Have you ever clicked on a website and seen the message "404 Not Found" on your screen? It's a common experience, but if it's happening on your website, it can cause concern. But what exactly is a 404 error? It happens when a user or search engine tries to find a page on your site, but the page doesn't exist.
A 404 error annoys users and can hurt your website's SEO (Search Engine Optimization). In this blog, we'll explain what a 404 error is, how it affects your site's rankings and the easy ways to fix it. Specifically, we'll provide steps for WordPress users. So, if you want to improve your site, this guide is for you. Let's get started!
What is a 404 error?
A 404 error is an HTTP status code indicating that the server could not find the page the user requested or the search engine requested. This happens when:
- A page has been deleted.
- The URL is mistyped.
- The link to the page has changed, but the old link is still in use.
Examples:
Correct URL: www.example.com/about-us
404 error URL: www.example.com/abuot-us (mistyping) or www.example.com/old-page (deleted page).
When a user visits a 404 error, a message like "Page Not Found" or "404 Error" usually appears on the screen. This can be frustrating for the user.
How does a 404 error affect SEO?
A 404 error affects your website's SEO and performance in several ways. Let's understand this in detail:
- Poor user experience: If users repeatedly get 404 errors, they may leave your site, which reduces its credibility.
- Increases bounce rate: When a user returns after reaching a 404 page, the bounce rate increases. Google may consider this a negative signal.
- Waste of crawl budget: Search engines like Google have a limited budget for crawling each site. If they repeatedly reach 404 pages, the chance of crawling your important pages decreases.
- Impact on ranking: If important pages of your site show 404 errors and have backlinks, they may lose their value, leading to a drop in ranking.
However, Google says some 404 errors are normal and do not directly harm the ranking. If there are too many, it may raise questions about the quality of your site.
Reasons for 404 error
Why does a 404 error happen? There are some main reasons for this:
- Wrong URL typing: Typo in the user or the link (such as "about" instead of "about").
- Page deletion: An old page was removed, but its link was not
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- URL change: The page's slug or permalink was changed, but the old link was not redirected.
- Broken links: Wrong link is connected to your site or another site.
How do I find 404 errors?
Before fixing it, you should know where 404 errors are on your site. There are some tools for this:
Google Search Console:
Go to the "Coverage" section.
You will find a list of 404 errors in the "Errors" tab.
- Broken Link Checker: Use a WordPress plugin. It finds all the broken links on your site.
- Ahrefs or SEMrush: These premium tools show 404 errors and their sources.
How do you fix 404 errors?
Now, the real question is: how do we resolve 404 errors? Here are the detailed steps for WordPress users:
- Setup redirects:
If a page is deleted or its URL has changed, redirect the old URL to the new URL.
How to do it in WordPress:
- Install the plugin Redirection.
- Enter the old URL (e.g.,/old-page) and the new URL (e.g.,/new-page) in "Add New Redirection."
- Select "301 Permanent Redirect" and save.
Benefit: Users and search engines will redirect from the old link to the new page.
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Create a user-friendly page to replace the default 404 page.
How to do it in WordPress:
- From the dashboard, go to "Appearance" > "Theme File Editor."
- Edit the 404.php file or create a new one.
- Add a message like: "We're sorry, this page was not found. Go to the homepage" and a link to the homepage.
Benefit: Keeps users on the site.
- Fix broken links:
- Update incorrect links within your site.
- Use the plugin Broken Link Checker.
- Steps: Install, run a scan, and edit or remove incorrect links.
- Correct URL:
If there is a typo, use the correct URL and redirect the old one.
Example: Redirect /about-us to /about-us.
- Update Google:
Use the "URL Inspection Tool" in Google Search Console.
Submit the updated URL so Google can recrawl it.
Avoid these mistakes
Keep some things in mind while fixing 404 errors:
- Don't redirect all 404s: It is wrong to redirect every 404 to the homepage. Send them to the right page.
- Don't delete without checking: Check the page backlinks before deleting it.
- Don't ignore 404 pages: Not fixing them can cause harm in the long run.
Conclusion
404 errors are a common problem, but ignoring them can cost your website dearly. Not only does it ruin the user experience, but it can also affect your SEO rankings. In this guide, we explained what a 404 error is, why it happens, and how to fix it on WordPress. Setting up redirects, creating custom 404 pages, and fixing broken links can help you improve your site.
So don't wait any longer! Check for 404 errors on your site and fix them with these easy steps. Both your visitors and search engines will love a clean and fast website.
