How to Use a Broken Backlink Checker to Improve SEO and Website Health

Broken Backlink Checker: The Ultimate Guide to Finding and Fixing Broken Links Like a Pro

Introduction

Ever clicked a link and landed on a page that says “404 Page Not Found”? Yeah, we’ve all been there—and it’s not fun. Now imagine your potential customers, Google crawlers, or partners doing the same on your site. Ouch.

If you’re running a website, broken links are like silent SEO killers. They break trust, tank your rankings, and frustrate your visitors. That’s where a broken backlink checker steps in—your behind-the-scenes hero to detect, fix, and clean up your site before Google starts judging.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to check for broken links, the best tools to use, and how to fix them efficiently. Whether you’re a solo blogger, SEO specialist, or marketing agency based in the U.S., this post has everything you need to maintain a healthy, link-friendly website.

What Are Broken Backlinks (and Why Should You Care)?

Broken backlinks (also known as dead links or broken hyperlinks) are links on your website—or links pointing to your website—that no longer lead to a valid page. When clicked, they show an error like 404, 403, or “page not found.”

Here’s why they’re a problem:

• 💔 They ruin user experience
• 🔍 They confuse search engines crawling your site
• 📉 They decrease your domain authority and rankings
• 😐 They look unprofessional

Whether it’s internal or external, broken links send the wrong signals to both Google and your users. That’s why regular link audits using a reliable broken backlink checker are a must.

Signs You Might Have a Broken Website (Link-Wise)

Here are red flags that indicate you should check your site for broken links:

• Users report error pages
• Bounce rate is unusually high
• Rankings have dropped suddenly
• Google Search Console is throwing crawl errors
• You changed URLs but forgot redirects

Sound familiar? Time to run a web page broken link checker.

Top Tools to Check for Broken Links (and Backlinks)

Let’s get into the good stuff. Below are the best link checker tools to help you find broken links, whether they’re on your site or linking to it.

💡 Pro Tip: Use more than one tool to double-check. Sometimes, one might catch issues the others miss.

How to Find Broken Links on Your Website (Step-by-Step)

Here’s a simple guide on how to check your website for broken links using any standard tool:

1. Choose a Broken Backlink Checker Tool

Start with Screaming Frog or Ahrefs if you need advanced data. For beginners, Dead Link Checker is a solid start.

2. Enter Your Website URL

Paste your domain into the tool. If you manage multiple sites, prioritize the one with the most traffic or recent changes.

3. Run the Scan

Let the web broken link checker crawl your site. This may take a few minutes depending on the size of your website.

4. Analyze the Report

Look for:

• 404 errors
• Redirect chains
• Broken internal/external links
• Broken backlinks pointing to your site

5. Export the Data

Download the list to fix or share with your developer or SEO team.

How to Fix Broken Links (Fast)

Once you find broken links on your site, here’s how to fix them:

🛠 Fix Internal Links

• Update the URL to the correct one
• Remove the link if the page no longer exists
• Set up 301 redirects using tools like Rank Math or Yoast (for WordPress users)

🔗 Fix External Links

• Replace the link with a working resource
• Reach out to the site owner to fix it
• Use an alternative high-quality source

📥 Fix Broken Backlinks Pointing to You

• Use Ahrefs Broken Link Checker or GSC to find broken backlinks
• Create a new page at the broken URL (if it was deleted)
• Redirect the broken page to the correct version
• Contact the linking site and offer a replacement URL

Bonus Tip: Use Broken Link Building as an SEO Opportunity

Here’s where it gets fun. You can search for broken links on other people’s sites in your niche, then offer your content as a replacement.

This is called broken link building—and it works like a charm.

Steps:

1. Use a link finder like Ahrefs or Broken Link Builder.
2. Find content with broken hyperlinks.
3. Create a better version of that content.
4. Reach out and suggest your page as the new link.

Win-win. They fix their link—you gain a backlink.

When to Run a Website Link Check

Wondering how often to run a webpage link check? Here’s a quick rule of thumb:

Set reminders or use automated tools so you’re not scrambling when problems arise.

