Unsolved 4XX-Broken

[VendoIreland]

Hi guys, we are checking the report your website is doing about our page and it looks like Top Pages, is looking like we have too many 4XX-Brocken links, this could be related that we don't need that page anymore or the content was removed. Do you recomend we to reactivate that link and redirect to our main website? www.vending-machines.ie? or what can we do with these links that are not longer needed in our page?

[stefangatti]

@VendoIreland seems like you've got a lovely long ChatGPT answer here so I'll chip in as well.

If that page contained information that is no longer relevant or has been deleted then it is completely fine for that URL to return a 4xx status code (normally a 404).

In the case that you've moved the page's information to a different page you should implement a redirect (often referred to as 301 redirects).

However, what you should not do is link to broken or redirected pages, which is maybe what the Moz report is picking up on? It's hard to say without seeing the report.

I haven't taken a detailed look but I can see that the link to "Contact" in your footer gets redirected from /contact to /contact/

The crucial difference in those two URLs is the trailing slash. The fix here is to update any hyperlinks that don't contain a trailing slash to use one that does: https://vending-machines.ie/contact/

Hope that helps! If you want to share the Moz report you can fire it over to me at stefan.eldridge-gatti@digitalsix.co.uk and I'll see if I can provide some more clarity.

Cheers,
Stefan

[David4545]

@VendoIreland
Dealing with 4XX errors, specifically broken links, is important for maintaining a healthy and user-friendly website. Here are some recommendations for handling such situations:

Assess the Importance of the Pages:

Determine the importance and relevance of the pages that are generating 4XX errors. If the content is still valuable, consider updating and reactivating the page.
Content Removal or Update:

If the content is outdated or no longer relevant, you may want to remove it. Alternatively, consider updating the content to make it current and useful.
Redirecting to Relevant Pages:

If the content is no longer available, but the page has external links or is indexed in search engines, consider setting up 301 redirects to relevant and existing pages on your website. This will help maintain SEO value and provide a seamless experience for users and search engines.
Custom 404 Page:

Create a custom 404 error page that provides users with helpful information, such as a search bar, popular pages, or a link to your homepage. This ensures that users who encounter broken links have options for navigation.
Review and Update Sitemap:

Ensure that your website's XML sitemap is up-to-date. This helps search engines discover and index the latest content on your site.
Monitor Webmaster Tools:

Use tools like Google Search Console to identify and monitor 404 errors. This will help you stay informed about issues and address them promptly.
Communicate Changes to Users:

If a page is being redirected or removed, it's good practice to communicate this to your users through on-page messages or announcements. This helps manage expectations and reduces confusion.
Periodic Content Audits:

Conduct regular content audits to identify and address outdated or irrelevant content. This proactive approach can help prevent the accumulation of broken links over time.
In your specific case, if you decide to reactivate a page and redirect it to your main website , ensure that the redirection is relevant and adds value to users. Additionally, check for any potential impact on SEO and update internal links to reflect the changes.

Remember, the goal is to provide a positive user experience, maintain SEO integrity, and keep your website content up-to-date.