How to Fix Broken Links: A Realistic WordPress Guide for Bloggers
If you are searching for how to fix broken links, there is a good chance you already found some ugly 404 errors in your site audit, Google Search Console, or SEO plugin.
And honestly, I understand the panic.
Broken links look small at first. One changed URL here. One deleted article there. One old link inside a blog post. One external tool page that no longer exists.
But when they start spreading across your site, they can become a real problem.
I learned this the hard way.
In the beginning, I used to change some of my URLs without really understanding the consequences. Sometimes I wanted a cleaner slug. Sometimes I changed the article title and edited the permalink too. Sometimes I removed old posts or updated categories without thinking about the old links already living inside my site.
At that time, I thought changing a URL was just a small edit.
But later, I discovered that many broken links were scattered across my website. Some old internal links were pointing to pages that no longer existed. Some posts had links to old URLs that I had changed. Some pages were still being discovered by Google even though the content had moved. And over time, I started noticing negative effects on traffic, user experience, and overall site cleanliness.
The frustrating part was that when I tried to fix broken links, I realized there was not just one solution.
At first, I thought the answer was simple: redirect everything.
But that is not always the best solution.
- Sometimes you should use a 301 redirect.
- Sometimes you should update the internal link directly.
- Sometimes a 410 Gone response makes more sense.
- Sometimes a normal 404 is acceptable.
- Sometimes you should restore the old page.
- Sometimes you should recreate the content.
And sometimes redirecting a deleted article to your homepage is actually a bad idea because it does not help the reader.
So in this guide, I want to explain broken links realistically: what they are, how to find them, what tools to use, and which fix is best depending on the article situation.
If you are working on your WordPress SEO and content structure, this article also connects well with my guides on automate internal linking, best AI SEO tools, and how to boost traffic to your website.
What Are Broken Links?
A broken link is a link that points to a page or resource that no longer works.
Usually, this means the link leads to a 404 error page, but broken links can also include:
- Deleted pages
- Changed URLs
- Wrongly typed links
- Moved articles without redirects
- External websites that disappeared
- Old affiliate links that no longer work
- Images or PDFs that were deleted
- Redirect chains that no longer resolve correctly
- Pages blocked or returning server errors
For example, imagine you had an article at:
https://example.com/wordpress-automation-tools
Then later you changed the URL to:
https://example.com/wordpress-automation
If you do not redirect the old URL or update your internal links, every link pointing to the old URL may now become broken.
That is exactly the type of mistake that can slowly create problems across a growing blog.
Why Broken Links Matter
Broken links are not only a technical SEO issue. They affect real people.
Imagine a reader is enjoying your article, clicks a link because they want more information, and lands on a 404 page.
That experience feels unfinished.
It can make your site look outdated, neglected, or less trustworthy.
Broken links can also waste crawl attention, weaken internal linking structure, and make it harder for search engines to understand which pages matter on your site.
For bloggers, broken internal links are especially annoying because internal links are supposed to guide readers deeper into your content.
For example, if you write about WordPress workflow automation, and you link to an old article about email automation that no longer works, you lose a useful content path.
Broken links can affect:
- User experience
- Trust
- Internal linking
- SEO structure
- Affiliate revenue
- Lead generation paths
- Content promotion
- Website maintenance
So yes, broken links are worth fixing.
But the fix depends on the situation.
The Big Mistake: Thinking Every Broken Link Needs a Redirect
This is the mistake I almost made when I first tried to clean my site.
I saw broken links and thought:
“Okay, I just need to redirect them.”
But that is too simple.
A redirect is not always the correct answer.
For example, if you changed a URL and the same article still exists at a new URL, then yes, a permanent redirect usually makes sense.
But if you deleted a weak article and there is no relevant replacement, redirecting it to your homepage is not helpful.
If an old page was removed because it was no longer useful, a 410 Gone response may be more appropriate.
If an external link is broken, you usually cannot redirect it because it is not your URL. You need to replace the link, remove it, or link to a better source.
So instead of asking, “How do I redirect this?” ask:
What was this broken link supposed to do, and what is the most helpful replacement for the reader?
That question leads to a much better decision.
Common Causes of Broken Links on WordPress Sites
Before fixing broken links, it helps to understand how they happen.
