Broken pages, missing links, and website errors can damage rankings, frustrate visitors, and cost your business leads. Learn how to identify and fix them — before they cost you customers.
A broken link is simply a hyperlink on your website that no longer works. When someone clicks it, they land on an error page instead of the content they expected.
The classic "Page Not Found" — your server says the page doesn't exist anymore.
A page that was deleted or moved without setting up a proper redirect.
Links pointing to external websites that have since been removed or changed.
Service or product pages removed without a redirect
Typos or incorrect paths in manually-entered links
Pages relocated without updating internal links
Seasonal or event pages taken down but still linked
Image files deleted or renamed without updating references
CTA buttons pointing to destinations that no longer exist
Broken links don't just annoy visitors — they send negative signals to Google that can drag down your entire website's performance.
When Googlebot hits dead ends, it wastes your crawl budget and may index fewer of your important pages.
Broken links interrupt the flow of link equity throughout your site, weakening the authority signals passed between pages.
Visitors who click broken links feel frustrated and are far less likely to trust your business with their money.
When users hit a 404 page, they leave immediately. High bounce rates signal to Google that your site isn't helpful.
Every broken contact form, booking link, or quote request button is a lost lead — and lost revenue.
A website full of broken links looks abandoned. Customers will wonder if your business is even still operating.
Behind every broken link is a real person trying to do business with you. Here's what they experience.
A customer clicks your "Book Now" button from Google Maps, lands on a broken page, and calls your competitor instead. One broken link just cost you a new client.
A mobile user finds your site through a local search, taps a service link, and gets an error. They immediately bounce — Google notices, and your local ranking takes a hit.
Multiple broken links make your website look abandoned. Customers lose confidence in seconds — and 88% of users won't return to a site after a bad experience.
A potential customer is ready to schedule a service, clicks the scheduling link, and hits a dead end. They're not going to hunt for another way — they'll find someone else.
Not all broken links are the same. Each type affects your SEO differently.
Links on your site that point to other pages on your own site that no longer exist.
SEO Impact: High
These directly damage your site's crawling efficiency and internal link structure. You have full control to fix these.
Links from your website pointing to other websites that have moved, changed, or been removed.
SEO Impact: Medium
These signal to Google that your content may be outdated. You can't control the destination but you can update your links.
External sites linking to pages on your website that no longer exist. This is valuable link equity going to waste.
SEO Impact: Very High
You're losing free authority from other websites. Reclaim these by setting up 301 redirects to relevant pages.
You can't fix what you don't know is broken. Here are the most effective ways to uncover hidden link problems.
Free tool that reports crawl errors and 404 pages Google finds on your site
Comprehensive scans that check every link on your site for errors
Tools like Screaming Frog that crawl your entire site like a search engine
Reviewing key pages, CTAs, and navigation links by hand
Regular monitoring to catch broken links before they cause damage
The average small business website has dozens of broken links right now — and the owner has no idea. Don't let that be you.
Get a Free Website AuditOnce you find them, fixing broken links is straightforward. Here's the step-by-step approach we use for our clients.
If the page simply moved to a new address, update the old link to point to the correct destination. This is the simplest fix and the one you should do first.
When a page is permanently removed, create a 301 redirect that sends visitors (and Google) to the most relevant replacement page. This preserves your SEO value and user experience.
If a page was removed by mistake and it still has value — like an old blog post generating traffic — restore it. Sometimes the best fix is bringing back what worked.
If you're linking to an external page that no longer exists, either remove the link entirely or find a new, authoritative source to link to instead.
When other websites link to a page you've removed, set up a 301 redirect to a relevant live page. This turns a dead backlink into an SEO asset instead of a wasted opportunity.
Broken image files, PDFs, and other media need to be re-uploaded or replaced with current versions. These broken assets drag down page quality scores.
If you're running a local business in Yakima, Selah, or anywhere in Eastern Washington, broken links hit you harder than big brands.
Broken links from your Google Business Profile to your website hurt your local pack rankings and map visibility.
Local customers expect small businesses to be responsive. A broken website signals the opposite and drives them to competitors.
Over 60% of local searches happen on mobile. Broken links on mobile are even more frustrating and lead to instant bounces.
Every broken contact link, booking button, or quote form is a missed phone call — and for a local business, that's real money left on the table.
Found On Local helps businesses across Yakima, Selah, Union Gap, Wapato, and the entire Yakima Valley fix technical SEO problems and dominate local search.
A clean, error-free website converts more visitors into customers. Fixing broken links is one of the highest-ROI SEO tasks you can do today.
We'll scan your website, identify technical SEO problems, and show you exactly what may be hurting your rankings — no obligation, no pressure.
Broken links are just one piece of the puzzle. A comprehensive approach to technical SEO, local visibility, and website optimization is what drives real results.
Crawlability, indexing, and site architecture that Google can understand
Google Business Profile, local citations, and map pack rankings
Speed, mobile experience, and conversion-focused design
Navigation, accessibility, and trust signals that keep visitors engaged
Found On Local provides professional website SEO audits, broken link detection, and ongoing technical SEO management for businesses in Yakima and across Eastern Washington.
Serving Yakima, Selah, Union Gap, Wapato, Sunnyside, Ellensburg, Tri-Cities, Moses Lake, and the entire Yakima Valley.