How to Fix 404 Errors on Your Website

 404 errors are one of the most common issues encountered by both website visitors and webmasters. A 404 error occurs when a user tries to access a page that doesn’t exist or has been moved or deleted. This error leads to a poor user experience, can hurt your website’s SEO, and cause users to abandon your site, which ultimately affects your business performance.

Fixing 404 errors is an essential task for maintaining the health of your website. In this blog, we’ll explore the causes of 404 errors, how they impact your website, and most importantly, the best strategies for fixing them to improve user experience, SEO performance, and site efficiency.

1. Understanding 404 Errors

Before we dive into fixing 404 errors, it’s essential to understand what they are and how they occur. A 404 error is an HTTP response status code indicating that the server was unable to locate the requested page. In essence, this error is triggered when the page doesn’t exist on the server, either because it was removed, renamed, or never existed in the first place.

Common reasons for 404 errors include:

• A page or resource has been deleted.

• The URL was changed but the old URL wasn't redirected.

• The user has typed the wrong URL.

• A link on another site is broken or outdated.

• A page is temporarily unavailable or not accessible due to server issues.

The "404" error code itself does not convey much information about the actual problem to users. To enhance user experience, many websites customize their 404 error pages to provide helpful information or redirect users to other parts of the site.

2. Why Fixing 404 Errors is Important

While 404 errors might seem like a minor issue, leaving them unaddressed can have significant negative effects on both user experience and SEO. Here are the reasons why fixing 404 errors should be a priority:

2.1 User Experience

404 errors create a frustrating experience for users, especially if they encounter them while looking for important information or products. If users frequently land on broken pages, they may abandon the website altogether and turn to competitors. Addressing 404 errors helps create a smooth, frustration-free experience for visitors, increasing the likelihood of them staying on your site and engaging with your content.

2.2 SEO Impact

Search engines like Google are always scanning websites to index their pages and rank them on search engine results pages (SERPs). When a search engine encounters a 404 error, it can negatively affect the site’s rankings. If search engines find many broken links or inaccessible pages, they may view your website as poorly maintained and lower its ranking.

Search engines also want to ensure that their users are directed to relevant and live content. If your site has many 404 errors, it can indicate to search engines that your website is not up to date, which can hurt SEO performance.

2.3 Link Equity Loss

Broken links can result in the loss of link equity (the value passed from one page to another via hyperlinks). If other websites link to a page on your site that no longer exists, you lose out on valuable backlinks, which could help improve your SEO.

2.4 Website Crawlability

Search engines crawl websites to index pages, and a website riddled with 404 errors can hinder the crawlability of the site. If pages are not accessible or redirect properly, search engine bots may miss out on indexing some of your content, which impacts the visibility of your site in search results.

3. How to Identify 404 Errors on Your Website

Identifying 404 errors is the first step toward fixing them. Fortunately, there are several tools available to help you spot these errors.

3.1 Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) is a powerful tool that provides insights into how your website is performing in Google search results. One of the features of GSC is the Coverage report, which shows the pages on your website that Googlebot was unable to crawl due to 404 errors.

To use Google Search Console to find 404 errors:

1. Sign in to your Google Search Console account.

2. Navigate to the “Coverage” report under the “Index” section.

3. Look for pages with the “Excluded” status, particularly the “404” error type.

4. Review the URLs that are generating 404 errors.

3.2 Website Crawling Tools

Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and SEMrush can crawl your website to identify broken links and 404 errors. These tools provide detailed reports of all the 404 errors on your website, allowing you to fix them efficiently.

To use a crawling tool, enter your website’s URL, and the tool will crawl your website and generate a report. Look for pages that return a 404 HTTP status code, and take note of the URLs that need fixing.

3.3 Analytics Tools

Analytics platforms such as Google Analytics can help you track pages that are generating 404 errors based on user behavior. For example, you can set up custom reports or use event tracking to monitor the number of visitors landing on 404 pages.

