A "broken link", also known as a dead link or broken link, is a common problem on the Internet that occurs when a hyperlink points to a web page, image or document that is no longer available. This type of link leads to an error page, usually a 404 error message, indicating that the requested content cannot be found. This situation can arise for various reasons, such as when a web page is deleted, the URL structure of a page is changed without making the appropriate updates to links, or when the linked resource has been moved or renamed.

The presence of dead links on a website can have several negative effects. They are particularly problematic for the user experience, as they can lead to frustration and reduce confidence in the quality of the website. If users frequently encounter broken links, they can quickly lose interest in the website and may avoid it in the future. This can have particularly serious consequences for commercial websites, such as online shops or service providers, as it can damage the brand's reputation and deter potential customers.

Broken links are also harmful from a search engine optimisation (SEO) perspective. Search engines such as Google rate websites according to the quality of their links, among other things. Dead links can be interpreted as a sign of a neglected or outdated website, which can have a negative impact on the ranking in search results. They can also affect the crawling efficiency of search engines, as crawlers spend time and resources following links that lead nowhere.

Maintaining and checking links is therefore an important part of website maintenance. There are various tools and services that can help identify and repair dead links. These tools scan the website and its links and report any problems found. It is advisable to carry out these checks regularly to ensure that all links are functional and that the user experience and SEO ranking of the website are not affected.

In some cases, it can also be useful to develop strategies for dealing with dead links. For example, user-friendly error pages (custom 404 pages) can be created that encourage visitors to stay on the site by providing links to other relevant content or to the home page. This can help to mitigate the negative effects of dead links and encourage visitors to continue browsing the site despite the problem they have encountered.

To summarise, broken links are a pervasive problem on the web that can have a serious impact on user experience and a website's SEO ranking. Regularly checking and maintaining links is therefore crucial for website owners. By addressing this challenge and taking proactive measures, you can ensure that your website remains attractive and accessible to both users and search engines.