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January 20, 2026

# Broken Links (404 Errors) for Beginners: The 5-Minute Primer

If you've never touched broken links (404 errors) before, here's the version without the jargon.

A broken internal link doesn't just frustrate one visitor — it's a dead end for crawlers too, cutting off the flow of link equity to whatever page it used to lead to.

You don't need to understand everything about it on day one. Start with just this: prioritize fixing internal broken links first — they're fully within your control and directly affect crawl efficiency across your own site.

The most common beginner mistake is skipping it entirely because it sounds technical. It usually isn't — broken links (404 errors) is one of those things that looks intimidating from the outside and takes ten minutes once you actually sit down with it.

Once this feels comfortable, ecommerce keyword research is a natural next thing to learn.

Broken Link Checker is the fastest way to see it in action on a real page.

Try Broken Link Checker yourself

Everything in this guide runs directly in your browser — no signup, no install.

Open Broken Link Checker →
More on broken links (404 errors)
Broken Link Checker vs. Doing It by Hand: Is It Worth Switching?
A practical look at what Broken Link Checker actually saves you over doing broken links (404 errors) manually, and when manual still makes sense.
Broken Links (404 Errors) FAQ: Questions People Actually Ask
Straight answers to the questions that come up most often about broken links (404 errors).
The Broken Links (404 Errors) Checklist: What to Verify Before You Publish
A short, practical checklist for broken links (404 errors) — the things worth checking every time, not just the first time.
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