Broken Link
A broken link points at a URL that returns an error, most often 404 (not found) or a server error.
In detail
Internal broken links waste crawl attention and strand visitors mid-journey; broken external links weaken trust in the page.
They accumulate quietly after redesigns, URL changes and content deletions, which is why they are worth rechecking rather than fixing once.
Example
A "View packages" link on a guide pointing at an old pricing URL that now returns 404.
Why it matters
It is an unambiguous defect with a known fix, and it usually sits on the paths you care about most.
Common mistakes
- Redirecting everything to the homepage instead of the closest equivalent page.
- Checking only the navigation and not in-content links.
Related questions
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A practical checklist covering the fundamentals, with how to check each one and what a failure looks like.
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A cornerstone guide to organic search: technical foundation, on-page work, content, internal linking, authority and measurement — in the order that pays off.
Related terms
- Internal Linking
Internal linking is the network of links between your own pages, which helps discovery, distributes importance and explains topics.
- Technical SEO
Technical SEO covers everything that determines whether search engines can reach, render, index and trust your pages.
- Indexability
Indexability is whether a page is eligible to be stored in a search engine's index and shown in results.
Related questions
- What does Hamatra actually check?
Hamatra crawls the site the way a search engine would and reports on technical SEO, content, on-page metadata, site structure, search and AI readiness, indexability and internal linking, plus broken links found during the same crawl.