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Link Rot: How Decaying Links Impact SEO

Link rot is silently eroding your website’s SEO performance, potentially costing you valuable traffic and revenue without you even realizing it1.

Principaux points à retenir

  • Link rot occurs when linked pages become unavailable, affecting both backlinks and outbound links.
  • Rotten links can harm SEO by reducing link equity, increasing bounce rates, and damaging user experience.
  • About 0.5% of all links decay within a single week, highlighting the ongoing nature of link rot.
  • Preserve your URL structure and use redirects to protect against link rot and maintain SEO value.
  • Regularly check for broken links and update or remove them to maintain a positive user experience.
  • Choose reliable, authoritative sources for outbound links to minimize the risk of future link rot.

Whether you’re building backlinks or outbound links, it’s crucial to consider their longevity. A strong search engine optimization (SEO) strategy depends heavily on the quality and functionality of links. If your website loses some or all of its links due to decay, it may suffer in search engine rankings and user engagement. Unfortunately, link rot can undermine your efforts, leaving your website’s links ineffective.

What Is Link Rot?

Link rot, also known as link decay, is a phenomenon where a linked page becomes unavailable or unreachable. It can occur with both backlinks (links pointing to your site) and outbound links (links from your site to others). When the target page of a link is deleted, moved, or undergoes a URL change without proper redirection, the link essentially “rots.”

A crucial aspect to understand is that link rot can affect your website even if you don’t actively delete any links. Rotten links differ from deleted links in that they remain visible on a webpage but fail to serve their intended purpose. They are, in essence, broken links. Clicking a rotten link often results in a 404 error page, indicating that the linked resource is no longer accessible. On the other hand, deleted links are entirely removed from your content, leaving no clickable trace behind. Therefore, while both scenarios can affect user experience, rotten links pose a unique issue as they linger, signaling outdated or unreliable information to both users and search engines.

The prevalence of link rot is on the rise. Back in 2013, researchers at Harvard Law School examined thousands of links cited in Supreme Court opinions. Astonishingly, they discovered that nearly half of the links were rotten, illustrating how link rot can affect even the most reputable sources. Similarly, a study conducted by Microsoft and Hewlett Packard Labs revealed that roughly 0.5% of all links decay within a single week. These studies highlight the ongoing nature of link rot and the importance of proactive management to safeguard your SEO efforts.

How Link Rot Harms SEO

Ignoring link rot can have several negative consequences on your website’s SEO, affecting both its organic rankings and overall performance. One of the most significant impacts of link rot is the potential loss of backlinks. Google’s Andrey Lipattsev has publicly stated that links and content are the two most important ranking signals used by its algorithm to determine a webpage’s relevance and authority. Backlinks contribute to your site’s “link equity,” which is a crucial factor in how search engines rank your pages. If your website’s backlinks start to decay, search engines may interpret this as a sign of reduced credibility, potentially leading to lower rankings.

Although rotten backlinks may technically still point to your website, they do not guide visitors or search engines to the intended page. Instead, they trigger a 404 error when clicked. Why is this a problem for SEO? Every page on your website receives authority or “link juice” from its respective backlinks. This link juice is part of what makes pages rank well in search engine results. However, when links rot, they stop transferring authority to the targeted pages, as they now point to nonfunctional URLs. This not only diminishes the SEO value of those pages but also reflects poorly on your site’s overall user experience.

Furthermore, link rot can contribute to a higher bounce rate on your website. Bounce rate is a key engagement metric that shows the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only a single page during their session. When users encounter a 404 error page upon clicking a link, they are more likely to exit your site entirely, leading to an increased bounce rate. High bounce rates can signal to search engines that your website may not provide the quality experience users expect, which can negatively affect your rankings. Default 404 error pages typically contain minimal information – often just a “File not found” message – offering visitors little to no incentive to explore other pages. As a result, 404 errors not only disrupt the user experience but also impede the natural flow of visitor navigation, compounding the SEO damage caused by link rot.

Rotten outbound links can also create a negative impression for visitors. When users click on an outbound link expecting to find valuable content, only to encounter a 404 error page, it diminishes their experience and erodes trust. The issue is compounded by the fact that visitors cannot easily distinguish between functional and rotten outbound links without clicking them. This not only frustrates users but also sends a message to search engines that your content may be outdated or poorly maintained. Search engines prefer to promote pages that provide a seamless user experience, so the presence of rotten outbound links can further push your website down in the search results.

