Broken Links and their Fixes

Broken Backlinks are an evergreen issue with websites that build links to rule the rankings. However, fixing them is often much easier than one may feel. In this video, Timmy shows the most common types of broken links that websites encounter along with how they can be easily fixed.
00:00 Introduction
Broken Backlinks. A problem for every website that has backlinks, which means a problem for every website that wants to rank on Google. Unfortunately, they are unavoidable. But they don't have to stay broken. And there are easy fixes for them.
01:12 What are Broken Backlinks?
Broken backlinks are simply backlinks that do not function as intended, leading the viewer to an incorrect page or simply an error. The main problem with broken backlinks is that they negatively impact user experience. The user closes the website and that leads to a high bounce rate, which means an eventual loss of credibility.
02:19 The SEO Impact of Broken Backlinks
If Google's crawlers see your website has broken backlinks, you will see a loss in ranking on the SERPs. Lower rankings mean your SEO will go down the hill, which is never a good thing for any website.
02:42 How to find a Broken Backlink via Ahrefs?
A paid site audit tool like Ahrefs is necessary to find broken backlinks. To find them, you can simply:
1. Go to Site Explorer
2. Enter your website
3. Click "Broken Backlinks" on the left menu
4. See the list of all broken backlinks with their codes
03:24 The 404 Error
The most common error that comes from broken backlinks. It comes when the page doesn't exist on the website server. The fix is to reach out to the website owner and request them to update links with the new URL. You can also update your 404 page with site navigation so that even if the user lands on it they have other paths to take and search for the page they intended to visit. It will help reduce your bounce rate.
04:07 The 400 Error
This error comes up when the server doesn't understand which page the user wants to access. You can always check the URL itself to look for any typos, and if it doesn't help then check the destination page too. A redirect can also be applied to ensure the error doesn't come up.
04:34 Server Reset
This error might pop up if the approached link has been dropped or misconfigured or the host server is busy. Before the fix, you would need to know the cause behind it. You can inquire with the host webmaster, and if the link has been dropped, provide an alternate page that could be used instead.
05:06 Server Timeout
The Timeout error indicates the server timed out during redirection or while leading to the page. Recheck to see if the timeout error is consistent and to fix the issue, contact the host webmaster and request to check any server errors on their end.
05:40 Bad Host
Bad Host shows that the website has been deleted or is unreachable. These are counted as lost links. The unreachability will likely fix itself after a while, however, if the problem remains with the website being online, then you should reach out to the host webmaster and inform them about the error. However, if these fixes don't work, you will have to reach out to another website for a new backlink.
06:18 Bad URL
This shows up when the URL is misspelled. Identify the typo reach out to the host website and request them to get the right URL put up.
06:37 Bad Code
This one occurs when the server finds that the HTTP specifications are being violated by the website. You have to find the specific cause behind the HTTP violation reach out to the host webmaster and tell them the details along with the possible solutions.
07:12 "Empty" Error
It shows up when the server shows the request as empty, returning nothing along with no error code. Your host webmaster has to be reached out to rectify this issue.
07:39 Outreaching webmasters is beneficial to you and them
A fixed broken link will not only help your SEO but will also improve the user experience on the host website which is a win-win.
07:53 Benefits of fixing Broken Links
You improve user experience, reduce bounce rate, and will eventually enjoy increased traffic, what's not to like?
08:08 Bonus Tip
How can you use your competitors' broken links to your advantage? Simply follow the steps
Step 1: Find competitors' Broken Backlinks
Step 2: Shortlist the ones with 404 or 400 errors and check if you have similar content
Step 3: Outreach the host website and offer them your own link
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