What are Broken Links?

A broken link is a hyperlink that no longer leads to its intended destination. This usually results in a "404 Not Found" error. Broken links on your site happen most commonly when:

• Your pages are deleted and your links that point to them aren’t updated
• Page URLs that you link to change without being properly redirected
• External websites remove or relocate pages that you’ve linked to

Why Fixing Broken Links Matters

Broken links can lower your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Accessibility scores. 

Leaving these links unaddressed creates major barriers for your site:

• Accessibility Roadblocks: For users with visual impairments or those using screen readers, a broken link is a confusing "dead end" that interrupts their navigation and makes your content unreachable.
• Frustrated Visitors: Users lose trust in your brand when they can't find the information they need.
• SEO Penalties: Search engines struggle to "crawl" your site effectively when they hit broken links, which can lower your search ranking.

Maintain a seamless experience for all visitors by routinely checking for and fixing dead links on your site.

Check your site for broken links

There are numerous free online tools to check for dead or broken links on your site. If you have a Siteimprove account for your site(s), a built-in link checker is available in the Quality Assurance section.