1. Changing URLs Without Redirects
This was my main mistake.
I changed slugs without thinking about the old URLs.
For example:
/best-ai-tools-for-bloggers-2025/
becomes:
/best-ai-tools-for-bloggers/
The new URL may look cleaner, but the old URL may still exist in Google, social posts, Pinterest Pins, newsletters, other websites, or your own internal links.
If there is no redirect, people may land on a broken page.
2. Deleting Old Articles
Sometimes you delete content because it is outdated, thin, duplicated, or no longer relevant.
That is fine, but deleted content needs a decision.
- Should it redirect to a better article?
- Should it return 410 Gone?
- Should it be restored and improved?
Deleting without a plan creates broken links.
3. Changing Category or Permalink Structure
If your permalink structure changes, many URLs can change at once.
For example, moving from:
/category/post-name/
to:
/post-name/
can create many old URLs that need redirect rules.
This is why permalink changes should be planned carefully.
4. External Websites Changing Their Pages
You cannot control external websites.
A tool page may disappear. A pricing page may move. A company may rebrand. A guide may be deleted.
This is common in AI tools, marketing tools, and SaaS niches because products change fast.
5. Typing Mistakes
Sometimes the broken link is just a typo.
One missing letter, a wrong slash, or a copied URL with extra characters can break a link.
6. Deleted Images, PDFs, or Downloads
Broken links are not only blog post links.
If you link to a PDF, image, downloadable file, or lead magnet and later remove it from your media library, that link can break, too.
This is especially important if you use lead magnets, email marketing, or free resources.
How to Find Broken Links
You cannot fix broken links properly until you find them.
Here are the tools and methods I would use.
1. Google Search Console
Google Search Console is one of the first places I would check.
Go to:
Indexing → Pages
Look for issues like:
- Not found 404
- Soft 404
- Page with redirect
- Alternate page issues
- Crawled but not indexed
Google Search Console helps you understand which URLs Google has discovered and how it is handling them.
But remember: Search Console does not always show every broken internal link source clearly. It is useful, but it should not be your only tool.
2. Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is one of the best tools for finding broken links because it crawls your site like a search engine crawler.
You can use it to find:
- Internal 404 pages
- External broken links
- Redirect chains
- Server errors
- Broken images
- Source pages that contain the broken links
The important part is the source page.
It is not enough to know that a URL is broken. You need to know where that broken link exists so you can fix it.
A simple workflow:
- Open Screaming Frog.
- Enter your website URL.
- Start the crawl.
- Filter by response code, such as 404.
- Click the broken URL.
- Check “Inlinks” to see which pages link to it.
- Fix the source pages or add redirects where appropriate.
This is very useful if your site has many posts.
3. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools can help you audit your website and discover SEO issues, including broken links and broken pages.
It can be useful because it gives you a broader SEO view, not only broken links.
You may find:
- Broken internal links
- Broken external links
- Broken backlinks
- Redirect issues
- Orphan pages
- Site health problems
This is useful when you want to see how broken links fit into your bigger SEO situation.
4. Semrush Site Audit
Semrush Site Audit can also detect technical SEO issues, including broken links and crawl problems.
It is useful if you already use Semrush for keyword research, competitor research, or SEO tracking.
For bloggers, it may be more tools than you need at the beginning, but it can be helpful for larger sites.
5. Broken Link Checker WordPress Plugin
Broken Link Checker is a WordPress plugin that can scan your site for broken links.
It can be convenient because it works from inside WordPress.
But be careful with any plugin that scans your whole site constantly. On some hosting setups, link-checking plugins can use resources, especially on larger sites.
I prefer using plugins carefully or running external crawls when possible.
6. Redirection Plugin 404 Logs
Redirection is one of the most useful WordPress plugins for redirect management and 404 tracking.
It can help you:
- Create 301 redirects
- Track 404 errors
- See which broken URLs are being hit
- Group errors
- Redirect important old URLs
- Manage redirects without editing server files
This is one of the easiest tools for WordPress users who changed URLs and now need to clean up the mess.
7. Manual Checks Inside Important Posts
Tools are helpful, but I still manually check important posts.
For example, if you have a post that brings traffic, affiliate clicks, email subscribers, or Pinterest visits, open it and check the links.
