Broken links might be quietly destroying your search engine rankings. Google uses broken links as a quality signal because they create a bad user experience, and you almost certainly have more of them than you think. In this episode, Mark shares tools and strategies for finding and fixing broken links, plus discusses e-cigarette affiliate opportunities and answers a listener question about AdSense versus affiliate marketing.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
- Why Google treats broken links as a negative quality signal for your site
- Three specific tools for finding broken links on any website
- How to spot affiliate marketing opportunities in everyday life
- A framework for deciding between AdSense and affiliate marketing
- Why user-generated comments are often the biggest source of broken links
Episode Summary
Mark is recording from his hotel in Kuala Lumpur, across from the Petronas Towers. This week's Rankings Institute takeaway comes from module three: broken links are a bigger deal than most site owners realize.
Google's reasoning is straightforward. When they recommend your site to a searcher and that person clicks a broken link, the bad experience reflects on Google. Broken links are easy for Google to detect programmatically, making them a reliable quality signal in the Panda algorithm. Well-maintained sites that provide good user experiences do not have broken links.
Mark recommends checking three sources. Google Webmaster Tools reports broken links found during crawls. The Broken Link Checker WordPress plugin monitors your site continuously. And an external tool like Integrity for Mac or Link Sleuth for PC provides a comprehensive scan independent of Google's crawl coverage.
The episode also covers finding niche opportunities in everyday life, using e-cigarettes as an example, and answers a listener question about when to use AdSense versus affiliate marketing. Mark's framework: use affiliate marketing when your content promotes specific products that solve problems, and AdSense for purely informational content. Do not mix them on the same site.
Key Takeaways
- Broken links are a negative quality signal that can push your rankings down in Google
- Use three tools to find broken links: Google Webmaster Tools, a WordPress plugin, and an external crawler
- User comments are often the largest source of hidden broken links on your site
- Use affiliate marketing for product-focused sites and AdSense for informational content
- Niche ideas are everywhere if you pay attention; do 30 minutes of keyword research to validate them
What's Changed Since This Episode
Mark recorded this in early 2014. The tools and landscape have evolved.
Google Search Console replaced Webmaster Tools with improved crawl error reporting and page indexing diagnostics. Modern site audit tools like Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, and Sitebulb have become industry standard for comprehensive link auditing.
The Broken Link Checker plugin has performance concerns on large sites. While still popular, many site owners now prefer external tools to avoid database bloat.
E-cigarettes have become a heavily regulated niche with strict advertising restrictions on most platforms, making it a much more challenging affiliate market than it appeared in 2014.
Resources Mentioned
- Google Search Console — Monitor crawl errors and broken links
- Broken Link Checker — WordPress plugin for ongoing monitoring
- Integrity — External link checking tool for Mac
- Xenu Link Sleuth — Link checking tool for Windows
- LNIM Podcast
Related Episodes
If you found this episode helpful, you might also enjoy:
- LNIM073 Transcript — Full Broken Links Discussion
- LNIM074 — The Impact of Duplicate Content on SEO
- LNIM072 — Content Is King for SEO
Listen and Subscribe
Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/. Have a question for Mark? Call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655 or drop a comment below.
Great podcast Mark! I always look forward to hearing about your travels and it sounds like Kuala Lumpur was a great place to see. The photo is awesome – what a view! Thank you for taking the time out of your day when you’re away to podcast! I think I need to go check on my broken links – great tip!
I went to iTunes to try to comment there. But after arriving there I could not find where I could leave a comment. Please show me the path.
In this episode you suggested that electronic cigarettes maybe a desirable niche. As a non-smoker how can I be a “genuine” affiliate marketer for electronic cigarettes? My friends smoke electronic cigarettes but their comments are not genuine. Your advice would be appreciated.
Please refrain from commenting on the excellent cuisine in Southeast Asia. It is disturbing to me.
zeusdsk Really? Why?
zeusdsk Well, like most things in life, this is a matter of personal standards. If you care about being a “genuine marketer” and only promoting things that you care about and use yourself (or what your standard is), then you are choosing not to promote things that don’t meet your standards. That’s a choice you can make — I do it all the time.
Some people see affiliate marketing more like a job — just because they promote something does note mean that would buy it themselves.
My advice to people is to avoid building a business that you are uncomfortable with — because business is hard, and you need to stay motivated. Staying motivated about stuff you don’t believe in is possible — but very hard.
Hope that helps
M
zeusdsk You have to use the iTunes application. You can go to this link (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/late-night-internet-marketing/id323964382?mt=2) and then click view in iTunes. That will open your iTunes application, and then you can leave a review. Thanks for listening!
Crystal~Fine Art Mom Thanks! Really glad you enjoyed it. Getting good sound in a hotel room is a real challenge. How are things going with you? Tell me about your Art habit.
Spot on. I’ve been using broken link checker for a while. Don’t know what I’d do without it.
masonworld zeusdsk
Good Answer
masonworld zeusdsk
I am reluctant to post my response on the web. I can send you a PM if it does not leave your four walls if you provide a source.
masonworld zeusdsk
I did what you stated and I can not find where the application.
I would appreciate it if you could explain Google’s “Link Schemes” with examples in a podcast. [Webmaster Tools > Help> Follow guidelines>Quality guidelines>Link Schemes] I do not fully understand “Link Schemes.”
Quick Sprout has a blog and has made an attempt in “5 SEO Techniques You Should Stop Using Immediately” but it still does not fully clarify my understanding of “Link Schemes.”
Also, in your opinion how does “Rank Crew” survive “Link Schemes”
zeusdsk These are really good questions. I will tackle this in episode 75. I am planning on releasing episode 74 today or tomorrow, and releasing episode 75 on Thursday April 3rd I think. Thanks for the input.
mikalepisto Thanks Mike. I see a lot of “link rot” in comments — is that what you are seeing mostly?
zeusdsk LOL. You are certainly welcome to email me — mark at mason world dot com.
zeusdsk Do you have the iTunes application installed on your computer?
Mostly in the site content. The sites I use it on get a ton of spam comments so most links are removed. One site for example has a lot of content that links out to personal blogs and even government sites. I find a lot of the sites were changed and no redirects were put in place.
masonworld zeusdsk
yes, but where do I go to reply
masonworld Hi Mark! My Art habit keeps me very busy by day… like you I work full-time – I manage 19 art studios that teach about 2500 kids/adults each week how to draw and paint. I’m also a closet wantrepreneur who’s living your theme song everyday. I’m interested in building my personal blog and some niche sites on the side too :), oh yes and I have a family and a 6 year old daughter!
Thanks for that tip about Integrity for the Mac Mark. I’ve already found two broken links on one site I don’t use Broken Link Checker on.
e-cigarettes were on my list of niches when we started up Forever Affiliate, there’s definitely a lot of hype and chatter going on out there about them and a lot of really junky affiliate sites, unfortunately….
I actually use an e-cig from GreenSmoke and I had done a ton of research and tried two other types before I settled on that one, so I figured I could write the content. The affiliate programs I looked at for them seemed to pay well at the time, some were difficult to get into, some of the nicer e-cigs have private affiliate programs and some don’t have any affiliate program yet.