A link that leads to a non-existent page, returning a 404 error and creating a poor user experience.
A dead link is a hyperlink that points to a web page, file, or resource that no longer exists, typically returning a 404 "Not Found" HTTP status code when clicked. Dead links create frustrating user experiences and can signal to search engines that a website lacks proper maintenance, potentially impacting search rankings and crawl efficiency.
Dead links occur for various reasons: pages are deleted without proper redirects, domains expire, files are moved without updating links, or external websites remove content you've linked to. While a few dead links won't devastate your SEO, accumulating hundreds or thousands signals poor site maintenance and wastes crawl budget that could be allocated to indexing valuable content.
Why It Matters for AI SEO
AI-powered search engines like Google's RankBrain and newer systems evaluate user experience signals more sophisticatedly than ever. Dead links contribute to poor user experience metrics that AI algorithms can detect through bounce rates, time on page, and user behavior patterns. When users encounter dead links, they often leave immediately, sending negative engagement signals that AI systems interpret as content quality issues. Modern AI crawlers are also more efficient at identifying and deprioritizing pages with numerous dead links. Google's AI systems can predict which pages are likely to contain outdated or low-quality content based on link health patterns, affecting how frequently these pages get crawled and indexed.
How It Works
Dead links are identified through HTTP status codes during crawling. When a crawler encounters a link, the server responds with a status code—200 for success, 404 for not found, 301 for permanent redirect, and so on. Tools like Screaming Frog and Ahrefs systematically check every link on your site, categorizing responses and flagging problems. Regular link auditing should be part of your SEO maintenance routine. Run monthly crawls using Sitebulb or Screaming Frog to identify dead internal and external links. Google Search Console's Coverage report also highlights crawl errors. For external links, consider implementing automated monitoring or using services that alert you when linked content disappears. When fixing dead links, either update them to working alternatives, implement 301 redirects if you control the destination, or remove them entirely if no suitable replacement exists.
Common Mistakes
Many SEOs only check for dead links during major site audits rather than implementing ongoing monitoring. This reactive approach allows problems to accumulate and impact user experience for extended periods. Another common mistake is ignoring external dead links, assuming they're beyond your control—while you can't fix external sites, you can replace dead external links with working alternatives or remove them to improve user experience. Some practitioners also focus solely on HTTP 404 errors while overlooking other problematic status codes like 500 server errors or timeout issues that create similar user experience problems.