When was the last time you reviewed your website to ensure that all any hyperlinks still link to the right location?

That includes any third-party links that could now be broken #marketingmonday

Take a look at our guide below for more information and handy tips

But first… what is a hyperlink?

Hyperlinks play a crucial role in the functionality and usability of the web, allowing users to explore and access information and resources across the Internet easily. A hyperlink, also known as a link, is a clickable element in a web page that directs the user to another page, file, or resource on the same or a different website. Hyperlinks are essential to the World Wide Web, allowing users to easily navigate from one page to another by clicking on a link.

Internal links and SEO – can they improve your rankings?

Yes, internal links are good for SEO. Internal linking refers to linking one page on a website to another page within the same website. This practice can help improve website navigation and usability, boosting your search engine optimisation, and increase traffic.

Internal links help distribute a website's "ranking power" or PageRank throughout its pages. PageRank is a ranking algorithm used by Google to determine the relevance and importance of a web page. Each page on a website has a certain amount of PageRank, calculated based on the number and quality of links pointing to that page. When you link from one page to another within your website, you effectively pass some of the PageRank from the linking page to the linked page.

Additionally, by ensuring your website has a healthy number of links, you increase the crawlability of your website. Link building is a core strategy in any web design and digital marketing project. When search engine crawlers follow the internal links on your website, they can find and crawl more pages, leading to better indexing and ranking of your website.

External Links – The Good, Bad, & Ugly

Linking to other websites can positively and negatively affect your SEO. On the one hand, relating to high-quality, relevant websites can help boost your site's credibility, visibility, and relevancy, improving your search engine rankings. By linking to high-quality, relevant websites, you can demonstrate to search engines that your site is a credible and authoritative source of information, which can help improve your search engine rankings.

However, it’s important to recognise the potential downsides of external links. Linking to low-quality or spammy websites can harm your reputation and search engine rankings. Search engines may view these links as a sign that your site is associated with low-quality or spammy content, which can lead to lower search engine rankings. 

However, SEO isn’t the only risk factor you have to consider when linking to external websites. The dangers of connecting to third-party sites that you don't have control over or haven't checked recently, i.e. their website could have been hacked and showing inappropriate content, or the original page is no longer there.

Web Design tip – Build a custom 404 page

A 404 page is an error page displayed when a user attempts to access a web page that cannot be found on a website. The error message "404" is the standard HTTP status code returned by a web server when a requested page is not found.

A custom 404 page can provide users with a clear and helpful message when they encounter a broken link or a page that can't be found. This can help prevent frustration and confusion and improve the overall user experience.

Also, a custom 404 page can provide users with links to other relevant pages on your site, which can help keep them on your site and reduce the likelihood of them leaving. Furthermore, a well-designed 404 page can help search engines understand that the page can't be found and prevent it from being indexed, which can help improve your site's SEO.

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Don't miss out on the opportunity to take your sales team to the next level! With over 20 years of experience in PR and marketing and a post-graduate diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, I have the skills and expertise to help you blast past the competition. With a proven track record in a vast range of industries, this is your chance to work with a seasoned professional and drive your sales to new heights.

Contact me today to schedule a consultation and start making your sales soar!