What is a 404 Error? And How to Fix It
A 404 error is a HTML code that pops up on the screen when there is a problem on the webpage, either because the page no longer exists or it has moved to some other domain. 404 errors can cause problems in search engine optimization (SEO) and can make Google penalise your website, which can negatively impact digital marketing.
What causes a 404 error?
There are various reasons why a page may not load, or pages are inaccessible, so knowing the reasons can help you fix the problem. Here are some reasons why a 404 error may show:
- A web page that no longer exists
- Broken links
- A web page that has moved to another location
404 error and SEO
Apart from the other inconvenience that 404 error poses, it hugely impacts SEO and makes your site even harder to rank. A part of having a website is ensuring people find it. Therefore, you must avoid 404 errors.
The extent to which 404 errors affect your SEO, depends highly on what is causing it. User experience (UX) matters to both Google and users. For instance, if you shifted your webpage elsewhere or changed the URL, Google may take a while to stop showing your website’s old location in the search engine results page, leading to 404 errors. This will cause a negative impact on your website and SEO.
You have to make sure you find and eliminate all issues and help the user, which has a positive impact on search engines.
How to fix a 404 error
Here are a few ways you can fix a 404 error code on your page:
- Look for broken links: Sometimes a 404 error can be as simple as a broken or mistyped link. Looking for broken or mistyped links can prevent 404 errors, and ensure a seamless internal linking.
- Restoring deleted pages: Old and deleted content gets a lot of traffic that results in 404s. Using CMS or website analytics, you can see what pages are getting traffic, and reboot the URL to get traffic.
- and prevent 404. For example, you write a blog post on a trending topic, and you combine it with another page, so you delete the first page. You will still get traffic from the deleted page. So, keep the old pages and create a new one, which will boost SEO and enhance keyword targeting and UX.
- Moving a page or directory: When you add pages to your site, there’s a chance of it ending up in the wrong folder. A solution to this is to check the pathway to your page and compare it to what’s in the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or Content Management System. If it doesn’t match, move it and access the page again. Sometimes there is an error with a folder and not the page, so if you move a folder with a lot of pages, the individual pages URLs change.
- Error pages for low-performing content: Error pages can be helpful to SEO. If you have low-performing content, leaving an error page can indicate to Google that you removed it and are improving the site. These can keep people on your site longer, and a 404 page can contain links to other pages.
- Using Redirects: If you must move a page to another location, use a 301 redirect, to prevent the page from showing a 404 error. A 301 redirect tells Google that your page has permanently been moved to another URL. This will help users who want to access your site. Adding a redirect to the new location can enhance UX and help search engines index your site and pages.
Improve your SEO by fixing 404 errors
404s show when web pages cannot be found, and they can pose negative consequences for your website’s SEO and user experience. So, it’s crucial to tackle the errors to maintain your site’s visibility and ensure your content is accessible by users.