Low impactLinks
Broken External Links
Outbound 404 links erode user trust and waste crawl signals. Here's how to find and fix them.
What it means
Outbound <a href> links pointing to URLs that return 404, 410, DNS failure, or timeout.
Why it matters
Broken external links signal a stale, poorly maintained site. Google notices, users notice more.
How to fix it
- Run a link-checker crawl on outbound links.
- Replace broken links with current alternatives, the Wayback Machine archive, or remove them.
- Set up monitoring to catch new breakages.
Find this issue on your site automatically
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Frequently asked questions
Is rel='nofollow' enough for risky outbound links?
nofollow only affects link equity; it doesn't fix a broken link. Always replace or remove.