What Is a 404 Error and How to Fix 404 Not Found on Your Website

You follow a link and see a "404 Not Found" in response? This means that the requested page does not exist - it has been deleted or moved, or the link leads to an incorrect URL. A 404 error is not only annoying to users, but can also worsen your site's ranking in Google, as search engines do not like broken pages.

The reasons for the 404 error can be different: an incorrectly specified link, a deleted or moved page, technical hosting problems. In any case, ignoring this problem can reduce the site's SEO indicators and increase the bounce rate, which will negatively affect traffic. To avoid such technical errors and detect them in a timely manner, a business should order SEO services that help monitor the status of the site and maintain its stable operation. So let's talk about what “Error 404: Page not found” means, how to fix the 404 error, what the top typical technical errors in online stores look like and how to prevent such errors from occurring in the future, later in this article.

What does error 404 mean?

Error 404 not found is a standard HTTP response code that means that the server could not find the page at the requested URL. In other words, the user clicks on the link, but instead of the desired content, he sees a message - 404 page not found.

What does a 404 error on a website mean and how do HTTP status codes work? Each request to a website is accompanied by a server response containing a specific HTTP code. For example:

• 200 OK – everything works correctly, the page was found

• 301 Moved Permanently – the page has been moved to a new address.

• 403 Forbidden – access forbidden.

• 500 Internal Server Error – internal server error.

The server sends one of these codes every time you follow a link or open a new page, and in the case of not found page — 404 errors, the server receives the request, but does not find the corresponding page, so it displays 404 page not found.

It is important to distinguish 404 errors from other HTTP errors. For example, 500 Internal Server Error indicates technical problems on the server, and 403 Forbidden means that the user does not have access to the page. The 404 error, in turn, only indicates that the server could not find the page at the specified address, but the site itself continues to work. Read more about common codes in our article: “What is a “server response” and why should all pages on a site have a 200 response?”.

Causes of 404 error

A 404 error is a signal that the server cannot find the required page, and the main reasons why this problem may occur are as follows:

1. Incorrect or changed URLs. If the link leads to a page that no longer exists, the URL was changed without setting up a redirect, or links to deleted pages were used, the user will see a page not found.

2. Deleted pages. A site page can be deleted for various reasons: content updates, site structure changes, the end of a special offer, etc.

3. Errors in writing links. Even one extra letter in the URL or an incorrect character is already a 404 error. Such situations often occur when manually entering links or copying URLs incorrectly.

4. Problems with the server or hosting. In some cases, a 404 page may appear due to a server failure or incorrect .htaccess settings. This file is responsible for redirects and other server settings. Errors in this file can also lead to the appearance of a message on the screen - 404: page not found.

In most cases, such errors occur due to the lack of a systematic approach to optimization, so regular technical audits and basic SEO allow you to detect and eliminate problems in a timely manner.

How to fix a 404 error on a website

So, we have already learned what a 404 error is. And what is a bounce rate and how is it related to the page is not found 404? A 404 error is a server response code that indicates that the server cannot find the page, and if such errors are ignored, it can negatively affect SEO, user experience, and bounce rate. There are several effective methods to fix a 404 error that every website owner and SEO specialist should know.

Check URLs

Before taking drastic measures, it is worth checking whether there are any extra characters or errors in the entered URL. Very often, a 404 error occurs due to an incorrect URL entry or its change.

Configuring redirects (301)

The absence of 301 redirects is the most common reason for a 404 error. How to fix it - set up a 301 redirect, which will automatically redirect users from a deleted or changed page to the current one. This is especially important for SEO, as it preserves the weight of links and helps avoid losing positions in the search results.

Using plugins to find 404 errors

If the site runs on WordPress or OpenCart, you can use special plugins to automatically find 404 errors. For example, Redirection, 404 to 301 or All in One SEO allow you to quickly find and fix broken links.

Updating internal links to relevant pages

If there are links within the site that lead to a 404 error, they need to be updated. Internal linking plays an important role in SEO, and such errors can negatively affect indexing. It is advisable to regularly check all links using Google Search Console or Screaming Frog. And to prevent such errors from occurring on your site, read our article “How to make a correct redirect”.

Checking server and hosting settings

In some cases, a 404 error can be caused by problems with the server or incorrect settings in the .htaccess file. If pages disappear for no apparent reason, you should check the server logs or contact your hosting provider's technical support.

To avoid problems with missing pages in the future, it is important to monitor the structure of the site and control duplicate pages. Learn more about this problem in the article "What are duplicates and why can they appear?".

Tools for finding and fixing 404 errors

To find and fix a page with a 404 error, you need to use special tools. They help track broken links, identify problems on the site, and quickly fix them. The list of popular and effective tools for finding 404 errors includes:

1. Google Search Console. This is a free service from Google that allows you to check your site for 404 errors, view crawl statistics, and receive error reports.

2. Screaming Frog SEO Spider. A powerful tool for deep site auditing that analyzes all pages, detects not found pages, and redirects errors, and technical issues.

3. Netpeak Spider. A great analog of Screaming Frog, which allows you to perform a technical audit of the site, helps to find various errors that negatively affect the work of the web resource and complicate the external or internal optimization of the site.

How to find and fix 404 errors in Screaming Frog?

• Launch the Screaming Frog program and enter the site URL.

• Click "Start" to start the scan.

• Go to the "Response Codes" tab to view all code responses.

• Select "Client Error (4xx)" to see a list of pages with 404 errors.

• Check URLs and determine which pages need redirecting or updating.

• Set up 301 redirects or fix links manually.

• Using such tools greatly simplifies the process of monitoring pages with 404 errors and prevents lost traffic due to missing pages.

Preventing errors 404 in the future

To never ask yourself what a 404 error is and minimize the risk of them appearing in the future, you should follow a few important rules:

1. Follow the recommendations for monitoring your site. Use Google Search Console and Screaming Frog to periodically check for broken links. This will allow you to quickly respond to errors and fix them before they affect the SEO of the resource.

2. Use a service to constantly check the performance of links. Automated services like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Netpeak Spider help you regularly check your site and avoid 404 errors.

3. Set up the right redirects. If a page is no longer needed, it is worth setting up a 301 redirect to a similar page or the main page to avoid the user going to a missing page.

It is also important to monitor the URL structure so that when updating the site or changing the content, there are no broken links.

Conclusion

So, what is a 404? This is an error that not only creates inconvenience for users but also negatively affects SEO and the ranking of your site. Regular monitoring, fixing missing pages, correct linking, setting up redirects, and the help of experienced specialists will help you avoid problems in the future. For example, the Idea Digital Agency team will help you optimize your site, set up redirects, eliminate technical errors, and improve its visibility in search engines. We have a successful track record of fixing technical issues on various websites — here are just a few of our cases: SEO promotion of an online store of dental supplies, where numerous broken links were eliminated, and promotion of the website of the medical clinic "Daily Medical", where we optimized the site structure for better ranking.

Order an SEO audit and website promotion at Idea Digital Agency. To do this, fill out the brief on this page, and our manager will contact you to clarify the details.