What Are Broken Backlinks?
Broken backlinks are inbound links from other websites that point to a URL on your site (or a resource you control) that no longer works. Typically, the destination returns a 404 Not Found error, but broken backlinks can also happen when a page returns 410 Gone, redirects incorrectly, times out, or loads an irrelevant page that no longer matches the intent of the original link.
In simple terms: another website is “vouching” for you with a link, but the user lands on a dead end. That’s bad for visitors, and it can quietly drain the SEO value you could otherwise earn from those links.
Why Broken Backlinks Matter for SEO (and Users)
Backlinks remain one of the strongest signals search engines use to understand credibility and authority. When those backlinks point to broken pages, you may lose out on:
- Link equity: The authority passed through a backlink may not fully benefit your site if the destination URL is dead or poorly redirected.
- Rankings for linked pages: The page that used to earn links may drop in performance if it no longer exists or was replaced without proper redirects.
- Referral traffic: People clicking the link hit a 404, bounce, and never see your content.
- Brand trust: Broken experiences feel unprofessional and can reduce confidence in your site.
From a user standpoint, a broken backlink is friction. From an SEO standpoint, it’s wasted opportunity—especially if the broken link was pointing to a high-value page or a page with strong link history.
Common Causes of Broken Backlinks
Broken backlinks rarely happen on purpose. They usually occur during normal site changes and content updates. Common causes include:
- URL changes: You update slugs, restructure categories, or move content to a new folder without creating a proper redirect.
- Deleted or consolidated content: Pages get removed during content pruning, or multiple pages are merged into one.
- Site migrations: Domain changes, HTTP to HTTPS moves, or platform migrations (e.g., to WordPress) can leave orphaned URLs.
- Typos and formatting issues: The linking site may have typed the URL incorrectly, added extra characters, or linked to an outdated variation.
- Expired assets: PDFs, images, or downloadable files are moved or replaced without keeping the original URL accessible.
- Parameter and tracking issues: Some sites link with query strings that no longer resolve correctly after an update.
How to Find Broken Backlinks
Finding broken backlinks is a mix of using the right tools and knowing what to prioritize. Below are practical methods, ranging from quick checks to more comprehensive audits.
1) Use Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is a reliable starting point because it reflects what Google discovers while crawling your site.
- Check Indexing > Pages for Not found (404) URLs.
- For a given 404, open it and look for Referring page details (where available).
- Cross-reference with your backlink data to confirm whether external sites are linking to those URLs.
GSC won’t always show every referring link in a convenient way, but it’s excellent for identifying broken URLs that matter to search.
2) Use an SEO Backlink Tool
Dedicated SEO platforms are often the fastest way to find broken backlinks because they combine link indexes with status checking. Most tools let you filter backlinks by destination URL status (e.g., 404) and see:
- Which external pages link to the broken URL
- The anchor text used
- The authority/quality of the linking domain
- First seen/last seen dates
This helps you focus on broken backlinks that are actually worth reclaiming—links from relevant, trustworthy sites that could drive meaningful equity and traffic.
3) Crawl Your Site and Check Inbound Link Targets
A site crawl can reveal internal broken links, but it can also help you map old URL patterns and identify redirect gaps. If you have historical URL lists (from old sitemaps, analytics, or migration docs), you can:
- Test old URLs at scale to see which return 404/410
- Match broken URLs to the best current equivalent page
- Plan redirects strategically (especially after a redesign or migration)
4) Check Your Server Logs (Advanced)
If you have access to server logs, look for repeated requests to 404 pages—especially requests with referrers from external domains. This can uncover broken backlinks that tools miss and highlight the ones that real users are actually clicking.
How to Fix Broken Backlinks (Best Options)
Once you’ve identified broken backlinks, the right fix depends on why the URL is broken and what the best user experience should be. These are the most effective approaches.
1) 301 Redirect the Broken URL to the Most Relevant Page
In most cases, the best fix is a 301 redirect from the broken URL to a highly relevant replacement. This preserves user experience and helps consolidate link equity.