Look for:
- Old internal links
- Wrong anchor text
- External tools that moved
- Broken affiliate links
- Outdated screenshots
- Lead magnet links
Sometimes, manual review catches things that tools do not fully explain.
How to Choose the Best Fix for Each Broken Link
This is the most important part.
Not every broken link gets the same treatment.
Use the situation to choose the fix.
| Situation | Best Fix | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You changed the URL but the same content exists at a new URL | 301 redirect old URL to new URL | The page permanently moved and users need the new location |
| You changed the URL and old internal links still point to the old URL | Update internal links directly + keep 301 redirect | Clean internal links are better than relying only on redirects |
| You deleted a post but have a highly relevant replacement | 301 redirect to the closest relevant article | Users still get useful related content |
| You deleted a post and there is no relevant replacement | 410 Gone or leave 404 | Do not redirect users to irrelevant pages |
| The broken link is caused by a typo | Fix the URL in the source article | No redirect needed if it was just a mistake |
| An external website link is broken | Replace with a working source or remove it | You cannot redirect someone else’s website |
| An affiliate link is broken | Replace with updated affiliate link or remove recommendation | Protect revenue and trust |
| A downloadable PDF or lead magnet is missing | Restore the file or update the download link | The user expected a resource, not a redirect |
| A page is temporarily unavailable | Use a temporary redirect or restore page soon | Do not signal permanent removal if it is temporary |
| Old URL has backlinks from other websites | 301 redirect to the closest relevant page | You may preserve value and user path from external links |
Fix 1: Update the Broken Link Directly
This is the cleanest fix when the broken link is inside your own content.
For example, if an article links to:
/wordpress-email-automation-old/
But the correct article is:
/wordpress-email-automation/
Then open the source article and update the link.
This is better than leaving the old link and depending only on a redirect.
Redirects are useful, but clean internal links are better for your site structure.
Use this fix when:
- The broken link is internal
- You can edit the source page
- The correct URL is known
- The issue is just an outdated link or typo
If you have many old internal links, tools like Screaming Frog can help you find the source pages faster.
Fix 2: Use a 301 Redirect
A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines that a page has permanently moved to a new URL.
This is the right solution when the old URL has a clear new version.
Use a 301 redirect when:
- You changed the slug of an article
- You merged two similar articles
- You moved content to a better URL
- You changed your permalink structure
- An old URL has backlinks or traffic
- You deleted a post but have a very relevant replacement
Example:
/wp-email-automation/
redirects to:
/wordpress-email-automation/
This makes sense because the topic is the same.
You can add 301 redirects in WordPress using tools like:
- Redirection
- Rank Math redirect manager
- AIOSEO redirect features
- Yoast SEO Premium redirect manager
- Your hosting control panel
- Your server configuration, such as .htaccess or Nginx rules
But be careful.
A 301 redirect should point to the closest relevant page, not just any page.
Redirecting every broken URL to your homepage is usually not helpful for users.
Fix 3: Use 410 Gone
A 410 Gone status means the page is intentionally gone.
This can be useful when a page was removed permanently and there is no good replacement.
For example, use 410 when:
- The content was deleted because it was low quality
- The offer no longer exists
- The page was for an expired event
- The page has no relevant replacement
- You do not want search engines or users to keep trying that URL
Example:
You had an old article:
/ai-tool-deal-march-2024/
The deal expired, the tool changed, and there is no useful updated equivalent.
In that case, a 410 may make more sense than redirecting people to a random page.
But do not use 410 for pages that have a strong relevant replacement.
If the old page has a new version, use a 301 redirect instead.
Fix 4: Leave a Normal 404
This may surprise you, but not every 404 is an emergency.
Sometimes a 404 is normal.
For example:
- Someone typed the wrong URL
- A spam bot requested a fake URL
- A random broken URL never existed
- An old page had no value and no replacement
If the URL never mattered and has no internal links, traffic, backlinks, or relevance, you may not need to panic.
But if the 404 comes from your own internal links or from important external backlinks, then you should fix it.
The difference is priority.
A 404 from a random fake URL is not the same as a 404 from your most important blog post.
Fix 5: Restore the Page
Sometimes the best fix is not redirecting or deleting.
Sometimes the best fix is restoring the page.
