Guide to Identifying and Fixing Broken Redirects
Explanation & Implementation Guide
Explanation
A broken redirect happens when a URL intended to direct users to a new page fails, creating dead ends. These broken redirects can disrupt user experience and harm SEO, as search engines and users may encounter errors that can lower site rankings. Additionally, broken redirects interrupt link equity flow, impacting the site’s overall SEO performance.
Implementation Guide
Download and Install Screaming Frog SEO Spider:
- This tool is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The free version is suitable for basic website crawling.
Enter Your Website’s URL
- Open Screaming Frog, enter your website’s URL in the ‘Enter URL to spider’ box, and start the crawl.
View Crawl Results:
- When the crawl is complete, navigate to the ‘Response Codes’ tab, find the ‘Redirect (3xx)’ section, and select ‘Client Error (4xx)’ to identify broken redirects.
Identify Broken Redirects:
- In the ‘Inlinks’ or ‘Outlinks’ tab, filter by ‘Client Error (4xx)’ to see URLs flagged as broken redirects.
Export the Data:
- Click ‘Export’ to download the list of broken redirect URLs for further review and action.
Steps to Fix Broken Redirects
Update or Remove Broken Redirects
- Log into Shopify and go to ‘Online Store’ > ‘Navigation.’ Locate the broken redirects and either update the URLs or remove them if they’re no longer needed.
Use Appropriate Redirect Codes:
- Ensure each redirect uses the correct HTTP status code. Use 301 for permanent redirects and 302 for temporary ones.
Review Internal and External Links:
- Update any internal or external links pointing to broken redirect URLs, directing them to the correct, valid URLs.
Test Redirects:
- Manually test each redirect to confirm it leads to the intended page, ensuring a smooth experience for users.
Re-crawl to Verify:
- After making updates, re-crawl your site with Screaming Frog or another SEO tool to confirm that all broken redirects have been fixed.
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