3.4 Browser Developer Tools

Using browser developer tools can also help identify 404 errors. In Chrome, you can open the Developer Tools (press F12), go to the "Network" tab, and reload your page. Any 404 errors will be displayed here, allowing you to spot issues as they occur.

4. How to Fix 404 Errors on Your Website

Once you've identified the 404 errors on your website, the next step is fixing them. Below are several effective strategies for resolving 404 errors:

4.1 Redirect Broken URLs

The most common way to fix 404 errors is to set up a 301 (permanent) or 302 (temporary) redirect. This ensures that users and search engines are redirected from the broken URL to a valid, relevant page on your website.

• 301 Redirect: Use a 301 redirect if the page has been permanently moved or removed. This passes the link equity from the old page to the new one, which is crucial for maintaining SEO performance.

• 302 Redirect: A 302 redirect is suitable for temporary page removals. It tells search engines that the page will be back soon, so they should not pass any link equity.

To implement redirects, you can add them via your website’s .htaccess file (for Apache servers), through your website’s CMS, or using a plugin (for WordPress or other CMS platforms).

4.2 Update Internal Links

If internal links point to 404 pages, fix them by updating the URLs to direct visitors to the correct, live page. You can do this manually, but for large websites, it’s often more efficient to use crawling tools to identify and update these links.

Updating internal links is important because they help both users and search engines navigate your website effectively. Ensuring that all links lead to active pages improves the overall health of your website.

4.3 Create Custom 404 Pages

While fixing 404 errors is crucial, it’s also important to offer a better user experience for visitors who do encounter them. A custom 404 page provides a way to guide visitors back to useful parts of the website, preventing them from leaving your site altogether.

A good 404 page should:

• Be on-brand and visually consistent with the rest of the website.

• Provide a clear message that the page isn’t found but reassure the user that help is available.

• Include links to important sections of the website (e.g., homepage, contact page, or category pages).

• Include a search bar to allow users to find the content they are looking for.

4.4 Remove Outdated Links

If you have outdated external links pointing to pages that no longer exist, you can reach out to the websites that are linking to you and ask them to update their links to the new URLs. If this isn’t possible, setting up a redirect can be an effective solution.

4.5 Restore Deleted Pages

If a page has been deleted but should still be available, consider restoring it from a backup or re-publishing the content. If the content is no longer relevant, it’s better to redirect it to a more appropriate page rather than leaving it as a 404.

4.6 Implement a 404 Error Log

Implementing a 404 error log on your website can help track the pages that are causing issues. This log allows you to monitor which URLs are being requested and which ones are returning 404 errors. You can use this information to make corrections promptly and prevent further user frustration.

5. Preventing Future 404 Errors

While fixing existing 404 errors is important, it’s equally important to take proactive steps to prevent future errors. Below are several practices that can help:

5.1 Monitor Site Changes

Whenever you make changes to your site, such as deleting pages or changing URLs, always remember to set up redirects if necessary. If you're restructuring your site, ensure that all the old URLs are properly redirected to the new structure.

5.2 Use a Staging Environment

Before making major changes to your website, consider using a staging environment to test them first. This helps ensure that all links and pages are working correctly before going live and reduces the likelihood of introducing 404 errors.

5.3 Regular Audits

Regularly audit your website for 404 errors and other issues. Periodically check for broken links, outdated content, and other technical issues that could cause disruptions to the user experience.

6. Conclusion

Fixing 404 errors is essential for providing a seamless user experience, improving SEO, and ensuring that search engines can crawl and index your site efficiently. By identifying broken URLs, setting up redirects, updating internal links, and customizing your 404 pages, you can improve your site’s performance and keep users engaged.

In addition, preventing future 404 errors through regular site audits and proactive link management will help maintain the health of your website in the long run. Taking the time to fix 404 errors and prevent them from recurring will not only enhance user satisfaction but also improve your website's search engine rankings, ultimately contributing to the success of your online presence.