A broken page is an address on your site that returns an error, usually 404 Not Found, instead of content. Redirect each one to the page that replaced it, fix links that point at it, and leave genuinely removed pages as a 404.
Why it matters
Visitors who land on an error page from a search result, an old link or a bookmark usually leave, and their enquiry goes with them.
Links from other websites that point at a broken page pass no value to the rest of your site until the old address redirects to its replacement.
A handful of 404s is normal and doesn't hurt rankings on its own. The damage comes from losing visitors and links from pages that used to work, or from sending everything to the homepage, which Google treats as a soft 404.
How AuditCrow checks this
In the AuditCrow app, the crawl requests a sample of the pages it discovers on your site and lists any that return an error (4xx or 5xx), with the closest live page to redirect each one to.
How to fix it
- 1List the broken addresses: from an AuditCrow crawl, the Not found (404) reason in Google Search Console's Pages report, or your platform's 404 log.
- 2For each one, find the page that genuinely replaces it and add a permanent (301) redirect from the old address to it.
- 3If nothing replaces it, leave it as a 404, or return 410 if you removed it on purpose. Don't redirect everything to the homepage.
- 4Update menus, footers and in-page links that still point at the old address.
- 5Open each old address in a private browser window to check the redirect works.
Fix it on your platform
How to fix it on WordPress
Redirection plugin
Where: Tools > Redirection
- Install and activate the free Redirection plugin.
- Go to Tools > Redirection and open Redirects.
- Add each broken path as the Source URL and its replacement as the Target URL, then save.
Note: Already using Rank Math (Rank Math SEO > Redirections) or Yoast SEO Premium (Yoast SEO > Redirects)? Add them there instead and choose 301.
Source: Create & Manage Redirects – Redirection · Last checked
Rank Math
Where: Rank Math SEO > Redirections
- Turn on the Redirections module from the Rank Math dashboard if it isn't already.
- Go to Rank Math SEO > Redirections and click Add New.
- Enter the broken path as the source, the replacement as the destination, choose 301 and save.
Source: How to Create a Redirection · Last checked
How to fix it on Shopify
Where: Content > Menus > View URL Redirects > Create URL redirect
- In Shopify admin, go to Content > Menus and click View URL Redirects.
- Click Create URL redirect.
- Put the broken path in "Redirect from" and the replacement in "Redirect to", then save.
Note: Shopify only redirects URLs that currently show Page not found.
Source: Creating and managing URL redirects · Last checked
How to fix it on Wix
Where: SEO & GEO > Tools and settings > URL Redirect Manager
- In your Wix dashboard, open SEO & GEO and go to Tools and settings > URL Redirect Manager.
- Click + New Redirect and choose Single redirect.
- Enter the broken path, pick the replacement page, then save.
Note: Redirects only work on a connected custom domain and take a few minutes to go live.
Source: Setting Up a 301 Redirect for a Page on Your Site · Last checked
How to fix it on Squarespace
Where: Developer tools > URL mappings
- Open the Developer tools panel and click URL mappings.
- Add one line per page in the form /old-path -> /new-path 301.
- Save.
Note: The old page must be deleted or disabled for the mapping to work.
Source: URL mappings · Last checked
How to fix it on Webflow
Where: Site settings > Publishing > 301 redirects
- Open Site settings > Publishing > 301 redirects.
- Enter the broken path as the Old path and the replacement as the Redirect to path, then click Add redirect path.
- Publish the site.
Note: Nothing changes until you publish.
Source: How do I set up redirects in Webflow? · Last checked
How to fix it on any other website
- Add a permanent (301) redirect for each page that has a match, wherever your site's redirects are managed: your CMS or SEO plugin's redirect settings, your hosting control panel, or ask your web developer.
Source: Redirects and Google Search · Last checked
Related terms
Related checks
Want to see whether your own site passes this check, and everything else?