Linkrot
Your links are broken! How frustrating!
Definition: When links to a website no longer work because content has been moved or deleted
Linkrot occurs when an active website links to a page, server, or other resource that has permanently become unavailable because of web page redesign, domain change, wrong URL, or a site shutdown. Linkrot stinks because it hurts your SEO, since Google ranks websites based off of the quality of the links you provide and also who links back to you. Aside from that, it also effects the consumer. The validity of your links is key in user experience and if the consumer isn’t coming to your site for information anymore, they move on to more reputable sites with working links. Down goes your SEO ranking even further, taking this disaster full circle.
You can fix linkrot by making sure your links are valid through SEO audits that can scan your entire list of links and can determine which need to be removed. You can also use the Google Disavow tool to get rid of links to sites that ignore your request for removal. The easiest way to avoid this whole mess is by maintaining the integrity of your own site. If you move articles around, be sure to redirect the old page to the location of the new page. Always update your links and check them often and update your sitemap if there are any deletions to avoid broken links.
It’s always beneficial to plan ahead and do things the correct way to avoid costly mistakes down the line.
