Fix Broken External Links

What Are Broken External Links?

Broken external links point to pages or resources outside your domain that are no longer reachable. Servers return error messages for such links. These links are also referred to as dead links or link rot.

The difference from broken internal links is clear: external links lead to third-party domains you don’t control. When an external target goes offline or is moved, you can’t fix it directly.

Error Codes for Broken External Links

These HTTP status codes indicate broken external links:

Error CodeMeaning404 Page Not FoundThe resource no longer exists on the target server400 Bad RequestThe external server cannot process the URLBad HostThe hostname does not exist or is not reachableBad URLMalformed URL (missing characters, extra slashes)Bad CodeServer response violates HTTP specificationsEmptyNo response from server, neither content nor status codeTimeoutHTTP requests consistently time outResetServer drops connections due to overload or misconfiguration

Causes of Broken External Links

External links break for various reasons:

• The target page was deleted or permanently moved
• The URL structure of the external website changed
• The external domain is offline or no longer available
• Linked content (PDFs, videos, documents) was removed
• Firewall or geolocation restrictions block access
• Typos when setting the external link

Why Broken External Links Hurt SEO

Broken external links affect your ranking. Google uses them as a quality signal for websites. Too many broken links signal a neglected or abandoned site.

User Experience Suffers

Users expect working links. When they hit dead ends, they leave your site. This harms user experience and indirectly rankings. Search engines continue to evolve their algorithms to promote better user experiences.

Bounce Rate Increases

Every visitor decides within seconds whether to stay or leave. Broken external links are frustrating. Users switch to working alternatives. The shorter the time on site, the higher the bounce rate.

Finding Broken External Links

There are several ways to identify broken links.

Via SEO Tools

Tools like SEOptimer scan your pages and show broken links directly in the audit report. For extensive websites with hundreds of subpages, use crawler tools that check all external links.

Via Google Search Console

Search Console reports crawl errors. Note: Google only shows URLs on your own domain. External link targets are not checked there.

Find crawl errors under: Crawl > Crawl Errors

Prioritize the reported errors. Not every 404 is critical. Irrelevant URLs don’t affect your ranking.

Fixing Broken External Links

Fixing requires regular maintenance. Depending on content production, you should check monthly or quarterly.

Methods for Fixing Errors

• Remove external links: If the target is permanently gone and no alternative exists, remove the link entirely
• Find a new link target: Research a current, equivalent source and update the URL
• Contact the link target: For temporary issues, you can contact the website owner and point out the problem
• Replace with more current sources: Find better, more up-to-date information sources on the same topic
• Use archived version: Via https://archive.org you can find and link to old content (only if legally unproblematic)

Best Practices

Avoid deep links to external pages when you can’t assess their longevity. Link only to stable, trustworthy sources.

Focus on:

• Official company websites
• Scientific publications
• Government websites
• Established news portals
• Trade media with long-term presence

Set Up Regular Monitoring

Schedule fixed intervals for link checks:

• With high content frequency: monthly
• With moderate activity: quarterly
• With static sites: semi-annually

Use automated monitoring tools that notify you of new broken links.

Fixing Broken External Links in WordPress

WordPress offers no native solution for link checks. Two options are available:

Plugin Solution

Install a link check plugin like “Broken Link Checker.” The plugin:

• Automatically scans all external links
• Reports broken links
• Allows direct editing in the dashboard
• Checks regularly in the background

Note: Too many plugins burden performance. For large sites, a dedicated external tool may be more efficient.

Manual Review

Alternatively, use external tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb, which crawl your WordPress site and export broken external links. You then fix the links manually in the editor.

Fixing Broken External Links in Wix

Wix offers no automatic link checking for external links. You must use external tools and manually correct links in the editor.

Procedure in Wix

• Use external crawler tools for identification
• Open the Wix editor
• Navigate to the affected page
• Select the broken link
• Update the URL or remove the link
• Publish the changes

Fixing Broken External Links in Shopify

Shopify has no built-in function for external link checks. Work with external monitoring tools.

Procedure

After identifying broken external links via tools:

• Open Shopify Admin
• Navigate to Online Store > Pages or Products
• Edit the affected page or product description
• Correct or remove the broken link
• Save the changes

Summary: Keeping External Links Clean

Broken external links harm user experience and rankings. Regular monitoring is necessary. Rely on reliable sources and check your external links at fixed intervals.

With the right tools and a structured approach, you’ll keep your external link structure clean and functional.