Free dead link checker

What is a dead link?

A dead link, also known as a broken link, is a hyperlink on a web page that no longer works because it's pointing to a webpage or resource that has been moved, deleted, or is otherwise inaccessible.

This often results in an error message, such as a 404 Not Found error, when users attempt to follow the link. Dead links can negatively affect user experience and a website's SEO performance.

How dead links effects SEO

Dead links can severely impact SEO by degrading user experience and disrupting link equity, which can lead to lower search engine rankings.

They also pose challenges for search engine indexing, potentially reducing site visibility. Regularly addressing dead links is crucial for maintaining a site's SEO health.

To further understand the impact of dead links on SEO, consider the following specific consequences:

1. Interrupting user experience: Users encountering dead links may become frustrated, leading to increased bounce rates and reduced time spent on the site.
2. Disrupting link equity: Dead links halt the flow of 'link juice' or link equity, which can diminish the authority passed to your site and weaken your SEO efforts.
3. Hindering site crawling and indexing: Search engine crawlers that encounter dead links may have a harder time indexing your site, which can negatively impact your site's visibility in search results.
4. Damaging site reputation: A website riddled with dead links can appear neglected or outdated, reducing its trustworthiness and credibility among users and search engines.
5. Affecting rankings: Search engines may lower the rankings of a site with numerous dead links, making it more challenging for potential visitors to discover your content.

How to check for dead links for free

To identify dead links, you can leverage free online tools specifically designed to detect and list hyperlinks that point to pages that no longer exist on your website.

These tools operate by methodically crawling your site, akin to search engine bots, verifying each link to confirm it directs to a live webpage. After the process is complete, you receive a report of any dead links found, enabling you to rectify them and thus bolster your site's SEO and user experience.

Or you can use this dead link checker

Simply input the domain or URL you want to examine into our checker for a detailed analysis of your site's backlinks.

To use our dead link checker, follow these steps:

• Input the domain or URL into the appropriate field on our checker.
• Click 'Analyze backlinks' to begin the review process.
• Examine the resulting list of domains and URLs that link to your site, noting the strength and domain authority of these links.
• To manage the data outside the tool or to collaborate with your team, select 'Export to CSV' to save the information.

Improve domains link profile with dead link checker

Using a dead link checker can have a significant impact on the health of a domain's link profile. By detecting and resolving dead links, you restore valuable link equity, enhance the user experience, and may see a positive effect on your search engine rankings.

Consistently employing a dead link checker helps maintain a robust link profile, which bolsters your website's credibility and authority online.

Why you should avoid dead links

Avoiding dead links is essential because they can lead to a suboptimal user experience, diminish the effectiveness of SEO efforts, and harm a website's reputation.

Dead links disrupt the flow of link equity and can negatively impact a site's search engine rankings. It's important to regularly monitor and repair broken links to maintain the health and performance of a website.

How do you fix a dead link?

To fix a dead link, you should first identify the broken hyperlink using a dead link checker. Once identified, you can take one of the following actions:

1. Update the Link: If the content has moved, update the hyperlink to point to the current URL.
2. Remove the Link: If the content no longer exists and there's no relevant replacement, remove the hyperlink altogether.
3. Redirect the Link: Set up a 301 redirect to guide users from the old URL to a relevant page on your site.
4. Replace the Link: If another website has similar content, replace the dead link with a new, working link to that resource.By addressing dead links promptly, you ensure a better experience for your users and maintain the integrity of your site's SEO.