Fix Broken External Links And Keep Google Happy

There is nothing more annoying that arriving at a website that is expected to give you great information and tips just to discover that the external links send you to a non-existent page. You spent valuable time viewing the web page just to be left disappointed.

In fact, Google frowns upon such practices and has created algorithms in their search engine rankings to decrease the value placed upon web pages that have broken external links. That’s typically because Google feels that if you have broken links, your website isn’t being maintained and therefore, your website offers less value to a search engine user. Google prides itself on providing its users with quick, reliable search results. So, you can’t really be surprised that Google algorithms weigh heavily in this area.

So what does Google’s requirements for broken external links mean for you? If you have a website and you don’t keep it maintained, Google has a fast, effective, automated way to discover it before you do. And, without knowledge, your website rankings can take an unexpected slump. If you rely on Google’s ranking for organic traffic to your website, this can have a huge impact on your sales.  But, you can do something about it. You can ensure your external links are not broken in order for Google to give you a “thumbs up” during your website review. If you have never done this review yourself, begin with Deadlinkchecker.com. It will check your website for any broken external links.

Like with many of our customers, website owners don’t really have time to review their own website every month to ensure there are no broken external links within their website. Therefore, DevSavvy has introduced a monthly maintenance package that helps customers with WordPress CMS websites to stay up to date on their website’s contributions to search engine results. We review every link on your website and verify that you are not adding to the problem of websites with broken external links.

If you have a website that isn’t being maintained by someone every month, contact us at DevSavvy. Perhaps you need a WordPress CMS website so you can make corrections when you notice broken external links. We are WordPress experts and we have a monthly maintenance team that ensures your website is performing at its peak.

About the author

Brian Jardine

Brian is the founder of DevSavvy, a digital development agency based out of Atlanta, GA. He has worked with agency partners like marketing strategists and graphic design firms, building their client websites. He also provides key insights to his clients, consulting in areas relating to ROI and website performance.