To find and fix broken links, crawl your website, identify links that lead to errors or incorrect destinations, and update the pages containing those links. Restore content when a page was removed accidentally, use a relevant permanent redirect when content has moved, and retain an appropriate error response when a deleted page has no replacement.
Start with links in navigation, service pages, product pages and conversion buttons. These can directly affect whether visitors find information, submit an enquiry or complete a purchase.
This guide from SMC Pvt, a freelance marketing agency, explains how to audit your links and choose the right repair.
AI Overview / Summary
- Find broken links: Use a website crawler, Search Console and manual checks.
- Locate the source: Record both the broken destination and the page containing the link.
- Confirm the problem: A crawler may encounter temporary failures or access restrictions.
- Choose the right fix: Correct the URL, restore content, replace the reference or add a relevant redirect.
- Test customer journeys: Check menus, forms, downloads, product links and contact buttons.
- Prevent repeat problems: Review links after migrations, URL changes and content updates.
Important: A 404 response is appropriate for a page that no longer exists. The priority is to repair misleading links and unintended errors, rather than redirecting every missing URL.
What Is a Broken Link?
A broken link fails to take a visitor to the intended resource.
It may lead to:
- A missing page.
- A deleted image or download.
- A server error.
- An expired domain.
- An inaccessible resource.
- A redirect loop.
- An incorrect section within a page.
Some links return an error status, such as 404 Not Found. Others load successfully but still fail the user—for example, a “Download brochure” button that opens an unrelated homepage.
Types of links to review
| Link type | Example |
|---|---|
| Internal link | A blog article linking to a service page on your website |
| External link | An article linking to a source on another website |
| Inbound link | Another website linking to your content |
| Resource link | A link to a PDF, image or downloadable file |
| Fragment link | A table-of-contents link pointing to a heading on the same page |
Each type may require a different repair.
Why Broken Links Matter
Broken links interrupt customer journeys. A visitor may be unable to compare services, read supporting information or reach a booking page.
They can also make important content harder for search engines to discover when internal links are the route to that content.
However, a few genuine missing-page responses do not automatically mean your entire website has an SEO problem. Google uses HTTP status codes to understand whether content exists and can be processed. Source: Google’s HTTP status code documentation.
Focus on relevance, discoverability and functionality rather than expecting a guaranteed ranking increase from removing every reported error.
Step 1: Crawl Your Website
Use a website crawler to discover pages and check their links.
Review reports for:
- Client errors, including 404 responses.
- Server errors.
- Failed redirects.
- Redirect loops and unnecessary chains.
- Missing images and downloads.
- Broken external destinations.
For each issue, record:
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Source page | Shows where the link needs editing |
| Destination URL | Identifies the resource being requested |
| Link text or element | Helps locate the link in the page |
| Response or failure | Helps distinguish the cause |
| Business priority | Helps decide repair order |
| Planned fix | Documents the action |
A destination may be linked from many pages. Check all known source links rather than repairing only the first instance.
Step 2: Review Google Search Console
Search Console can help identify missing URLs and other access problems Google has encountered.
Review the Page indexing report and inspect relevant example URLs.
Ask:
- Should this page still exist?
- Was it moved?
- Is the error intentional?
- Is it linked internally?
- Does it have a relevant replacement?
Search Console is not a complete broken-link inventory. It does not replace a crawl of your own links, and its reports may include old or externally discovered URLs that are no longer linked from your website.
Step 3: Check Important Links Manually
Automated scans should be supported by practical testing.
Test:
- Main menus and footer links.
- Service quotation buttons.
- Product and category links.
- Booking links.
- Contact forms.
- PDF downloads.
- Phone, email and WhatsApp buttons.
- Table-of-contents links.
A link may return a successful response while opening the wrong destination.
For example, a WhatsApp button should open the intended number, and a quotation button should take visitors to the correct form.
Step 4: Verify Reported Errors
Not every failed crawler request represents a permanently broken destination.
| Finding | What to investigate |
|---|---|
| 404 Not Found | Typo, deleted content or changed URL |
| 410 Gone | Deliberately removed content |
| 403 Forbidden | Access restrictions or automated-request blocking |
| 429 Too Many Requests | Rate limiting |
| 500–503 errors | Server or application problems |
| Timeout or DNS failure | Temporary availability or domain configuration |
| 200 response with an error message | Potential soft 404 |
Open representative links in a browser and repeat checks where necessary. Do not remove a credible external source solely because it blocked an automated scan.
Google distinguishes client errors, server failures and soft 404 situations when processing URLs. Source: Google’s status code guidance.
Step 5: Prioritize Repairs
Repair the issues with the greatest customer and business impact first.
A practical order is:
- Broken purchase, booking and enquiry links.
- Broken navigation and sitewide links.
- Links to important service or product pages.
- Broken destinations with relevant inbound links.
- Links in frequently visited articles.
- Lower-traffic references and older resources.
Treat widespread server errors as an underlying availability problem. Editing individual links will not resolve a server that cannot reliably deliver pages.
Step 6: Fix Broken Internal Links
Correct typing mistakes
Check for missing characters, incorrect paths and malformed URLs. Update the source link to the correct destination.
Update links after a move
If a page has moved, update internal links to its final URL. Avoid relying on redirects for normal navigation.
