What are the causes behind Broken Links - Finding and Fixing

Have you ever clicked on a hyperlink while expecting to find something and instead got redirected to an error page?

Connection problems can make browsing less smooth. It can make visitors angry and even force them to leave.

So, why do they break?

It is important for website managers to know what causes links to break. It is not only about avoiding those dreaded 404 errors. It is also about making sure that your visitors find what they are looking for without any glitches.

Imagine a website where all of its links work perfectly. And take users straight to where they want to go. No errors, no frustration—just smooth sailing everywhere! 

However, it is possible to do so. The first thing that needs to be learned is how to find broken links and fix them.

Let us dig deeper into causes and their solutions.

What are Broken Links?

Let us quickly go over what broken links are before we get into the reasons why they happen. 

A broken link (also known as a "dead link") is a hyperlink that takes people to a page that does not exist. It can cause errors like the famous "404" page. 

It can also occur when a hyperlink has been moved without proper redirection. For example, when someone clicks on a broken link, they will be met with an error message. It leads to an increase in bounce rate and potential damage to the credibility of your website. They can also do a lot of damage to your SEO ranking. 

The broken link can be an external link, an internal link or a backlink.  Now, let's examine the primary causes behind broken links.

Read more: Why External and Internal Links are Important for SEO

Common Causes of Broken Links

1. Deleted or Moved Pages

One of the most common reasons that broken links occur is when pages get deleted or moved.

If you delete a page or move it to a new URL without updating the links that point to it, the result is a broken link.  Here are 2 main reasons why this may happen:

A. Content Updates

Websites regularly refresh their content to make it look better. Therefore, the old pages can be removed or joined with the new ones. If the links that lead to these pages are not updated, they get broken.

B. Website Redesigns

When a website is redesigned, it may entail modification of URLs along with its structure. If this is not done correctly, links that point to older URLs will end up breaking.

For example, imagine an online retailer that runs a limited-time sale and creates a specific page for it, like `www.retailer.com/summer-sale`. Once the sale ends, the page is deleted, but links to this page may still exist across the website. When users click on these links, they encounter a 404 error page.

2. Incorrect URLs

Another common cause of broken links is incorrect URLs. This can occur due to typos.

How?

A simple typographical error when creating a link can lead to a non-existent page. For instance, typing `www.retailer.cm` instead of `www.retailer.com` results in a broken link.

And the second reason is copy-paste errors. When you copy URLs from one place to another, you might include extra characters like underscores or spaces.

It would break the link.

Most of the time, wrong URLs are caused by human error. They can have a big effect on the user experience.

3. External Website Changes

Websites often link to other websites for extra information or resources. Nonetheless, if these external sites undergo any alterations, then the links leading to them may become disconnected. 

Changes made on external websites may include:

• If the owner of an external website deletes a page that your site links to, that link will break.

• External websites may change the structure of their URLs. Or they move content to different URLs without setting up the right redirects. It can cause links to break.

4. Server Issues

Sometimes, broken links are caused by server-related issues, such as temporary downtime. If the server that hosts this page goes down, the connection may be temporarily dead. However, although it could not be a lasting problem, it contributes to a bad user experience.

Broken links can also happen when the server is set up incorrectly. For example, when redirects or permissions are not set up correctly.

Server issues can be more challenging to diagnose as they may not be immediately apparent to the website owner.

You can use Ettvi’s Server Status Checker to detect these types of errors easily.

How to Find Broken Links?

Now that we've identified the causes of broken links, the next step is to find them. There are several methods and tools available to help you locate broken links on your website.

1. Manual Checking

One way to find broken links is through manual checking. This involves going through your website's pages and clicking on each link to ensure it leads to the correct destination. While this method is thorough, it can be time-consuming, especially for larger websites.

You can manually verify the functionality of each link present on your website. For this, you have to go through every page of your site. And click on the links on each one to see if they take you to the right place. 

Even though this method is comprehensive, it becomes rather tedious. Especially when functioning with larger online platforms.

2. Use ETTVI’s Broken Link Checker Tool

If you want a fast and easy way to find broken links, try using ETTVI's Broken Link Checker. Here is how you can use it step-by-step:

Go to the ETTVI's Broken Link Checker.

After opening it, enter your website URL in the provided search bar. And then click on the "Check" button to start scanning.

Just wait a little bit for the tool to analyze your website. It will check all the pages and links on your site.

After the tool has finished checking, you can review the results. The tool will display a list of broken links along with their locations. You can also export the results. 

It is quick and easy to make sure that your website does not have any broken links with ETTVI's Broken Link Checker. This will save you time and make the user experience better on your website.

3. Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free tool offered by Google. It helps site owners to maintain the existence of their sites in Google searches. One of its capabilities entails broken link identification. Below are the steps to use it:

Crawl Errors

Open the Google Search Console dashboard and navigate to the "Coverage" section. Here you can see a report of crawl errors, including broken links.

URL Inspection

You can use the URL Inspection tool to check individual URLs for any issues, like broken links.

Google Search Console provides valuable insights. But it may not catch all broken links. Especially those that are not indexed by Google.

How to Fix Broken Links?

The next thing you need to do is fix any broken links on your website. There are several approaches available depending on the cause of the broken link.

1. Update or Replace Links

If pages have been deleted or relocated, broken links can be fixed by replacing them with alternative information or directing them to the correct source. Here’s how:

Redirects

If a page has been moved, set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one. Then users and search engines will always be sent to the right page. Even if they click on an old link.

Find Alternatives

In case there is no corresponding page for a deleted one, you can think about linking with some related page or resource that gives the same details.

2. Correct Typos and Errors

If a broken link is caused by an incorrect URL, fixing the typo or error in the link should fix the problem. Review the URL carefully to ensure it is accurate and functional.

3. Monitor External Links

Managing external links can prove to be a little bit more tough. Because one does not have any power over the information contained in different sites. Nonetheless, some methods may be employed:

Regular Checks

Check your external links every so often to make sure they are still working. Use broken link checkers to automate this process.

Use Link Shorteners

Consider using link shorteners or third-party services that can automatically update external links if they change.

Read more: 5 Best Alternatives for Google URL Shortener

4. Fix Server Issues

If server problems are to blame for broken links, you will need to fix them with your web host or IT team. 

You should:

• Ensure that your server is reliable and has minimal downtime. It reduces the likelihood of broken links due to server issues.

• Review your server's configuration settings. Make sure they are correct and do not cause unnecessary broken links.

5. Update File Paths

If the file names or locations change, you need to fix the links so they go to the right places. If you have reorganized your file structure, ensure that all links are updated accordingly.

Conclusion

Broken links can have a significant impact on user experience and website credibility. You can keep your website smooth and easy for people to use by learning the most common reasons. 

For instance, why do links break?

And 

Using strategies to find and fix them. It is important for you as a website owner to keep an eye on broken links. You can do this by hand. But it will be much more time-consuming. So the best option is to use Ettvi’s broken link checker tool. It provides valuable insight in just seconds. 

Remember that regular maintenance and monitoring are the best ways to keep your website from being harmed by broken links. You can keep your website a useful and trustworthy resource for your users by fixing broken links as soon as you notice them.