What happens when a link goes to a dead url on my site?

[webtarget]

I noticed in Open Site Explorer, I have several incoming links going to dead urls because i re-organized my site.

For example, there might be an incoming link to: sample.php?ID=8

The problem is that I moved the file to /subdir1 so it would be nice if it could link to /subdir1/sample.php?ID=8

BUT, on top of that, I have also changed the url to seo-friendly urls. So, really, it should link to /Category_Descripton/ProductName/8 and then get re-written to /subdir1/sample.php?ID=8

So, what are the implications of having these incoming links to dead urls other than the bad user experience. What are the implications from an SEO standpoint? What's the best way to fix this?

Thanks.

[mediabase]

Hi webtarget,
if links are pointing to dead url u are losing all the linkpower pointing to this urls!

You should 301 redirect them

Harry

[webtarget]

Thanks. So when you say linkpower, does that affect MozRank / MozTrust? And I was wondering how I can redirect it while maintaining my new SEF url structure. Is there anything I can do about that? Thanks.

[mediabase]

Yes you are losing PageRank (MozRank/Trust) whatever u will name the metric.

You can do the 301 redirect in your .htaccess file on your server:

http://jesperastrom.com/seo/how-to-do-a-htaccess-301-redirect/

Harry

[Dr-Pete]

Just a note that it may not impact MozTrust. mT is based on links from a trusted set of seed sites, so unless it's a link from one of those sites, the mT wouldn't change. mT doesn't measure your total authority - mR and DA/PA do that.