Broken links, also known as broken links or broken links, are hyperlinks that no longer lead to the intended resource or web page.
When a user clicks on a broken link, they are usually redirected to a 404 error page or see a message indicating that the resource is no longer available.
Importance of broken link monitoring
Monitoring your site’s broken links is critical for several reasons:
- Improved user experience: Working links ensure smooth and uninterrupted navigation.
- SEO optimization: Search engines negatively evaluate sites with many broken links, penalizing their rankings.
- Maintaining credibility: An error-free site appears more professional and trustworthy in the eyes of visitors.
Problems generated by broken links
Broken links can cause several problems:
- User frustration: Visitors may abandon the site if they encounter too many broken links
- Increased bounce rate: Users tend to quickly leave pages with broken links
- Loss of SEO authority: Search engines interpret broken links as a sign of poor site maintenance
- Disruption of link juice flow: Broken internal links prevent proper distribution of authority among site pages.
Broken Link Building
Broken link building is an advanced SEO strategy that turns broken web links into opportunities to improve one’s site ranking.
This innovative technique is based on identifying broken links on third-party websites and proposing quality alternative content to replace them.
The process has three main stages:
- Searching for and identifying broken links on authoritative websites relevant to one’s field.
- Creation of valuable content that can effectively replace the resource that is no longer available.
- Contact with webmasters to propose replacing the broken link with that of the newly created content.
Tools for monitoring and correction
There are several effective tools for detecting and correcting broken links:
- Screaming Frog: Professional software available in free (with limitations) or paid versions, ideal for in-depth scans.
- Google Search Console: A free Google tool that, among other features, offers a system for identifying broken links.
- CMS Plugins: Many CMS platforms, such as WordPress, offer specific plugins for checking broken links such as Broken Link Checker that automatically scans the site every 3 days, detecting valid, broken and redirected links.
- Online tools: There are various web services that allow periodic scans of the site for broken links.
Substitute content creation
- Analyze the original content of the broken link using the Wayback Machine (Archive.org)
- Create new and improved content that is relevant and valuable to replace that of the broken link
- Make sure your content is informative, relevant and of higher quality than the original.
Outreach and link replacement
- Contact owners of sites with broken links, offering your content as a replacement
- Send a personalized and unobtrusive message, highlighting the value of your content
- Provide a complete list of all broken links found on their page, not just the one you hope to replace. This additional courtesy should aid you in linking to your content.
Advantages of the strategy
- Acquisition of quality backlinks from authoritative websites
- Improved visibility and authority of your domain and search engine ranking
- Creating positive relationships with other webmasters and content creators
- Opportunity to position yourself as a trusted resource in your industry
Broken link building differs from other link building techniques in its win-win approach: it offers value both to the site receiving the new link, improving the experience of its users, and to the site providing the replacement content, gaining a valuable backlink.
This strategy requires time, extensive research, and the creation of high-quality content, but it can lead to significant results in terms of SEO and online authority.
It is especially effective in areas with many online information resources, where the probability of finding broken links is higher.
To maintain a healthy and efficient website, it is advisable to conduct regular link checks, promptly correct broken links, and implement 301 redirects when necessary.
This proactive approach will help improve the user experience, SEO, and overall credibility of the website.