Use this when:
- The page still gets traffic
- The page has backlinks
- The topic is still relevant
- The content was deleted by mistake
- The article can be improved instead of being removed
If an old article had value, do not remove it just because it was outdated.
Update it.
Add fresh examples.
Improve the structure.
Add better internal links.
Update screenshots, tool names, and recommendations.
This can be better than losing the page completely.
Fix 6: Replace Broken External Links
If an external link is broken, you usually have three choices:
- Find the new URL for the same source
- Replace it with a better current source
- Remove the link if it no longer helps
For example, if you linked to an AI tool’s pricing page and that URL changed, search for the tool’s new pricing page and replace the link.
If the tool no longer exists, you may need to remove the recommendation or mention that the tool is no longer available.
This matters for trust.
If a reader clicks a tool recommendation and lands on a dead page, it makes your article feel outdated.
Fix 7: Fix Broken Affiliate Links
Affiliate links need special attention because they affect both trust and revenue.
If an affiliate link is broken, do not just replace it blindly.
Ask:
- Is the product still available?
- Is the affiliate program still active?
- Is the tool still worth recommending?
- Does the link go to the right landing page?
- Has the pricing changed?
- Do I need to update the surrounding text?
Sometimes a broken affiliate link is a signal that the whole recommendation needs review.
If you write affiliate content, you may also like affiliate marketing tools and AI affiliate marketing.
My Broken Link Fixing Workflow
If I were cleaning a WordPress site with broken links, I would not fix them randomly.
I would use this workflow.
Step 1: Crawl the Site
Use Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, Semrush, or another crawler to find broken internal and external links.
Export the results if possible.
Step 2: Separate Internal and External Broken Links
Internal broken links are links pointing to your own website.
External broken links point to other websites.
Fixing them requires different actions.
Step 3: Find the Source Pages
Do not only look at the broken URL.
Find the exact page where the broken link appears.
This tells you what needs editing.
Step 4: Check the Broken URL Situation
For every broken internal URL, ask:
- Did this page move?
- Was it deleted?
- Is there a new version?
- Does it have traffic?
- Does it have backlinks?
- Is there a relevant replacement?
- Should it be restored?
- Should it return 410?
Step 5: Choose the Fix
Use this simple rule:
- Same content moved? Use a 301 redirect and update internal links.
- Typo? Fix the link directly.
- Deleted with relevant replacement? 301 redirect to the replacement.
- Deleted with no replacement? Use 410 or leave 404.
- External broken link? Replace or remove it.
- Important page deleted by mistake? Restore and improve it.
Step 6: Update Internal Links Manually
Even if you create redirects, update your internal links where possible.
This makes your site cleaner.
If you changed many URLs, you may use tools like Better Search Replace to update URLs in bulk, but only after taking a backup.
Bulk search and replace can be dangerous if you make a mistake.
Step 7: Re-Crawl the Site
After fixing, crawl again.
This is important because sometimes you fix one issue and discover another.
Check:
- Are the broken links gone?
- Do redirects work?
- Are there redirect chains?
- Do old URLs point to the correct pages?
- Are external links working?
Step 8: Monitor Google Search Console
After fixing technical issues, give Google time to recrawl.
Search Console may not update instantly.
Monitor the affected URLs and check whether errors decrease over time.
Which Fix Is Best by Article Situation?
This is where many bloggers get confused, so let’s make it practical.
Situation 1: You Changed the Article URL but the Article Still Exists
Best fix: 301 redirect old URL to new URL, then update internal links.
This is the classic case.
Example:
/wordpress-marketing-tools/
changed to:
/wordpress-marketing-automation/
If the content is the same or very close, use a 301 redirect.
Then search your site for the old URL and replace internal links with the new URL.
Situation 2: You Deleted a Weak Article but Wrote a Better Replacement
Best fix: 301 redirect to the better replacement.
Example:
You deleted:
/free-ai-writing-tools-list/
but now you have:
/best-ai-writing-tools/
If the new article truly satisfies the same intent, redirect the old one to the new one.
This is useful for content consolidation.
Situation 3: You Deleted an Article and There Is No Relevant Replacement
Best fix: 410 Gone or leave 404.
Do not redirect it to your homepage just to avoid a 404.
If the page is gone and there is no helpful replacement, it is better to be honest.
