Broken Links
What it is
Broken links are those that result in a 404 File Not Found or 403 Forbidden Status code. In both cases, a visitor has clicked a link and been taken to a page where content is either not found or inaccessible.
Why it matters
Broken links are a usability issue and a negative quality signal. Missing content can also result in SEO value being lost from old but valuable and well-linked content.
What to do
- Remove these links
- Replace the destination with one that resolves.
- Where old content has been removed from the site, implement 301 redirects.
- Ensures old links (e.g. links on other sites) will route users to the nearest current equivalent page.
- This helps preserve any value accrued through those external link
Server errors
What it is
Server errors can be signaled by 502 Bad Gateway and 500 Generic Server Error response codes. In general, these kind of errors will require a technical fix from your development staff or vendor.
Why it matters
Server errors are a very definite negative quality signal that tells search engines the site is not well maintained. They are also very off-putting for users especially where maintaining a high quality experience is important.
What to do
- Have web developers investigate and resolve server errors. Sometimes they can also be caused by hosting issues, and in this case hosting may need to be changed or upgraded.
