RankWiki

Technical SEO

Broken Links SEO

A broken link is a hyperlink that no longer leads to a working page or file, typically returning a 404 Not Found or 410 Gone error.

Also called
dead link
Applies to
internal links, external links, images, files
Commonly confused with
soft 404, redirected URL

Key points

  • Broken links waste crawl budget and prevent search engines from indexing the intended content.
  • They degrade user experience by sending visitors to error pages instead of the expected resource.
  • Common causes include deleted pages, moved URLs without a 301 redirect, and renamed files.
  • Google Search Console and crawlers like Screaming Frog can locate broken internal and external links.
  • Fixes involve updating the link, adding a redirect, or removing the link if no replacement exists.

How it works

A broken link occurs when a hyperlink points to a URL that no longer resolves to a working page or file. The server returns an HTTP status code such as 404 Not Found or 410 Gone, indicating the resource is missing or permanently removed. In some cases, 500-series server errors or DNS failures also count as broken links.

Broken links arise when a page is deleted, moved, or renamed without a proper 301 redirect. They affect internal links, external links, images, PDFs, and other embedded resources. When a search engine or user follows the link, they land on an error page instead of the intended content.

Tools such as Screaming Frog can crawl a site and report every URL that returns a client or server error. Google Search Console also surfaces not found URL issues. The usual fixes are to update the link, add or correct a redirect, or remove the link if no replacement exists.

Why it matters

Broken links hurt user experience by interrupting the journey to relevant information. Widespread or persistent broken links can reduce trust and harm site credibility. For SEO teams, they waste crawl paths and can signal poor site maintenance to search engines, though the impact is not a fixed ranking penalty.

Common mistakes include treating every 404 as a problem instead of distinguishing between intentional removals and fixable broken links, deleting or renaming URLs without mapping redirects first, and ignoring broken links in navigation, footers, image links, PDFs, and other non-body content. Fixing only internal links while forgetting broken outbound links or backlinks is another oversight.

Search engines evolve how they treat soft 404s, redirected URLs, and sitewide error patterns, so the operational impact should be monitored rather than assumed as a fixed penalty. Regular audits using a tool like Screaming Frog help maintain a clean link profile.

Read next Screaming Frog After understanding broken links, reading about Screaming Frog shows how to run a full crawl and export the exact list of broken URLs for fixing.

Questions people ask

What is broken links in SEO?

A broken link in SEO is a hyperlink that no longer leads to a working page or file, typically returning a 404 or 410 error. It can occur on internal links, external links, images, or other resources. Broken links waste crawl budget and degrade user experience.

How to fix broken links SEO?

To fix broken links, first identify them using a crawler like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console. Then update the link to point to a working URL, add a 301 redirect from the broken URL to a relevant page, or remove the link entirely if no replacement exists. Always map redirects before deleting or renaming URLs.

Best broken link checker?

Screaming Frog is a widely used broken link checker that crawls a site and reports every URL returning a client or server error. It handles internal links, external links, images, and other resources. Free alternatives exist but may have crawl limits.

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Sources

  1. Google Search Central Best source for how Google handles crawl errors, redirects, indexing, and site maintenance issues.
  2. Google Search Console Help Useful for documenting where broken or not-found URLs appear in reporting.
  3. Delante SEO Definition Concise definition of broken links and basic SEO context.
  4. SEOlvl Glossary Clear technical definition that includes error-status behavior.
  5. SEMrush Blog Practical SEO explanation of causes, detection, and fixes.

Written and maintained by Nora Lindholm. Last updated 27 July 2026.

Spotted an error? Email me — corrections are logged and credited on the entry. Outbound links are unpaid; most are nofollow.