A 410 can be useful when you intentionally remove the page permanently.
Situation 4: The Broken Link Is Inside an Old Article
Best fix: Edit the old article and replace the link.
If the link is internal, replace it with the correct current URL.
If the link is external, find a new reliable source or remove the link.
Situation 5: The Broken Page Has Backlinks
Best fix: 301 redirect to the closest relevant page or restore the content.
If other websites link to your old URL, do not ignore it.
Check whether the old page had value.
If there is a relevant new page, redirect.
If the old page was important and no replacement exists, consider restoring and improving it.
Situation 6: The Broken Link Is an Affiliate Tool Page
Best fix: Update the affiliate link and review the recommendation.
Do not only update the URL.
Check whether the tool still deserves to be recommended.
Situation 7: The Broken URL Is Random Spam or Bot Traffic
Best fix: Usually ignore unless it becomes a real pattern.
Not every 404 needs action.
If bots request fake URLs, you do not need to redirect them.
What Not to Do When Fixing Broken Links
1. Do Not Redirect Everything to the Homepage
This is one of the worst habits.
If a user clicks an article about WordPress email automation and lands on your homepage, that is not helpful.
Redirect to a relevant page or do not redirect.
2. Do Not Create Redirect Chains
A redirect chain happens when:
Old URL → Newer URL → Final URL
One redirect is cleaner than multiple hops.
If possible, update redirects so the old URL points directly to the final destination.
3. Do Not Redirect to Irrelevant Articles
If the old article was about Pinterest automation, do not redirect it to a general AI tools article unless it truly helps the reader.
Relevance matters.
4. Do Not Ignore Internal Links After Adding Redirects
Redirects are helpful, but your internal links should still point to the final live URL.
Clean internal linking helps both readers and site structure.
5. Do Not Bulk Replace Without a Backup
Bulk replacing URLs can save time, but it can also break your site if done badly.
Always back up first.
6. Do Not Panic Over Every 404
Some 404s are normal.
Focus on broken links that affect real pages, traffic, backlinks, internal links, lead magnets, and user experience.
Broken Links and Internal Linking
Broken links are closely connected to internal linking.
If your internal links point to old URLs, your content network becomes weaker.
This is why I like reviewing broken links together with internal linking.
When you fix broken links, also ask:
- Can this article link to a better related post?
- Is this old article still useful?
- Should I add new internal links?
- Does this page support a topic cluster?
- Are important articles getting enough internal links?
For example, if you are cleaning an article about automation, you may add relevant links to:
- WordPress automation
- WordPress email automation
- WordPress marketing automation
- automate internal linking
This turns a repair task into an SEO improvement task.
How Often Should You Check for Broken Links?
For a small blog, checking once a month may be enough.
For a growing site, I would check more often.
A realistic schedule:
- Weekly: Check new 404s in Redirection or Search Console.
- Monthly: Run a small crawl with Screaming Frog or another crawler.
- Quarterly: Review important traffic pages and affiliate pages manually.
- After URL changes: Crawl immediately and check redirects.
- After deleting posts: decide 301, 410, restore, or leave 404.
This can also become part of your broader WordPress workflow automation system.
Simple Broken Link Fixing Checklist
- Crawl your website.
- Export broken internal and external links.
- Find the source pages.
- Separate internal links from external links.
- Check whether the old URL moved, was deleted, or never existed.
- Use 301 redirects for moved content.
- Use 410 for intentionally removed pages with no replacement.
- Leave harmless 404s if they do not matter.
- Update internal links directly where possible.
- Replace broken external links with current sources.
- Review affiliate links carefully.
- Avoid redirecting everything to the homepage.
- Re-crawl after fixing.
- Monitor Google Search Console.
