs directly.
4. Avoid deleting useful pages without reviewing their links
Before removing a page, determine whether it is linked from other parts of your website or referenced by external websites.
If the content is still useful, consider updating it rather than deleting it. If a replacement exists, use an appropriate redirect. If the page is no longer relevant and has no suitable replacement, ensure that the missing-page response is intentional.
5. Monitor important external resources
External websites can change without notice. Review important outbound links periodically, especially those supporting factual claims, research, or instructions.
For high-value references, consider keeping a record of the original source and checking whether an updated version is available if the link fails.
6. Maintain an ongoing issue log
Keep a record of identified broken links, their source pages, the chosen fix, and the date the correction was made.
An issue log makes it easier to verify that fixes have been completed and helps prevent recurring problems from being overlooked.
How to Find and Fix Broken Links Using SiteAuditLint
A technical SEO crawler can help you identify broken links across your website without having to open every page manually. With SiteAuditLint, you can crawl your website, review the URLs that return errors, and investigate the pages containing those links.
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Run a website crawl
Enter your website's starting URL and run a crawl to discover internal pages and the links they contain. Review the crawl results for destinations that return error responses.
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Review the broken link report
Identify URLs returning errors and inspect their status codes. Pay particular attention to internal links leading to missing pages and resources that are important to visitors.
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Find the pages linking to the errors
Use the report's source-page information to determine where the broken links appear. Group repeated issues so you can address multiple affected pages efficiently.
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Apply the appropriate fixes
Update incorrect URLs, restore important missing pages, add relevant redirects, or replace unavailable external resources. Then run another crawl to verify the corrections.
Track improvements across audits
The most useful part of a recurring audit is being able to compare results over time. By keeping records of previous crawls, you can monitor whether broken links are decreasing, identify recurring problems, and check whether your maintenance work is addressing the issues that matter most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do broken links hurt SEO?
Broken links can interfere with website navigation and make it harder for search engines to discover certain pages. However, a broken link does not automatically result in a ranking penalty. The impact depends on which pages are affected, how important those pages are, and whether search engines can access them through other routes.
How do I find broken links on my website?
Use a website crawler to discover internal links and check the HTTP status codes of their destinations. Review the broken URL report, identify the pages linking to each error, and verify the results manually before making changes.
What is the difference between a broken link and a 404 error?
A broken link is a link that does not lead to its intended destination. A 404 error is an HTTP response indicating that the requested resource was not found. A broken link may produce a 404, but it can also lead to other errors or inaccessible resources.
Should I redirect every broken link?
No. Use a redirect when there is a relevant replacement for the missing page or when a URL has permanently moved. If a page has been intentionally removed and there is no suitable replacement, returning a 404 or 410 response may be appropriate. Avoid redirecting unrelated pages to the homepage.
How often should I check for broken links?
The ideal frequency depends on how often your website changes. Websites that publish content frequently or regularly update products and services may benefit from more frequent crawls. Smaller websites can schedule periodic checks and perform additional audits after major updates or migrations.
Are external broken links as important as internal broken links?
Both can affect visitors, but they require different fixes. Internal links are under your control and can usually be updated directly. External links require you to locate an updated resource, find a suitable alternative, or remove the outdated reference.
Can broken links be caused by temporary server errors?
Yes. A destination may temporarily return a 500 or 503 response because of server problems or maintenance. Verify the issue before changing the link or implementing a permanent redirect. Rechecking the destination later can help distinguish temporary failures from persistent problems.
Final Thoughts
Broken links are a normal part of maintaining a website, especially as content grows and URLs change. The important thing is to identify them before they create unnecessary problems for visitors or interfere with access to important pages.
Start by crawling your website, checking error responses, and identifying the pages containing broken links. Then choose the appropriate fix based on the destination, the importance of the affected content, and whether a suitable replacement exists.
Regular audits, careful URL management, and follow-up crawls can help keep your website's links working and make ongoing technical SEO maintenance more manageable.