Quick answer
Repair, remove, or deliberately replace internal links whose targets return an error. First confirm the target’s intended purpose; do not redirect every broken URL to the homepage.
What the issue means
An internal link points from one page on the audited site to another URL on that site. It is broken when the target cannot be retrieved successfully, commonly because it returns a 4xx or 5xx response. The source link and target response are separate pieces of evidence.
Why it matters for SEO
Broken links interrupt user journeys and can prevent crawlers from reaching useful pages. A missing page may be intentional, so the right fix can be removal rather than restoration.
How NOTABIS detects it
The broken-internal-link rule is link-scoped and high severity. NOTABIS records an internal target that returned an error during the crawl. The evidence should be read with the target status, source URL, and any redirect details.
How to check it yourself
Open the source page’s HTML and locate the link target. Request that target with curl -I and then inspect the full response if needed. Search templates, navigation, CMS content, and generated feeds for other references.
How to fix it
If the page moved, update the source link directly to the relevant destination and configure one appropriate redirect for old external references. If the page should exist, restore it. If it has no replacement, remove stale links and allow an appropriate 404 or 410.
When it may be intentional
Links to deliberately removed content, protected areas, or temporary operational endpoints need context. Do not expose private content merely to make a crawler pass.
Related issues
Compare HTTP errors, redirected pages, and redirect chains.
Run a NOTABIS audit
Use affected-link evidence in the report to identify both the source page and failing target.