Fix: External Images are Broken (solved)

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Learn how to fix broken external images on your website with this guide, addressing SEMrush warnings and image troubleshooting.

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Fix: External Images are Broken (solved)

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broken-external-images

Fixing External Broken Images on Your Website

Having broken images on your website can lead to poor user experience and negatively affect SEO. In SEMrush, broken images show up as warnings, indicating that an image meant to load is missing, typically from an external URL. This guide will help you identify and fix these issues, ensuring a seamless visual experience on your site.

What Causes External Broken Images?

Broken images can occur for several reasons, often due to outdated URLs or incorrect storage practices. Some common causes include:

• Old Domains or Subdomains: Images from blogs or pages migrated to new domains can sometimes still call assets from the old URL, causing broken links.

• Subdomain Storage: When images are stored on a subdomain, SEMrush may classify this as an external URL, which can lead to issues if images don’t load properly.

• Copied Image URLs: Copying an image from another website without saving it on your server can also cause problems, as the link may become broken.

How SEMrush Flags Broken Images

SEMrush may flag an image as broken for three main reasons:

1. Temporary Server Issues: If the SEMrush bot visits a page during server downtime, it may flag images as broken if they don’t load within a limited time frame.

2. Bot Restrictions: Some sites block bots like SEMrush from accessing content, leading to broken image warnings.

3. Actual Broken Links: If the image URL is genuinely broken, SEMrush will mark it as an error.

How to Fix Broken Images in SEMrush

To fix broken images:

1. Verify the URL: Go to SEMrush, click the arrow next to the image URL, and check if it loads. If it doesn’t, confirm if the image is truly broken.

2. Inspect the Affected Page: Review the page where the broken image is located to understand how users experience it. This can help you determine the best fix.

3. Choose Your Fix: You have a few options depending on the image’s relevance:

   • Replace with an Updated Image: If you have the image stored elsewhere, re-upload it.

   • Choose a New Image: Find a similar image to maintain visual consistency.

   • Remove the Image: If the image is no longer relevant, remove it and update any associated text to avoid gaps in content.

Final Thoughts

Broken images are a minor but important issue in maintaining a professional, SEO-friendly website. Regularly check for SEMrush image warnings to ensure your visuals load correctly, providing the best possible experience for your users.