Why Webmasters Need Reliable Broken Link Checkers
The digital landscape is deep and vast, entailing thousands of websites with a treasure of knowledge at our fingertips. Mastering the web world requires careful analysis of websites, the right tools and strategies, and consistent efforts to rank them higher on the Search Engine Ranking Pages (SERPs).
To ensure a smooth processing of your online domains, webmasters need to keep an eye on a crucial aspect – broken links. If your website has multiple broken links, it leads users to a dead end. As a result of this, the bounce rate and your website ranking increase and decrease, respectively. So, what should you do here? Use a reliable broken link checker.
This blog will help you understand broken link checkers, the reasons behind these links, and the benefits of using this tool. Wait! There is more to it. We will also list some of the best tools to check broken links.
What is a Broken Link?
A broken link on a website is a hyperlink that no longer functions as intended. It leads to an error page or a dead end instead of redirecting the user to the right page. It occurs when the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) linked to a web page has changed, is misspelt, or the linked content has been removed or relocated.
Broken links can disrupt the user experience, hinder navigation, and negatively impact your website’s credibility. So, it is crucial for you to regularly check and fix broken links to maintain a smooth and user-friendly browsing experience.
What Causes Broken Links?
Broken links on any website can be a real headache for you and the visitors. So, it is imperative to find theculprits behind broken links:
1. Page Deletion
If a web page is removed or deleted without setting up a proper redirection, it is highly likely to result in a broken link. It often happens during website updates or content pruning.
2. URL Changes
If you decide to restructure your website or change the URLs of your web pages, any links that still point to the old addresses will break. It continues unless you implement redirects.
3. Typos and Human Error
Sometimes, links break simply because of typos in the URL. A small mistake in typing the address, like a missing letter or an extra character, can render a link useless.
4. External Resources
Links to external websites or resources are also susceptible to breaking. If the linked website changes its URL or removes the content, your link can lead to nowhere.
5. Website Migration
During a website migration or platform change, links may not get updated correctly, causing them to break.
6. Server Issues
Technical problems on the server hosting your website can temporarily break links. These issues are usually resolved once the server is back online.
To maintain a healthy website, regularly checking for and fixing broken links is crucial. Automated tools can help you identify and rectify these issues efficiently.
So, here are some of the best-broken link checker tools with their features to implement right away:
1. SEMrush
SEMrush is an all-in-one SEO tool that offers a comprehensive Site Audit feature. Apart from identifying broken links and providing detailed reports, this broken link checker tool also offers suggestions for improvement. SEMrush also covers backlink analysis, keyword research, and competitor tracking, making it a versatile choicefor website optimization.
2. Sitechecker
Sitechecker is an easy-to-use online tool that checks for broken links. It also offers features like on-page SEO analysis, SERP tracking, and site monitoring. Such broken link checkers are effective for businesses to stay ahead of the competition.
3. Google Webmaster Tools (Search Console)
Google’s Search Console provides you with valuable insights into your website’s performance. It mainly focuses on search-related data, including crawl errors like broken link identification.
4. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO tool that includes a broken link checker. It specializes in backlink analysis and offers in-depth reports on broken external links.
Benefits of Using a Reliable Broken Link Checker Tool
Using a reliable broken link checker tool is like having a companion who guides you at each step of website health monitoring. Here are some compelling benefits of broken link checker tools:
1. Enhanced User Experience
Broken links hugely impact your user experience, leading to a negative impression of your site. A broken link checker helps you eliminate these roadblocks, ensuring that users can effortlessly browse your content.
2. Improved SEO Performance
By regularly scanning and fixing broken links, you boost your site’s credibility in the eyes of search engines. It pushes your website to appear higher on search rankings.
3. Time-Saving
Manually checking each link on a website, especially if it’s extensive, is a time-consuming task. A broken link checker automates this process, reducing your time and effort.
4. Proactive Issue Detection
Broken link checker tools continuously monitor your website. It helps you instantly identify any new broken links that may arise due to updates, content changes, or external sources going offline.
5. Comprehensive Reporting
A reliable broken link checker provides detailed reports highlighting the broken links with their locations on your site. This information is invaluable for quick fixes.
Leverage Broken Link Checker Tools
Broken link checkers are essential tools that must be in your toolkit for better website functioning. Changing URLs, deleting any page, and migrating your website to another domain are some common causes of broken links. You can use broken link checker tools to improve user experience. These tools are part of a wonderful SEO strategy and can help boost your ranking significantly.
Webmasters can either leverage the insights provided by these tools or get assistance from SEO experts of leading companies like Adlift. From on-page and off-page optimization to monitoring your website performance, they offer comprehensive services to help your business flourish.
Tune in your website visibility with the right broken checker tools today!