How To Fix 404 Error For Better User Experience and SEO

Why a 404 error occurs?

• Broken or Outdated Links: Links within a website can become broken or outdated due to changes in the website structure, content reorganization, or the removal of pages. External links pointing to the website may also break if the target page is moved or deleted.
• Mistyped URLs: Users may accidentally mistype a URL, resulting in a non-existent address that triggers a 404 error.
• Moved or Deleted Content: If a webpage or resource is moved to a different location or deleted entirely without implementing proper redirects, visitors attempting to access the old URL will encounter a 404 error.
• Server Configuration Issues: Incorrect server configurations, such as misconfigured virtual hosts or rewrite rules, can lead to 404 errors even when the requested resource exists.
• Content Management System (CMS) Inconsistencies: In content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla, issues with permalink structures, post slugs, or plugin conflicts can sometimes cause 404 errors.
• Development Environments: During the development or staging phase of a website, temporary URLs or test pages may result in 404 errors if not properly handled before going live.
• Case Sensitivity: Some web servers are case-sensitive, meaning that capitalization in URLs matters. If a user enters a URL with incorrect capitalization, it may lead to a 404 error.
• Crawling Errors: Search engines and web crawlers may encounter 404 errors when attempting to access pages or resources that no longer exist or have been moved without proper redirects.

How to Identify 404 Error Pages

There are several possible ways to identify 404 (Page Not Found) error pages on a website:

1. Browser Indication: When you try to access a non-existent page on a website, most modern browsers will display a “404 Not Found” error message in the browser window.
2. HTTP Status Code: The server responds with an HTTP status code of 404 when a requested page or resource is not found. You can check the status code in your browser’s developer tools (usually by opening the Network tab and inspecting the response headers).
3. Server Log Files: Web servers typically log all incoming requests, including those that result in 404 errors. You can analyze the server log files (e.g., Apache’s access.log or Nginx’s access.log) to identify 404 errors and the requested URLs that caused them.
4. Web Crawling/Scanning Tools: Various web crawling and scanning tools, such as Screaming Frog SEO Spider, can be used to crawl a website and identify 404 error pages. These tools will report the URLs that returned a 404 status code.
5. Google Search Console: If you have your website registered with Google Search Console, you can check the “Crawl Errors” report, which lists the URLs on your site that returned 404 errors when crawled by Google’s bots.
6. Site Search: Some websites have a built-in search functionality. Attempting to search for a non-existent page or term can sometimes trigger a 404 error page.
7. Broken Link Checkers: There are online tools and browser extensions (e.g., Broken Link Checker for Chrome, Ahref Broken Link Checker) that can scan a website or specific page for broken links, which often result in 404 errors.

Checkout SEMRush Reference for detailed understanding to 404 error page:
Semrush blog- What does error 404 not found mean

Impact of 404 error pages on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Well, It becomes  a normal part of a website when an old content dies and a new content is placed with URL change, but 404 errors can have a significant impact on a website’s search engine optimization (SEO) performance. Here are some of the major implications:

• Poor User Experience: When users encounter a 404 error, they are likely to become frustrated and leave the website, resulting in a higher bounce rate. Search engines prioritize websites with a good user experience, and a high bounce rate can negatively affect rankings.
• Crawling and Indexing Issues: Search engine crawlers rely on links to discover and index new pages. If they encounter too many 404 errors, they may assume that the website has a high number of broken links, leading to reduced crawl efficiency and potentially fewer pages being indexed.
• Link Equity Loss: Broken links can lead to the loss of link equity, which is the value and authority passed from one page to another via links. When a page with high link equity returns a 404 error, that value is essentially lost, potentially impacting the rankings of other pages on the site.
• Wasted Crawl Budget: Search engine crawlers have limited resources, and if they spend too much time crawling and processing 404 errors, it can waste the crawl budget allocated to a website, resulting in fewer pages being crawled and indexed.
• Negative Brand Perception: A website with frequent 404 errors can create a negative perception of the brand, potentially leading to a loss of trust and credibility with both users and search engines.
• Reduced Rankings and Traffic: Ultimately, the combination of poor user experience, indexing issues, link equity loss, and other factors can lead to a decline in search engine rankings and organic traffic for the affected website.

A guide from Google for 404 Error Pages:
Do 404 errors hurt my site?

