Google broken links penalty?

Z

zackpow

Newbie

Dec 6, 2008

11

1

• Aug 9, 2010

• #1

Hey guys or gals.

Does anyone know if the big "G" penalizes sites with broken links? I'm trying to help a local business improve their search rankings and they just changed their website and have tons of missing pages.

I should clarify that there are no broken links on their website, only missing pages that are indexed by Google.

Any thoughts?

Zack

 

Last edited: Aug 9, 2010

bobbys

Regular Member

Oct 29, 2008

369

414

• Aug 9, 2010

• #2

Nobody knows exactly how big of a penalty there is but yes there is definately a penalty,
which is only common sense. A site with tons of broken or missing links is not the kind of site
google wants to highlight on page 1.

 

chockomonkey

Regular Member

Mar 27, 2009

366

41

• Aug 9, 2010

• #3

bobbys said:

Nobody knows exactly how big of a penalty there is but yes there is definately a penalty,
which is only common sense. A site with tons of broken or missing links is not the kind of site
google wants to highlight on page 1.

Click to expand...

This. It just makes sense.

So, start 301ing all those pages!

 

Z

zackpow

Newbie

Dec 6, 2008

11

1

• Aug 9, 2010

• #4

I should clarify that there are no broken links on their website, only missing pages that are indexed by Google.

Does Google penalize for this?

 

bobbys

Regular Member

Oct 29, 2008

369

414

• Aug 9, 2010

• #5

As long as the links on existing pages don't lead to broken pages with nothing on them it
shouldn't be an issue. Previously indexed pages that are deleted and no longer exist will
just be deindexed in time.

 

chockomonkey

Regular Member

Mar 27, 2009

366

41

• Aug 9, 2010

• #6

make sure that there are 301 redirects setup so that you maintain the links made to them at least

 

C

corbin2

Registered Member

Jan 16, 2010

66

42

• Aug 9, 2010

• #7

You can also remove the non-working urls in google webmaster tools. Google will then deindex these pages. But you have to add the links one by one...

 

Unkn0wnPlayer

Newbie

Jan 29, 2010

44

7

• Aug 9, 2010

• #8

I'm betting that the penalty can be pretty significant if you have a lot of broken links.

About once per month I use http://hiderefer.org/?http://home.snafu.de/tilman/xenulink.html (free) to find broken links. Then edit the pages to remove the links or set up re-directs.

 

Z

zeefire00

Newbie

Mar 31, 2010

16

2

• Aug 9, 2010

• #9

Google always penalizes websites that are not built properly, so if I were you I would 301 everything that you need.