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Hey fellow creators! Are you living the dream of running your own blog, pouring your heart and soul into creating content that you believe will change the world? Do you have a few extra gray hairs because you worry that not all your content is making you money? Well, don’t just fret over the successful 80-85%—let’s dive headfirst into the chaotic realm of broken links, those sneaky guys that are costing you big bucks!

Picture this: you’ve crafted a masterpiece of a blog post, sprinkled with affiliate links, sponsored content, and those delightful ads, knowing this is just perfect for your audience. But here’s the kicker—around 15-20% of those links are just dead, like a goldfish that didn’t make it past the first week. Ouch!

Now, you might be wondering, “Why would I be losing sleep over these broken links? After all, it’s just a small percentage, right?”

Wrong!

Let us share with you why you should be more concerned about these digital ghosts:

The "Earnings Death Spiral"

Broken links can create a domino effect and cause a spiral effect. When a visitor clicks on a link and is greeted by the infamous “404 Not Found” error or the Amazon “Something went wrong”, it’s like they’ve entered a digital black hole.

Your chances of converting them into a paying customer plummet faster than a rock tied to a feather. There goes any commission on that link and the possible deep-linked residual revenue.

The "Trust Tumble"

Imagine you’re watching a magic show, and the magician says they are going to pull a rabbit out of a hat, but instead of a fluffy bunny, they reveal an old sock. That’s the feeling your readers experience when they click on a broken link. They start to lose trust in your content, thinking, “If the links are broken are the products really that important to them? Can I trust their recommendations?”

You’re not just losing a sale; you’re starting to lose credibility! Your seasoned followers will forgive it but new ones haven’t developed that relationship with you yet and a broken link could turn them away forever.

The "SEO Swamp"

Another factor to consider is that search engines, like Google, love to punish websites with broken links. It’s like they have a vendetta against the digital undead!

High-quality content might get overshadowed because search engines penalize sites with too many broken links, making it harder for people to find your blog. RIP organic traffic!

The "Eternal Shame"

Let’s be real; nobody wants to be the person with the most broken links on the internet. Your blog becomes a digital graveyard of lost opportunities and missed connections. While your new content is fresh and hopping, your old content is struggling to stay above ground.

So, what can you do about this sneaky broken link calamity? Well, there are a few options:

Regular Link Checkups:

Make it a routine to audit your blog for broken links or eliminate this step and add Shared Vision Shopping Lists to your pages and see all your broken links in one spot.

Redirect and Revive:

If you spot a broken link, don’t just leave it to rot. Redirect it to a relevant page or update it to a working link.

Breathe life back into those digital zombies!

This can be accomplished manually, which can take an exorbitant amount of time to complete, or by using Shared Vision’s Link Checker, changing it that to minutes. Using Noah to add current and fresh links, you can let Noah do the work, maintain them, and let you get back to doing the fun part; creating.

Educate Yourself:

Learn how to manage your links better. Understand the difference between nofollow and do-follow links, know if they are deep linked, and make sure your links are curated to your audience.

Use a Link Management Tool:

Use a Link Management Tool: Consider using a link management tool to keep tabs on your links, track their performance, and ensure they’re working as intended. This is exactly what Noah does for creators and since he doesn’t need to sleep your Affiliate links will continue to work 24/7.

Photo of Shared Vision Affiliate Marketing on Phone

Conclusion:

While you’re busy celebrating the 80-85% of your content that’s making you money, don’t forget about the troublesome 15-20% that’s causing chaos behind the scenes.

Broken links might seem harmless, but they’re stealthy money-eaters, trust killers, and SEO assassins.

So, roll up your sleeves, fix those links, and watch your blog’s fortunes rise from the digital deathly hallows.

Top 4 Takeaways

  1. Broken links can trigger an “Earnings Death Spiral” by discouraging conversions and potentially leading to lost commissions and future revenue for creators.
  2. Broken links erode reader trust, potentially causing a “Trust Tumble” as visitors question the credibility of content with non-functioning links.
  3. Search engines penalize sites with broken links, creating an “SEO Swamp” that hinders organic traffic and diminishes a blog’s online visibility.
  4. Neglecting broken links can result in having a blog filled with lost opportunities and missed connections, negatively impacting both old and new content.

To make sure all your links are healthy, Sign up for our Beta program to have Noah, our AffiliateGPT AI, take care of your affiliate links. Noah can also add links to old content that doesn’t currently have affiliate links. Learn more about Noah here.

Try it free for 7 days!

Remember, Shared Vision is here to support you every step of the way, providing you with the tools to create multiple sales and boost your earnings. Don’t miss a single tip and get them delivered by signing up for our weekly Newsletter!