Checkpoints on possible solutions and practices to resolve and avoid 404 error pages in website

• Conduct a Website Audit: Perform a comprehensive audit of your website to identify all existing 404 errors. This can be done manually or with the help of tools like Screaming Frog, DeepCrawl, or Google Search Console.
• Implement Redirects: For pages or resources that have been moved or renamed, implement proper redirects (301 permanent redirects or 302 temporary redirects) to seamlessly guide users and search engines to the new location.
• Update Internal Links: Identify and fix any broken internal links within your website content, ensuring that all links point to the correct and existing pages.
• Manage External Links: Monitor and update external links pointing to your website. Reach out to websites linking to your outdated or broken URLs and request that they update their links.
• Create a Custom 404 Page: Design a user-friendly and informative custom 404 page that provides guidance and alternative navigation options for visitors, rather than displaying a generic error message.
• Implement Link Monitoring: Set up a system or use tools to continuously monitor your website for broken links, enabling you to address them promptly.
• Optimize Redirects: Ensure that your redirects are set up correctly and avoid redirect chains or loops, which can negatively impact user experience and search engine crawling.
• Consolidate and Remove Duplicate Content: Identify and consolidate duplicate content onto a single canonical URL, using appropriate redirection or canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues.
• Update Sitemaps: Regenerate and submit updated sitemaps to search engines after fixing 404 errors and implementing redirects, ensuring that search engines can efficiently crawl and index your website.
• Improve Website Structure and Navigation: Review your website’s architecture and navigation to ensure a logical and user-friendly structure, minimizing the likelihood of users encountering 404 errors.
• Implement Regular Maintenance: Establish a regular maintenance routine to audit and address any new 404 errors that may arise due to content updates, website restructuring, or other changes.

• Monitor and Analyze Analytics: Continuously monitor website analytics to identify pages with high bounce rates or exit rates, which may indicate the presence of 404 errors or other user experience issues.

Process to Fix 404 Error for WordPress

WordPress:

• Install a Redirection Plugin: Install and activate a redirection plugin like,Rankmath, Yoast, Redirection or Simple 301 Redirects to easily manage and implement redirects for moved or deleted pages.

• Check Permalink Settings: Ensure that your permalink settings are correctly configured. Go to Settings > Permalinks and select the desired permalink structure, then save changes.
• Update Broken Links: Use a plugin like Broken Link Checker or a third-party tool like Screaming Frog to scan your website for broken links. Update or remove any outdated internal links.
  Check Broken Links free at: Broken Link Checker Tool

• Create a Custom 404 Page: Navigate to Settings > Permalinks and scroll down to the “Error Page” section. Here, you can create a custom 404 page template by adding code or using a plugin like Custom 404 Pro.
• Check for Plugin Conflicts: Deactivate and reactivate plugins one by one to identify if any plugin is causing 404 errors due to conflicts or improper configurations.
• Update .htaccess File: If you have access to the server, you can manually update the .htaccess file to add or modify redirects for specific URLs.

Process to Fix 404 Error for Shopify

• Identify 404 Errors: Use Shopify’s built-in reports or third-party apps like Rewind Backup to identify pages or resources returning 404 errors, or tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, screamingfrog will help to identify 404 error pages.
• Create URL Redirects: In the Shopify admin panel, go to Online Store > Navigation and select the “URL Redirects” option. Here, you can create 301 or 302 redirects for moved or deleted pages.

Visit for Reference:Shopify URL redirect tutorial

• Update Theme Links: If the 404 errors are caused by broken links within your theme files, navigate to Online Store > Themes and edit the relevant theme files to update or remove the broken links.
• Enable Custom 404 Page: In the Shopify admin panel, go to Online Store > Themes > Customize and select the “404.liquid” template to create a custom 404 page design.
• Check App Integrations: Ensure that any third-party apps or integrations are not causing conflicts or introducing broken links to your Shopify store.

Process to Fix 404 Error for Magento

Check Magento Configuration: Ensure that your Magento installation is properly configured, including web server settings, URL rewrite rules, and .htaccess file configurations.

Implement Redirects: In the Magento admin panel, navigate to System > Configuration > Web > URL Rewrites and create the necessary redirects for moved or deleted pages using the “Add URL Rewrite” option.

Visit for Reference: Magento URL redirection tutorial

Update Links in CMS Pages: If the 404 errors are caused by broken links in your CMS pages or blocks, edit the respective pages and update or remove the broken links.

Check for Extension Conflicts: Deactivate and reactivate third-party extensions one by one to identify if any extension is causing 404 errors due to conflicts or improper configurations.

Customize 404 Page: In the Magento admin panel, navigate to System > Configuration > Web > Default Pages and customize the content for the 404 Page Not Found page.

Use a 404 Monitoring Extension: Install a third-party extension like “404 Monitor” or “404 Viewer” to monitor and identify 404 errors on your Magento store.

Regenerate URL Rewrites: If you’ve made changes to your product or category URLs, regenerate the URL rewrites by navigating to System > Tools > URL Rewrite Management and running the URL Rewrite process.

Check for Database Inconsistencies: Use the Magento database repair tool or consult an expert to identify and fix any database inconsistencies that may be causing 404 errors.

Conclusion

It’s important to note that the specific steps may vary depending on your CMS version and customizations.

The removal of 404 errors is not just about tidying up broken links, it’s about enhancing user experience, maintaining search engine visibility, and safeguarding the credibility of your website. By implementing the checkpoints and processes outlined in this guide, you can effectively resolve 404 errors, mitigate their impact on SEO, and ensure a seamless browsing experience for your audience. Remember, a website free from 404 errors is a website that’s optimized for success in the digital realm.