You’ve clicked a link, ready to see a page, and then… nothing. Just an error message. This is the classic 404 error, and it’s a frustrating experience for anyone. In simple terms, a 404 means your browser successfully connected to a website, but the specific page you asked for is missing. It’s a “page not found” signal.
Every time a web server responds to a request, it sends back a three-digit code. This code tells your browser what happened with the request. A “200” code means everything is okay, while a “500” code signals a server problem. The “404” code, in particular, signals that the page you are looking for is gone. Understanding these codes is the first step to a healthier website.
Are 404s Always a Bad Thing?
This is one of the most common questions in SEO. You might think any 404 error is a disaster, but that’s not always the case.
When you permanently remove an outdated product, an old service page, or a piece of content that is no longer relevant, a 404 error is the correct response. It’s a signal to search engines that the page is gone and should be removed from their index. A correctly placed 404 is a sign of a well-maintained website, not a sign of a problem.
The real issue arises when users and search engines encounter a 404 error on a page that they should be able to find. This happens when a link is broken, a URL is mistyped, or a page has been moved without being properly redirected. When this happens, you lose valuable traffic, and it can harm the trust people have in your brand.
How 404 Errors Impact SEO and Your Business
While a correct 404 won’t harm your website, ignoring broken links and letting users find them will. Here’s why:
- Wasted Crawl Budget: Search engines have a limited amount of time to crawl your website. When they repeatedly hit 404 errors, they waste time on a dead end instead of crawling and indexing your important, high-ranking pages.
- Lost Link Equity: If an important page has a broken link pointing to it, the “link juice” or SEO value from that link is lost. This can directly hurt your page’s ability to rank.
- Poor User Experience: Landing on a broken page is frustrating. If users have a bad experience, they are likely to leave your site and go to a competitor instead. A high number of users leaving your site quickly can signal to search engines that your website is low-quality, which can negatively impact your rankings.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Finding and Fixing 404s
Fixing 404s is a crucial part of maintaining a healthy website. Here’s how to do it in a way that helps your SEO.
Step 1: Find the Broken Links
You need to know where your 404 errors are coming from. The best way to do this is to check your website’s performance data. You can find reports that show you which pages are returning 404 errors and what links are sending users there.
Once you have this list, you can decide on the best fix for each broken link.
Step 2: Decide on a Fix
Not every broken link is fixed in the same way. The solution depends on what happened to the original page.
The 301 Redirect
If a page has a new, permanent address, you should use a 301 redirect. This tells search engines and users that the page has moved for good. It is the best way to preserve the SEO value of the old page and send visitors to the correct new page. For example, if you change a URL from /old-product to /new-product, a 301 redirect ensures all traffic and SEO value are correctly transferred.
Re-upload the Content
If a page was accidentally deleted, the easiest fix is to simply re-upload the original content to the same URL. You should then check to make sure the page is returning a standard “200: OK” status code.
The “410 Gone” Status
For pages that have been permanently removed and will never come back, you can use a “410 Gone” status code. This is a stronger signal than a 404 and tells search engines to remove the page from their index more quickly. This is useful for clearing out outdated content without wasting a search engine’s time.
When you’re fixing a 404, you might be creating a new page or updating an old one. Our free AI Paragraph Rewriter can help you improve the quality of your text to make sure your new page is perfect.
How to Turn a 404 into a Positive Experience
You can’t prevent every 404 error, but you can control what happens when a user lands on one. A custom 404 page can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
Design a Helpful Page
A great 404 page should be:
- On-Brand: Use your brand’s colors, logo, and tone to reassure the user that they are on your site.
- Simple: Avoid a cluttered design.
- Empathetic: A simple message like, “We’re sorry, that page can’t be found,” goes a long way.
Offer Useful Paths Forward
Instead of a dead end, your 404 page should be a helpful guide. Offer links to:
- Your homepage
- Your most popular products or blog posts
- Your sitemap
- A search bar to help users find what they were looking for
By creating a helpful, custom 404 page, you can keep users engaged and help them find the content they are looking for without them leaving your site in frustration.
What is a 404 error?
A 404 error is a status code that tells a user and a search engine that the requested page was not found. It signals that a page is missing from a website.
Do 404 errors hurt SEO?
A small number of 404 errors are normal and will not hurt your SEO. However, a large number of broken links can negatively affect user experience and waste a search engine's time, which can hurt your rankings.
How do I fix a 404 error?
To fix a 404 error, you can either update the broken link, use a 301 redirect to a new page, or re-upload the content that was deleted.
What should a good 404 page include?
A good 404 page should be helpful and friendly. It should include links to your homepage, a search bar, and other important pages to help the user find what they need.
