Broken links are the digital equivalent of a “Closed” sign on your front door. When a potential lead clicks a link on your site and hits a dead end, they don’t just get annoyed; they leave. Most business owners treat internal linking as an afterthought, but it’s actually the nervous system of your SEO.
Let’s fix the leaks in your funnel and turn your site into a well-oiled machine that both Google and your customers actually enjoy using.
Broken Links are Killing Your Conversion Rate
Most “gurus” talk about broken links as an SEO problem. I call it a revenue problem.
If a customer is ready to buy but the “Contact Us” link in your footer is broken, you just lost money. Google notices this behavior too. If people are constantly “pogo-sticking” back to the search results because your links are dead, Google assumes your site is abandoned and tanks your rankings.
The Business Benefit: Fixing these errors reduces your bounce rate and keeps prospects on your site longer, directly increasing the chance of a sale.
Step 1: Hunting Down the Dead Ends
You can’t fix what you can’t see. You need a way to audit your site without clicking every single button manually (you have a business to run, after all).
- Google Search Console: This is your best friend. It’s free and tells you exactly which pages Google tried to visit but couldn’t find.
- The “Broken Link Checker” Plugin: It’s great for a quick scan, but be warned: it can be a massive resource hog. Run it, fix the links, then deactivate it. Don’t let it sit there bloating your site speed.
- Screaming Frog: If you have more than 50 pages, use this desktop tool. It’s the industry standard for a reason.
Step 2: The “301 Redirect” is Your Secret Weapon
When you find a broken link, don’t just delete it. Redirect it.
If you moved a page from /services to /our-work, anyone clicking an old link to the former will see a 404 error. A 301 redirect is a permanent “Change of Address” form. It tells the browser—and Google—to go to the new spot automatically.
The Business Benefit: This preserves “Link Juice.” If an external site (like a news outlet) linked to your old page, a redirect ensures that authority still helps your site rank today.
Step 3: Stop Using “Click Here” (It’s Lazy)
Generic anchor text like “Click Here” or “Read More” is a wasted opportunity.
Google uses the words in your links to understand what the destination page is about. Instead of “Click here to see our pricing,” use “View our Web Design Packages.” It tells the user exactly what to expect and tells Google that the linked page is an authority on web design pricing.
The Business Benefit: Better anchor text improves your “Keyword Relevance,” helping you rank for the specific terms your customers are actually typing into search bars.
Step 4: Map Your “Cornerstone” Content
Not all pages are created equal. You likely have 3-5 “power pages” that explain your core services or products. These are your Cornerstones.
Every blog post you write should eventually link back to one of these pages. This creates a “hub and spoke” model. It guides the user from a general educational post (the blog) toward a high-intent sales page (the service).
The Business Benefit: This shortens the customer journey. You aren’t just giving away free info; you’re leading them toward the “Buy” button.
Step 5: Audit for “Orphaned” Pages
An orphaned page is a page on your site that no other page links to. It’s a digital island.
If you have a great sales page but no links pointing to it from your navigation or blog, Google will struggle to find it, and your customers never will. During your audit, look for pages with “Zero In-links” and find them a home.
Founder’s Action Item
Install the “Redirection” plugin (it’s free and lightweight) and check your 404 log. Look for the top 5 most-visited broken URLs and redirect them to your current homepage or relevant service page immediately.