1. What is a broken backlink checker?

A broken backlink checker is a tool that scans your website or backlink profile to detect links that lead to non-existent or error pages, also known as broken links or dead links. These tools help maintain your site’s SEO health by identifying and fixing broken hyperlinks before they affect your rankings or user experience.

2. Why should I check my website for broken links regularly?

You should check your website for broken links to ensure users and search engines can navigate your site smoothly. Broken links hurt SEO, reduce trust, and can lead to higher bounce rates. Using a webpage link check tool helps you stay ahead of these issues and maintain a professional, high-performing website.

3. How do I find broken links on my website?

To find broken links on your website, use a link checker tool like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console. These tools will scan your pages, detect broken hyperlinks, and generate a report that shows where the issues are located so you can quickly fix them.

4. What causes broken links on a website?

Broken links are usually caused by:

• Deleted or moved pages without proper redirection
• Typing errors in URLs
• Expired or outdated external links
• Incorrect internal linking during site updates
  Regularly using a web broken link checker helps prevent long-term SEO issues caused by these problems.

5. Can broken backlinks harm my SEO?

Yes, broken backlinks can harm your SEO. If authoritative sites are linking to a broken page on your site, you lose valuable link equity. It also signals poor site maintenance. Use tools like Ahrefs’ broken backlink checker to monitor and recover lost link value.

6. How can I check links on a page for errors?

To check links on a page, use a web page broken link checker such as W3C Link Checker or Dr. Link Check. These tools analyze every link on a single page and notify you of any broken or redirected URLs, helping you maintain link integrity.

7. What’s the best way to find broken backlinks pointing to my site?

The best way to find broken backlinks pointing to your site is by using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush. These platforms offer a broken backlink checker feature that scans your backlink profile and flags inbound links leading to deleted or broken pages on your site.

8. How do I fix broken links on my website?

To fix links on your website:

• Update or correct the URL if it has a typo
• Redirect the broken link to a relevant page using a 301 redirect
• Replace external dead links with working alternatives
  Using a dead link checker helps you spot and fix issues efficiently.

9. How do I detect broken links in bulk?

To detect broken links in bulk, use a site-wide link checker like Screaming Frog or Dead Link Checker. These tools crawl your entire domain and help you search for broken links across hundreds or thousands of pages in minutes.

10. What is the difference between broken links and broken backlinks?

Broken links are faulty links on your site that lead to invalid URLs. Broken backlinks are links from other websites pointing to a page on your site that no longer exists. You need to find dead links on website pages internally and monitor inbound links using a broken backlink checker.

11. How often should I check my site for broken links?

You should check your site for broken links at least once a month. If you run a high-traffic or content-heavy site, scan more frequently—weekly or bi-weekly. A regular website link check ensures better SEO performance and user experience.

12. Is there a tool to find dead links on my website automatically?

Yes, tools like Broken Link Checker (for WordPress), Screaming Frog, and Dr. Link Check can automatically find dead links on your website. These tools can run scheduled scans and alert you when a broken hyperlink appears.

13. How do I test broken links in a website before launch?

To test broken links in a website before launch, use a link finder or scan website for broken link tool like Xenu or Screaming Frog. These tools simulate crawler behavior and help you ensure all internal and external links are valid before going live.

14. What should I do if I find broken links on my site?

When you find broken links on your site, take the following steps:

• Replace or update the broken URL
• Redirect the link if the content moved
• Remove outdated external links
  Use a webpage link check monthly to keep your site link-health in top shape.

15. Can I use a broken backlink checker to improve SEO strategy?

Yes! A broken backlink checker not only helps fix issues but also opens up SEO opportunities. By identifying broken backlinks, you can reclaim lost link juice and even use the data to build a broken link building strategy—where you reach out to sites linking to dead content and offer your updated page instead.

Conclusion

Whether you’re trying to improve SEO, clean up your user experience, or spot a dip in traffic, running a broken backlink checker is one of the easiest and most effective steps you can take. Broken links may seem small, but their impact on credibility and search rankings is massive.

Make it a habit to check your website for broken links, fix them fast, and use the opportunity to build new, powerful backlinks. Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and Dead Link Checker are your new best friends.

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By AliBacklink Team Last updated May 3, 2025

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