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Systematic detection and correction of broken links is essential for maintaining structural integrity and SEO crawling efficiency.

The systematic detection and correction of broken links is essential for maintaining the structural integrity and crawling efficiency of a website. In addition to being favorable for user reliability and usability. A key factor in improving the EEAT of your project.

What are broken links?

Simply put, a broken link is a link that, when clicked, leads to a page that returns an error such as the well-known 404 (page not found) or 410 (deleted content).

Mostly, this usually happens because the linked page was deleted, modified without proper redirection, or because the domain it points to is no longer active.

In addition, it is important to differentiate between broken internal links, those that affect within the same website, and external ones, which point to other web pages.

Importance of detecting broken links

Detecting broken links is of very important strategic and technical importance. From an SEO standpoint, faulty links damage the site's authority, interrupt the internal distribution of PageRank, and negatively affect the link structure.

From the user's perspective, they increase the bounce rate and cause a negative experience, as they generate frustration when not finding the expected content.

In addition, if these links are not corrected, Google may interpret this as a sign of abandonment or neglect of the site, considerably affecting its positioning. Because of all this, identifying broken links in time is essential to maintaining a healthy website.

Methods and tools for detecting broken links

There are several methods and technical tools capable of identifying broken links in an automated and accurate manner. These tools can be online platforms that are used from the browser, specific plugins for content managers such as WordPress, or extensions of the browser itself. Each option has its own characteristics, particular functionalities and limitations to be considered as needed.

Online tools for checking for broken links

Online tools allow you to scan entire websites for inactive links, without the need for local installation. These solutions, both free and paid, facilitate the automation of the process and provide detailed reports on detected errors.

Sitechecker

Sitechecker is a freemium online tool aimed at auditing websites for SEO. Its specific functionality for detecting broken links includes fully scanning the site, identifying 404 errors and other related status codes, and sorting results according to the type of error. The platform allows you to export reports for later analysis, although the free version has limitations on the volume of URLs analyzed.

Its basic use does not require advanced knowledge: just access the tool, enter the URL of the website, configure the basic parameters and run the analysis. The resulting report shows a list of faulty links with relevant information for review.

Ahrefs Broken Link Checker

Ahrefs Broken Link Checker is an online tool that analyzes both internal and external links. Its main advantage lies in the integration with the extensive Ahrefs link database, which provides a more thorough and accurate detection. The process of use consists of accessing the free tool, entering the URL to be analyzed and waiting for the information to be processed. The generated report includes the broken URL, the source page, and the type of error detected. The free version has limitations in terms of the number of results displayed, while the premium version allows you to export complete reports, detect broken inbound links and apply advanced filters.

Methods and resources for detecting broken links according to Kinsta

Kinsta recommends different methods for detecting broken links, combining proprietary tools and external resources.

Using Google Search Console

Google Search Console allows you to identify broken links through coverage reports, where crawl errors are recorded as URLs with 404 status. However, this tool only reports URLs that have been crawled by Google, so it doesn't provide a complete view of all existing broken links.

Using WordPress plugins

There are specific plugins for WordPress, such as Broken Link Checker, that monitor and detect broken links within the content. These plugins generate detailed reports and allow you to correct links directly from the administration panel. However, its execution can affect server performance, especially on large sites, so it is recommended to evaluate its use or look for alternatives that reduce the load.

Online tools and browser extensions

Kinsta also mentions online tools such as Dead Link Checker and W3C Link Checker, as well as browser extensions that facilitate the detection of broken links on the visible page, although they do not allow deep crawling of the site. These solutions are useful for rapid analyses, but they have limitations in terms of the coverage and depth of the analysis.

Manual check

Manual review consists of inspecting links from the source code or by browsing the website. This method allows you to identify broken links in a timely manner, although it is inefficient and not scalable on large sites.

Free tools recommended by this seo consultant (afernandezalonso.com)

Among the tools mentioned, several free solutions for checking broken links stand out.

Broken Link Checker

This plugin for WordPress allows you to scan and detect broken links directly from the administration panel. Its configuration is simple and offers detailed reports with the possibility of correcting or removing links. However, it can create a high load on the server and the scan frequency is limited.

Broken Link Checker by Ahrefs

The free version of Ahrefs' Broken Link Checker offers basic functionality that allows you to detect broken links by entering the URL and viewing a simple report. This tool is linked to the core Ahrefs ecosystem, which allows for deeper analysis through its payment plans.

Dead Link Checker

Dead Link Checker is an online tool that allows analysis of both complete sites and individual pages. It offers the possibility to export the results, although it has limitations on the number of URLs you can process for free.

W3C Link Checker

The W3C Link Checker tool is aimed at the technical validation of links. Scan a specific page and report any faulty links detected. Its approach is more technical and is aimed at web developers and administrators.

Sitechecker

From the perspective of A. Fernández Alonso, Sitechecker stands out as an accessible and free option for quickly scanning broken links, although its free version has certain limitations on the volume of analysis.

How to fix broken links?

Technical actions to correct broken links include implementing 301 redirects to relevant pages, manually correcting the URL if there is a typographical error, removing the link when there is no valid alternative, and updating content to replace inactive links with accessible resources. In addition, regular checks are recommended to prevent the accumulation of broken links.

The detection and correction of broken links is an essential process for preserving the technical integrity and SEO health of a website. There are multiple tools, both free and paid, that allow you to automate this analysis and obtain detailed reports on faulty links. Continuous monitoring and resolution of these errors are essential to ensure an efficient web structure, maintain site authority and provide an optimal user experience.

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