What is a broken link?
A broken link is a link found on a webpage or elsewhere on a website or app that is either malformed or pointing to a URL that is not working correctly.
If a user or search engine bot were to click/visit the link to visit the destination it would lead to a 404 page, timeout, or other type of error page in the browser.
What causes a broken link?
Some of the typical causes of broken links include:
- A resource being deleted
- A resource changing URL
- A resource being moved to another location
- Redirects not being set up or executing incorrectly
- A website being offline or in maintenance
- Typo in the URL
- Domain expiry
Synonyms
Synonyms for ‘broken link’ include:
- Dead link
- Broken hyperlink
- 404 link