Broken Links: The Silent Website Killer – A Simple Guide For Beginners

Written by Matthew Ludden / July 6, 2023 / 10 Minute Read
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Broken links can damage your search rankings and user experience. Learn how to identify and repair them, creating a smoother journey for visitors and boosting your online presence.

Glossary

Introduction: Don't Hit a Dead End In Building Your Website

For any website owner, the clear and present challenge is creating relevant content that draws in your audience.

Amidst striving for better Google search rankings or updating your site for a product launch, it’s easy to overlook the maintenance of your website’s infrastructure.
Now imagine yourself as a visitor navigating your website keen to explore more or perhaps make a purchase. You click an internal link, only to suddenly slam into a “404 Error” page.

404 error graphic

Encountering broken links is akin to running into a dead end. As a website evolves, broken internal links can become a common issue. However, savvy SEO professionals and web developers can effectively manage and fix these obstacles.

External links, on the other hand, present a trickier challenge, with errors being harder to prevent and often inevitable.

Broken links are more than just a minor inconvenience; they can actively harm your website’s reputation with visitors and even derail your SEO endeavors.

At Valve+Meter Performance Marketing, we provide comprehensive SEO agency services to numerous website owners and businesses. Our seasoned SEO experts have established methodologies to identify and resolve broken links.

In this guide, we’ll uncover how broken links sabotage your website, hurt your search rankings, and frustrate your visitors.

If you want step-by-step instructions to find every digital pothole and the tools to fix them, then you may prefer this more in-depth blog from SemRush. Our aim is to provide business owners, marketing leaders, and other website owners a better understanding of broken links, how to avoid them, and the available tools and techniques to fix issues.

Poor Experience 42%
42% of users will leave your site due to poor performance including dead links.
Scope Of Lost Links 3/4
74.5% of links to over 2 million websites are considered lost.
Broken Links 49%
49% of links cited by the U.S. Supreme Court lead to dead sites or broken links.

When to Work With An SEO Agency

If you need broken links fixed fast or want ongoing monitoring, an SEO team is invaluable.

Valve+Meter builds customized digital marketing strategies and executes complete services.

SEO professionals know the tools inside and out and can swiftly address any issues found. This frees you up to focus on your core business while ensuring your website maintains its search rankings over time.

Start With A Free Assessment
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