Tips to Protect Against Link Rot

While link rot is an ongoing concern, there are steps you can take to mitigate its impact and protect your website’s SEO. One of the most effective strategies is to preserve your website’s URL structure. Backlinks can only rot if the linked pages are deleted or their URLs are changed. To minimize the risk, avoid deleting high-quality pages from your website. If a URL change is unavoidable, use a 301 or 302 redirect to maintain the link’s functionality. A 301 redirect denotes a permanent URL change and passes the original link’s SEO value to the new URL, while a 302 redirect indicates a temporary change. By implementing these redirects, you can ensure that visitors and search engines are automatically guided to the page’s new location, effectively restoring rotten backlinks and preserving your SEO efforts.

Managing rotten outbound links can be more challenging, as you don’t control the target pages. The owner of the linked page may delete it or change its URL at any time. If a linked page is deleted, you’ll need to either remove the outbound link from your website or replace it with a link to a different, relevant page. If the linked page’s URL changes, update the outbound link on your site to reflect the new URL. Regularly reviewing your outbound links is crucial for maintaining a positive user experience and sustaining your SEO health.

Using a broken link checker allows you to quickly scan your website for rotten outbound links. Keep in mind that while these tools are effective for identifying nonfunctional outbound links, they do not detect rotten backlinks. To identify rotten backlinks, you’ll need to employ other methods, such as reviewing your website’s server logs for 404 errors and analyzing their referring URLs. This proactive approach can help you address issues before they escalate and negatively impact your site’s SEO.

Additionally, choosing reliable, authoritative sources for your outbound links can minimize the likelihood of link rot. Linking to well-established websites reduces the risk that the target pages will be deleted or go offline unexpectedly. In contrast, linking to lesser-known brands or websites that may close their digital doors can result in rotten outbound links over time.

Conclusion

Links are fundamental to SEO, but their value is contingent on their functionality. When a link rots, it fails to guide visitors and search engines to the correct page, leading to a potential loss of backlinks, an increased bounce rate, and a negative user experience. By understanding what link rot is and how it can harm your SEO, you can take steps to prevent it. Preserving your website’s URL structure, managing redirects, using broken link checkers, and choosing reliable link targets are all effective strategies to mitigate the risks of link rot. Keeping your links healthy is key to maintaining a strong SEO strategy and ensuring your website remains visible and valuable to your audience.

Questions fréquemment posées

What is link rot?
Link rot, also known as link decay, occurs when a linked webpage becomes unavailable or unreachable. This can happen to both backlinks pointing to your site and outbound links from your site to others.

How does link rot affect SEO?
Link rot can harm SEO by reducing link equity, increasing bounce rates, and damaging user experience. It can lead to lower search engine rankings and diminished credibility for your website.

How common is link rot?
Link rot is surprisingly common. Studies have shown that about 0.5% of all links decay within a single week, highlighting the ongoing nature of this issue.

What’s the difference between rotten links and deleted links?
Rotten links remain visible on a webpage but lead to unavailable content, often resulting in a 404 error. Deleted links are completely removed from the content, leaving no clickable trace.

How can I protect my website against link rot?
To protect against link rot, preserve your URL structure, use redirects when necessary, regularly check for broken links, and choose reliable sources for outbound links.

Why are backlinks important for SEO?
Backlinks contribute to your site’s “link equity,” which is a crucial factor in how search engines rank your pages. They signal credibility and authority to search engines.

How does link rot impact user experience?
Link rot can lead to a poor user experience by increasing bounce rates and frustrating visitors who encounter 404 errors when clicking on links.

Can link rot affect outbound links too?
Yes, link rot can affect outbound links when the pages you’re linking to become unavailable or change their URLs without proper redirection.

How often should I check for broken links on my website?
It’s advisable to regularly check for broken links using a broken link checker tool. The frequency depends on your website’s size and how often you update content, but monthly checks are a good starting point.

What should I do if I find rotten links on my website?
If you find rotten outbound links, either remove them, replace them with links to relevant pages, or update them if the target page has a new URL. For rotten backlinks, implement redirects to preserve SEO value.

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