How to Fix Broken Links & Improve Website Health

Have you ever clicked a link on your website, only to be greeted by a “404 Page Not Found” error? It’s frustrating, right? And, if you’re a web developer or managing a website, broken links can seriously harm your site’s user experience and SEO. I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of ignoring those pesky broken links in the past, thinking they weren’t that big of a deal—until I realized just how much they can impact your website’s overall health. Trust me, fixing broken links is easier than it seems, and it can make a world of difference for both your visitors and your search engine rankings.

Let’s break down why broken links are bad for your website and how you can fix them effectively, step by step.

Why Broken Links Are a Problem for Your Website

First things first: why should you care about broken links? Well, broken links are like dead ends for both your users and search engines. When a visitor clicks on a link that leads to a 404 error page, they might bounce from your site. Not only does this frustrate them, but it also signals to Google that your site isn’t well-maintained, potentially hurting your SEO.

I remember when I first launched a site without properly checking for broken links. After a few weeks, I noticed traffic dropping, and I couldn’t figure out why. After running a site audit, I found tons of broken links that were creating dead ends for visitors. That’s when I realized how important it was to catch and fix broken links early. Fixing them will help improve your site’s health, enhance user experience, and boost your SEO rankings.

Step 1: Find Your Broken Links

Before you can fix broken links, you need to find them. Luckily, there are plenty of tools that can help you identify these issues. Here are some of my go-to tools for locating broken links:

• Google Search Console: Google’s free tool can help you identify 404 errors on your site. Just head to the Coverage report under Index and look for any URLs with errors.
• Screaming Frog: This website crawler allows you to quickly scan your site for broken links. It’s easy to use and provides a detailed list of all the 404s and other errors on your website.
• Broken Link Checker (Online Tools): If you don’t want to download software, there are many free online tools that can scan your site and give you a report of broken links.

I personally love Screaming Frog—it’s fast and gives you an easy-to-read list of broken links. Once you’ve found your broken links, it’s time to take action!

Step 2: Fixing Broken Links: 3 Common Solutions

Now that you’ve got your list of broken links, it’s time to fix them. Depending on the situation, there are three common ways to handle broken links:

1. Redirect to a Relevant Page: If you’ve moved content around or deleted a page, the best solution is to redirect the broken link to a relevant page. This can be done using a 301 redirect, which tells search engines that the page has permanently moved. For example, if you’ve removed a product page, you can redirect that link to the category page that contains similar products. I’ve used this method many times, especially after redesigning websites or restructuring site content. It ensures that visitors are still getting the information they need while preserving any SEO value from the old page.
2. Update the Link: If the link is still relevant but was pointing to the wrong URL (e.g., a typo in the URL), the fix is simple—just update the link to point to the correct page. This is one of the easiest fixes and can be done in a few clicks, especially if you’re using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress.
3. Remove the Link: If the broken link leads to a page that no longer exists or is irrelevant, the best course of action is to simply remove the link altogether. There’s no point in keeping a link to something that no longer provides value. I’ve found that cleaning up old, outdated links is a great way to streamline your content and ensure that visitors aren’t wasting their time.

Step 3: Use 301 Redirects for Moved Pages

One of the most important actions you can take when fixing broken links is setting up 301 redirects for any moved pages. A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that passes most of the page’s SEO value to the new page. Without this, you risk losing the SEO juice that the old page had built up.

For example, let’s say you moved a product page to a new URL. Without a 301 redirect, anyone trying to access the old page will get a 404 error, and Google will eventually remove the page from its index. But if you set up a 301 redirect, both users and search engines will be automatically sent to the new page, which helps preserve traffic and SEO rankings.

If you’re working on a WordPress site, you can use plugins like Redirection or Yoast SEO to set up 301 redirects easily. For sites without a CMS, you can edit the .htaccess file or set up redirects in your server’s settings.

Step 4: Monitor Your Site Regularly

Fixing broken links is not a one-time task—it’s something you should be doing regularly. Websites are constantly changing, with pages being added, moved, or removed, and new broken links can pop up at any time.

Set a routine to check for broken links once every few months. Tools like Google Search Console and Screaming Frog can be used to re-scan your website and make sure everything’s in working order. Trust me, keeping an eye on this will save you a lot of headaches down the road.

Step 5: Prevent Future Broken Links

While it’s important to fix broken links, it’s even better to prevent them in the first place. Here are a few ways to ensure broken links don’t sneak up on you:

• Use Proper Link Management: When linking internally, ensure that links point to the correct, live pages. If you need to update a link, do so immediately.
• Regularly Update External Links: If you link to external websites, check them periodically to ensure they’re still active. Tools like Check My Links (a browser extension) can help you find broken external links.
• Avoid Hardcoding URLs: Instead of hardcoding URLs into your content, use relative URLs or permalink structures in your CMS. This will reduce the likelihood of broken links when URLs change.

Conclusion: Keep Your Website Healthy

Fixing broken links is an essential part of maintaining a healthy website. By identifying broken links, fixing them using redirects or updates, and monitoring your site regularly, you can improve user experience, reduce bounce rates, and keep your SEO game strong.

Taking the time to clean up your site will not only keep visitors happy but will also help ensure that search engines can easily crawl and index your pages. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead, find those broken links, and give your website a much-needed tune-up!

And hey, if you’ve run into any broken link horror stories or have tips for staying on top of link management, drop them in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!