- Best for: URL changes, moved pages, consolidated content, updated slugs
- Avoid: Redirecting everything to the homepage (often called a “soft 404” pattern). It can confuse users and may not pass value effectively.
Tip: Redirect to the closest match by topic and intent, not just the nearest category page. Relevance is what makes the redirect useful for people and credible for search engines.
2) Recreate the Missing Page (When It’s Truly Valuable)
If the broken URL had strong links and the topic is still relevant, recreating the page can be a smart move—especially if there isn’t a perfect alternative destination.
- Best for: Evergreen resources, popular guides, link-worthy statistics pages, tools, or templates
- Approach: Publish updated content on the same URL if possible, or recreate it and redirect only if you must change the URL.
This strategy can be particularly powerful when the broken page was a “link magnet” (something others naturally referenced).
3) Ask Site Owners to Update the Link (Link Reclamation)
Sometimes the cleanest fix is for the linking site to update the URL on their end—especially if they linked to an outdated or mistyped address.
- Best for: High-value links, editorial mentions, resource pages, partner sites
- How to do it: Reach out politely, provide the correct URL, and explain that the current link leads to a 404.
Simple outreach email template:
Hi [Name],
I noticed your page [URL] links to our resource here: [broken URL]. That link currently returns a 404. The updated page is: [correct URL].
If you have a moment to update it, it’ll help your readers reach the right information. Thanks!
—[Your Name]
Focus your outreach on links that matter: relevant sites, strong pages, and links likely to send traffic.
4) Fix Redirect Chains and Loops
Not all “broken” backlinks point to a 404. Sometimes they land in redirect chains (multiple hops) or loops. These issues can dilute performance and create slow, unreliable user experiences.
- Update redirects so the old URL points directly to the final destination in one hop.
- Eliminate redirect loops entirely by checking rules and plugin conflicts.
5) Handle 410s and Outdated Content Carefully
If a page is intentionally removed and there is no relevant replacement, returning a 410 Gone can be appropriate. However, if that URL has valuable backlinks, consider whether a relevant alternative exists. If it does, a 301 is usually the better user-focused choice.
Broken Backlinks vs. Broken Internal Links
It’s easy to mix these up, but they’re different problems:
- Broken backlinks are links from other websites pointing to your broken URLs.
- Broken internal links are links within your own site pointing to pages that don’t exist.
Both hurt user experience, but broken backlinks are often higher priority because they involve earned authority and external referral traffic. That said, fixing internal links is usually faster—so it’s worth addressing both as part of a healthy maintenance routine.
Prioritizing Which Broken Backlinks to Fix First
Not all broken backlinks are equally important. Use a simple prioritization framework to get the most impact quickly:
- Link quality: Links from authoritative, relevant domains usually matter more.
- Traffic potential: If a broken backlink likely sends real visitors, fix it ASAP.
- Topical relevance: A relevant link to a relevant replacement page is more valuable than a generic redirect.
- Volume: A single broken URL with many referring domains is a high-leverage fix.
- Business value: Prioritize URLs tied to product pages, lead gen, or core content hubs.
Best Practices to Prevent Broken Backlinks
The easiest broken backlink to fix is the one that never breaks. Build these habits into your workflow:
- Use stable URL structures: Avoid unnecessary slug changes and frequent restructuring.
- Redirect every changed URL: Make 301 redirects part of every content update, redesign, and migration checklist.
- Keep an “old URLs” log: During migrations, maintain a mapping sheet from old to new pages.
- Monitor 404s regularly: Review GSC and analytics for spikes in not-found pages.
- Be cautious when pruning content: If a page has backlinks, consider updating or consolidating rather than deleting.
- Protect link-worthy assets: Keep PDFs, templates, and tools on stable URLs—or redirect them properly when updating.
Conclusion
Broken backlinks are missed opportunities: they waste referral traffic, weaken user experience, and can reduce the SEO value you’ve earned over time. By routinely identifying broken inbound links, prioritizing the most valuable ones, and fixing them with relevant 301 redirects, page recreation, or link reclamation outreach, you can recover lost authority and create a smoother path for both users and search engines.
