When a user clicks on a link on your website that leads to another site, they expect it to work. If it doesn't, it's like a broken promise. This is what we call a 'broken external link.' It means the page you're linking to might have been moved or deleted. Search engines like Google notice these broken links, and having too many can make your site seem outdated or poorly maintained, which can hurt your search rankings. It also frustrates your visitors, and you don't want that!
Imagine you have a link on your page like this:
<a href="https://example.com/some-old-page">Check out this great resource</a>If `example.com/some-old-page` no longer exists, users get an error (like a 404 Not Found page).
You need to either remove the link or update it to point to a working page. For example, if the resource moved, you would update the link:
<a href="https://example.com/the-new-page">Check out this great resource</a>Fixing broken external links improves the user experience on your site and shows search engines that you keep your content fresh and reliable. This can lead to better SEO performance. For more details, check out this guide from Google's documentation on links.
This issue can affect your site's search engine rankings and user experience. Addressing it promptly helps ensure optimal performance and visibility in search results.
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