Question 1

What is a broken link?

Accepted Answer

A broken link is a hyperlink that points to a page that no longer exists or cannot be reached. They typically return 404 (Not Found) or 5xx (Server Error) status codes. Broken links create dead ends for both users and search engine crawlers.

Question 2

Do broken links hurt SEO?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Broken links waste crawl budget, hurt user experience, and can reduce trust signals. Broken internal links are especially harmful because they prevent Google from discovering and indexing your pages. Fixing broken links is one of the simplest SEO improvements you can make.

Question 3

Should I fix external broken links?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when practical. Broken external links hurt user experience even though they do not directly affect your site's authority. Replace them with working alternatives or remove them if no good replacement exists.

Question 4

How often should I check for broken links?

Accepted Answer

At least once per quarter for most sites. If you publish content frequently, check monthly. Broken links accumulate over time as external sites change and internal pages get renamed or deleted.

Question 5

What causes broken links?

Accepted Answer

Common causes include deleted or renamed pages, changed URL structures, expired external content, typos in URLs, and site migrations. Regular link audits catch these issues before they affect your SEO.

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