A 404 error occurs when a page on your website is not found, often due to broken links, deleted content, or incorrect URLs. While occasional 404 errors are inevitable, too many can negatively impact your SEO by disrupting the user experience and wasting crawl budget. Search engines may see excessive 404 errors as a sign that your website isn’t well-maintained, which can hurt your rankings. In this guide, we’ll explore why 404 errors matter for SEO, how to find them, and actionable strategies to fix 404 errors effectively to protect your site’s search engine performance.
What is a 404 Error?
A 404 error is a standard HTTP status code that indicates the server could not find the requested page. This error happens when a user or search engine tries to access a page that no longer exists or has been moved without a proper redirect.
While encountering a few 404 errors is normal, especially on larger websites, having too many can frustrate users and send negative signals to search engines. Fixing 404 errors ensures that users are directed to the correct pages and helps you preserve SEO value.
Why 404 Errors Matter for SEO
Fixing 404 errors is important for maintaining a healthy website and a good user experience. Here’s why they matter for SEO:
1. Impact on User Experience
A high number of 404 errors can frustrate users, especially if they encounter broken links while navigating your site. When users can’t find the information they’re looking for, they may leave your site entirely, leading to higher bounce rates and lower engagement. This can harm your SEO, as search engines consider user engagement metrics when ranking sites.
2. Wasted Crawl Budget
Search engines allocate a certain amount of crawl budget to each website, which refers to the number of pages they are willing to crawl during a given time. If Googlebot or other search engine crawlers encounter too many 404 errors, it wastes valuable crawl budget that could be used to discover and index more important pages. Over time, this can reduce the efficiency of search engine crawling on your website, affecting your overall SEO performance.
3. Loss of Link Equity
If other websites or internal pages link to a URL that returns a 404 error, any link equity (or SEO value) associated with those links is lost. Redirecting these broken URLs to relevant pages ensures that you preserve the SEO value of external and internal backlinks, maintaining your rankings.
4. Lowered Search Engine Rankings
While occasional 404 errors won’t result in penalties, a high number of broken links can signal to search engines that your site is poorly maintained. This may hurt your rankings, as search engines prioritize well-organized, high-quality sites that provide a seamless user experience.
How to Find 404 Errors on Your Website
To fix 404 errors, you first need to identify where they occur. Here are some tools and methods to help you find 404 errors on your website:
1. Google Search Console
Google Search Console is one of the best tools for identifying 404 errors. In the Coverage Report, you can see which pages are returning 404 errors and the URLs that are affected. Search Console provides a detailed breakdown of all the URLs with issues, allowing you to address them promptly.
Steps to check for 404 errors in Search Console:
- Go to Google Search Console and log in to your account.
- Click on Coverage under the Index section.
- Look for any entries under Error that show 404 Not Found and investigate the affected pages.
2. Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a popular tool that can crawl your website to find 404 errors and other SEO issues. The tool mimics the behavior of search engine crawlers, scanning all internal and external links to identify broken links and missing pages.
To find 404 errors using Screaming Frog:
- Download and install Screaming Frog.
- Enter your website’s URL and click Start to begin the crawl.
- Once the crawl is complete, go to the Response Codes tab and filter by Client Error (4xx) to view all 404 errors on your site.
3. Ahrefs Site Audit
Ahrefs offers a powerful Site Audit tool that can scan your website for technical SEO issues, including 404 errors. Ahrefs provides a report highlighting broken links and allows you to filter by error type to easily identify 404 errors.
In Ahrefs:
- Go to Site Audit and run a crawl of your website.
- Once the crawl is complete, view the Internal Pages section and filter by 404 error to find any broken pages.
4. Manually Check Internal Links
While automated tools are efficient, manually checking important pages for broken internal links can also help catch 404 errors. This is especially important for high-traffic pages like your homepage or key landing pages.
How to Fix 404 Errors
Once you’ve identified the 404 errors on your site, it’s time to fix them. Here are the most effective ways to resolve 404 errors:
1. Implement 301 Redirects
The most common solution for fixing 404 errors is to set up a 301 redirect, which permanently directs users and search engines from the broken URL to a new, relevant page. A 301 redirect passes most of the original page’s link equity to the new page, preserving your SEO value.
For example, if you removed a product page, you could redirect the old URL to a related product or category page. This ensures that users don’t encounter a 404 error and are instead directed to content that’s still relevant.
To implement a 301 redirect:
- For Apache servers, add the following code to your .htaccess file:
Redirect 301 /old-page https://www.example.com/new-page
- For Nginx servers, add the following code to your server configuration:
server {
location /old-page {
return 301 https://www.example.com/new-page;
}
}
- In WordPress, you can use a plugin like Redirection or Yoast SEO Premium to set up 301 redirects without editing server files.
2. Restore the Missing Page
If the missing page still has valuable content, traffic, or backlinks, consider restoring the original page. This is especially useful for pages that were mistakenly deleted or pages that still receive external backlinks. Restoring the page ensures that both users and search engines can access it without encountering a 404 error.
3. Update Internal Links
If internal links are pointing to a 404 error, update them to point to the correct page. Regularly audit your internal links to ensure that they are still active and directing users to valid content. Tools like Screaming Frog and Ahrefs can help identify internal links that need to be updated.
4. Customize Your 404 Page
Even after fixing most 404 errors, some users may still encounter them occasionally. Creating a custom 404 page improves the user experience by providing helpful links, a search bar, or suggestions for related content. A well-designed 404 page reduces frustration and helps keep users on your site, even if they encounter an error.
Best Practices for Managing 404 Errors
To prevent and manage 404 errors effectively, follow these best practices:
1. Regularly Audit Your Website
Regularly check your website for 404 errors using tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or Ahrefs. Regular audits help you identify new broken links or missing pages and fix them before they affect user experience or SEO.
2. Set Up 301 Redirects for Removed Content
Whenever you remove or move content, make sure to set up 301 redirects to point to related pages. This ensures that users and search engines are directed to the correct content and that your link equity is preserved.
3. Monitor External Backlinks
If you discover that external websites are linking to a page that no longer exists, try to contact the site owner to request an updated link. Alternatively, you can set up a 301 redirect from the broken URL to a relevant page on your site to preserve the link’s value.
4. Use a Custom 404 Page
Customize your 404 page to provide a better user experience. Include helpful links, a search bar, or suggestions for popular pages to guide users back to active content and reduce frustration.
Conclusion
404 errors can negatively impact both your SEO and user experience if left unchecked. By regularly monitoring your website for 404 errors and fixing them using 301 redirects, content restoration, or internal link updates, you can ensure that your site remains optimized for both users and search engines. Taking proactive steps to prevent and fix 404 errors helps preserve your rankings, protect your crawl budget, and provide a seamless user experience.