Restore accidentally removed content
If the page was deleted unintentionally and remains useful, restoring it at the original URL may be appropriate.
Replace or remove obsolete links
If the resource is no longer useful, remove the link or replace it with a genuinely relevant alternative. Adjust the surrounding text so it still makes sense.
Step 7: Add Redirects Where Content Has Moved
When content permanently moves, a 301 or 308 server-side redirect can direct visitors and search engines to the replacement.
For example:
| Old URL | Relevant destination |
|---|---|
/website-design.html | /services/website-design/ |
/old-seo-guide/ | /updated-seo-guide/ |
/downloads/old-brochure.pdf | The replacement brochure, if equivalent |
Google recommends permanent server-side redirects where a page’s search-visible URL needs to change. Source: Google’s redirect guidance.
Check that the destination:
- Matches the original purpose.
- Loads successfully.
- Does not create a loop.
- Does not add unnecessary redirect hops.
Avoid redirecting unrelated missing pages to the homepage.
Step 8: Handle Deleted Pages With No Replacement
If a page is permanently removed and no relevant replacement exists, an appropriate 404 or 410 response may be correct.
Then:
- Remove internal links pointing to it.
- Remove it from the current sitemap.
- Update navigation if necessary.
- Provide a helpful error page.
Your error page can offer search, navigation and contact options while retaining the correct error status.
Avoid displaying “page not found” content with a successful 200 response. Google may classify that as a soft 404. Source: Google’s HTTP response documentation.
Step 9: Repair Broken External Links
For external references:
- Check whether the publisher moved the content.
- Find the current official destination.
- Confirm it still supports your statement.
- Update the link and surrounding wording.
- Remove unsupported claims if no suitable source remains.
Do not replace a missing research source with a loosely related homepage.
If an external source is temporarily unavailable, verify the situation before making a permanent change.
Step 10: Review Broken Inbound Links
Inbound links point from other websites to yours.
If a valuable external link reaches a missing page:
- Restore the resource if it should still exist.
- Redirect to an equivalent replacement if it moved.
- Where appropriate, ask the publisher to correct an inaccurate link.
You control your own redirects, but only the linking website can edit its source link.
Keep destination relevance central. A redirect to an unrelated offer may frustrate visitors even if it removes the error.
Step 11: Fix Images, Downloads and Page Anchors
A complete audit should include more than ordinary page links.
Images and downloads
Check that files exist, permissions are correct and links use the current location. After a migration, confirm that media and PDFs transferred successfully.
Fragment links
A link ending in something such as #pricing requires a matching target on the destination page.
If a heading or anchor ID changes, update links pointing to it. These failures may not produce an HTTP error because the page itself still loads.
Step 12: Recheck the Website
After repairs:
- Clear relevant caches.
- Crawl the affected pages again.
- Check all known source links.
- Test redirect destinations.
- Verify menus and conversion buttons.
- Confirm downloads open.
- Review mobile behavior.
Search Console reports may take time to reflect changes because Google needs to revisit URLs. Use live testing to verify implementation immediately.
Keep a repair log so recurring issues can be traced to publishing workflows, templates or migrations.
How to Prevent Broken Links
Build link checks into routine website maintenance.
- Check links before publishing.
- Review links after changing URLs.
- Maintain a redirect map during migrations.
- Test shared menus and footer links after updates.
- Review important external sources periodically.
- Avoid deleting useful pages without considering existing links.
- Run checks more frequently on large or frequently changing websites.
For WordPress, review links stored in content, menus, reusable blocks and page-builder templates. For online stores, include products, collections and discontinued-item workflows.
Broken Link Audit Checklist
- Crawl internal and external links.
- Record source pages and broken destinations.
- Review Search Console examples.
- Verify suspected errors.
- Prioritize customer journeys.
- Correct inaccurate source URLs.
- Restore useful missing content where appropriate.
- Redirect moved content to relevant replacements.
- Retain correct errors where no replacement exists.
- Test images, downloads and anchors.
- Re-crawl and document repairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can broken links affect SEO?
They can interrupt discovery and prevent users from reaching useful content. Their significance depends on the affected pages and links; isolated missing URLs do not automatically harm every page’s rankings.
Should I redirect every 404 page?
No. Redirect when a relevant replacement exists. A genuine removed page without a replacement can correctly return 404 or 410.
Can I find every broken link with Search Console?
No. Search Console provides useful examples of URLs Google encountered, but it is not a complete link checker. Combine it with crawling and manual testing.
How often should I check links?
Check after migrations, URL changes and major content updates. Set a recurring review frequency based on website size, publishing activity and business importance.
How much does a broken-link audit cost?
Costs depend on website size, access requirements and whether repairs involve content, redirects or development. Request a quotation that separates discovery, implementation and verification.
Does fixing broken links guarantee higher rankings?
No. It improves maintenance and usability, but rankings depend on many factors. It also does not guarantee inclusion in AI Overviews.
Get Help Finding and Fixing Broken Links
Need help identifying broken links and choosing the right repairs?
Contact SMC Pvt, a freelance marketing agency, to discuss a website link audit, technical SEO consultation or tailored service quotation.
Share your website URL and examples of any broken pages, downloads or buttons so the discussion can focus on the issues affecting your visitors.
WhatsApp: +923166037881
