P2Issue #22
External no response
❓ What does it mean?
❓ What does it mean?
External No Response occurs when your website links to an external site (outbound link) that:
Does not respond,
Times out, or
Returns an error (e.g., 404, 500, DNS not found).
This creates a broken outbound link that search engines and users cannot access.
🚨 Why is it important for SEO?
🚨 Why is it bad for SEO?
Poor User Experience → Visitors click the link expecting useful content but land on an error.
Trust & Authority Loss → Linking to non-functional or spammy sites reduces your site’s credibility.
Crawl Waste → Search engines waste resources trying to crawl dead external links.
Negative SEO Signals → Too many broken external links can lower site quality signals in Google’s eyes.
Missed Value → Outbound links to relevant, working resources can strengthen topical authority.
✅ How to Fix It
✅ How to Fix It
Regularly Audit External Links
Use SEO tools (Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, Sitebulb) or Google Search Console to identify broken external links.
Update the Link
Replace the dead link with a valid, authoritative resource.
❌ Bad Example:
<a href="https://oldsite.com/resource">Helpful Guide</a>
(This site is no longer available.)
✅ Good Example:
<a href="https://newsite.com/resource">Helpful Guide</a>
Remove the Link
If no replacement exists, remove the broken external link.
Set External Links to Open in New Tabs
Use target="_blank" and rel="noopener noreferrer" for better UX and security.
<a href="https://reliable-site.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Visit Resource</a>
Monitor Regularly
Schedule link audits every few months to prevent accumulation of broken outbound links.
❌ Bad Example
📌 Example
❌ Bad (External no response):
https://example.com/blog → links to → https://partner-site.com/article (site not responding)
✅ Good Example
✅ Good (Fixed link):
https://example.com/blog → links to → https://new-partner-site.com/article (working resource)
⚡ Result
⚡ Result
Improved user trust (visitors find working resources)
Cleaner SEO signals (no crawl waste or broken links)
Better topical authority (linking to high-quality, live resources)
Reduced bounce rate