An affiliate tracking link whose destination URL returns a 404 (Not Found) error or redirects to an unintended page, preventing consumers from reaching the recommended product and preventing publishers from earning commission on resulting traffic. Broken affiliate links are a common, costly, and largely preventable source of affiliate program revenue loss. Common causes of broken affiliate links: Product URL changes: brand replatforms to a new e-commerce system, changes URL structure, or adds/removes product identifiers; without 301 redirects, publisher deep links to old product URLs return 404 errors. Product discontinuation: products removed from the catalog without redirects from the product page URL; publishers who created content around the product continue to drive traffic that lands on 404 pages. Network migration: brand moves affiliate program from one network to another; publisher links with old network tracking parameters break when the brand's tracking pixel for the old network is removed. Tracking parameter loss: destination URL has a redirect that strips affiliate tracking parameters; the consumer reaches the product page but the affiliate click isn't tracked (the link technically works but is 'broken' for attribution purposes). Impact on publishers and brands: publishers whose links return 404 errors lose commission on all traffic they drive through those links; content that remains indexed and drives traffic continues to generate clicks, but converts zero sales because the destination is broken; brands lose revenue from publisher-driven traffic that the publisher can't convert. Prevention: 301 redirects for all product URL changes; publisher notification when significant product pages are removed; quarterly broken link audits using tools like Screaming Frog or dedicated affiliate link management platforms; monitoring for unexplained conversion rate drops, which often indicate tracking breakage.
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