Maintaining a corporate website requires not only creativity in content and engagement strategies, but also technical rigor in managing its pages. A fundamental technical aspect is managing broken links, i.e. links that direct to pages that no longer exist on the domain.
Recently, Google SEO experts (such as Gary Illyes in this video , and also John Mueller in this X thread ) have reiterated that links pointing to URLs that result in 404 (page not found) errors are automatically disregarded by the search engine's algorithm.
Impact of 404 errors on website positioning
Although links to pages that result in a 404 error are ignored by Google, the presence of such links should not be completely neglected by website administrators. According to the analysis of the aforementioned experts, such errors are common and, in most cases, do not affect a website's ranking.
However, it is essential to monitor how these errors are generated. In some cases, they may be the result of malicious attempts to access vulnerable areas of the website, which could signal deeper security issues.
Recommended actions in case of broken link errors
Identifying the source of 404 errors is crucial. Analytics linkedin data tools can help determine whether they are generated by malicious bots or genuine user errors. If a significant number of users arrive via these URLs, it may be prudent to redirect these links to relevant content, thereby maintaining a good user experience and potentially converting a failed visit into a productive interaction.
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Additionally, it is recommended that companies use plugins or digital security tools to check and correct possible vulnerabilities that may be causing these errors.
Reinforcing digital marketing strategies against common mistakes
Given this information, it is advisable that content managers do not focus excessive efforts on correcting each 404 error, but rather on more comprehensive strategies that encompass security and ongoing website optimization.
This includes periodically reviewing the site architecture, improving content, and ensuring that all aspects of the site are aligned with SEO best practices.