Best Tools to Fix Broken Links
| Tool | Best For | How It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Google-discovered URL issues | Shows indexing problems, 404s, soft 404s, and crawl-related issues |
| Screaming Frog | Full site crawls | Finds broken links, source pages, redirects, chains, and server errors |
| Ahrefs Webmaster Tools | SEO audits | Finds site health issues, broken links, and broken pages |
| Semrush Site Audit | Larger SEO audits | Detects technical SEO issues and link problems |
| Redirection | WordPress redirects | Creates 301 redirects and tracks 404 errors |
| Broken Link Checker | WordPress link scanning | Finds broken links from inside WordPress |
| Better Search Replace | Bulk URL updates | Can update old URLs in content, but use carefully with backups |
| Rank Math | SEO and redirects | Can help with SEO management and redirects depending on setup |
Best For / Not Best For
Fixing Broken Links Is Best For:
- Bloggers who changed URLs in the past
- WordPress sites with many old posts
- Affiliate websites with many tool links
- Sites that recently changed the permalink structure
- Blogs with traffic drops after URL changes
- Websites with many 404 errors in Search Console
- Content creators are cleaning old articles
- Anyone improving SEO structure and user experience
Fixing Broken Links Is Not Just About:
- Redirecting everything
- Removing every 404 without thinking
- Using one plugin and forgetting the problem
- Changing URLs again and again
- Ignoring whether the replacement page is relevant
- Fixing technical errors without reviewing content quality
My Honest Take
My honest take is that broken links are one of those problems that look boring until they affect your own site.
When I was changing URLs without knowing the consequences, I did not realize I was creating future cleanup work for myself.
Then later, when I saw broken links scattered across my site, I understood how important URL decisions are.
A URL is not just a small detail.
It can exist inside your posts, in Google, in Pinterest Pins, in emails, in social shares, in backlinks, in affiliate campaigns, and in other websites.
So when you change it without a plan, the old path does not disappear instantly.
That is why I now prefer to be careful.
- If I change a URL, I create a redirect.
- If I delete a post, I decide whether it needs a 301, 410, restoration, or no action.
- If I update old content, I check internal links.
- If I find broken external links, I replace them with better sources.
And most importantly, I do not treat redirecting as the only solution.
Fixing broken links is not just about making errors disappear from a tool.
It is about giving readers the best next step.
- Sometimes that next step is a redirect.
- Sometimes it is an updated link.
- Sometimes it is a restored article.
- Sometimes it is a 410 Gone.
The best fix depends on the situation.
Final Thoughts: Fix Broken Links With Strategy, Not Panic
Broken links happen to almost every website eventually.
They are common, especially if you publish a lot, update old posts, change URLs, delete content, or link to external tools.
The goal is not to panic. The goal is to build a simple process. Find the broken links, and where they come from.
Understand why they broke, and choose the right fix.
Re-crawl your site.
Monitor Search Console.
And going forward, be careful with URL changes.
Before changing any URL, ask:
- Does this page already get traffic?
- Does it have backlinks?
- Is it linked internally?
- Is it shared on Pinterest or social media?
- Is it included in emails?
- Will I create a redirect?
- Do I really need to change this URL?
That last question matters.
Sometimes the best way to fix broken links is to stop creating new ones.
FAQs About How to Fix Broken Links
What is the best way to fix broken links?
The best fix depends on the situation. If the page moved, use a 301 redirect and update internal links. If the link is a typo, fix it directly. If the page was permanently removed with no replacement, use 410 Gone or leave a normal 404. If an external link is broken, replace or remove it.
Should I redirect all broken links to my homepage?
No, I would not recommend that. Redirecting every broken URL to your homepage is usually not helpful for users. Redirect only when there is a relevant replacement page.
When should I use a 301 redirect?
Use a 301 redirect when the old URL has permanently moved to a new relevant URL. This is common when you changed an article slug, merged posts, or moved content to a better page.
When should I use 410 Gone?
Use 410 Gone when a page was intentionally removed permanently and there is no relevant replacement. It tells crawlers and users that the content is gone.
Is a 404 always bad for SEO?
No, not every 404 is a disaster. Some 404s are normal, especially from fake URLs or deleted pages with no value. But 404s caused by your own internal links, important backlinks, or moved content should be fixed.
How do I find broken links on WordPress?
You can use Google Search Console, Screaming Frog SEO Spider, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, Semrush Site Audit, Redirection plugin 404 logs, or Broken Link Checker to find broken links and source pages.
Should I update internal links if I already created redirects?
Yes, when possible. Redirects are useful, but your internal links should point directly to the final live URL. This keeps your site cleaner and avoids unnecessary redirect hops.
Can broken links hurt traffic?
Broken links can hurt user experience, internal linking flow, trust, and access to important pages. If many important links are broken, they can contribute to traffic and engagement problems.
