An error 404 on a web page is one of the most common errors we can encounter as webmasters. It has important SEO implications and accumulating many of these errors can affect Google rankings. Knowing how to deal with them is essential to monetize your efforts. In our wiki, you will find out how to identify and fix these errors.

How to fix a 404 not found error?

If you find any page on your website with broken links the best option is to correct or remove them. Consider whether it is necessary to restore the old page, replace the link with another one or simply delete it. If you see the same 404 error repeated many times due to a deleted page, consider redirecting to new and related content.

404 not found error: Causes, SEO impact and how to fix it

What is a 404 not found error?

A 404 error, or "page not found", is a standard HTTP response code that tells the browser the server is reachable but cannot find the specific page being requested. In other words, the server is working fine. The content just is not there.

This error is one of the most common responses on the web, and most site owners will encounter it at some point. Understanding what causes it and how to handle it properly is important for both user experience and SEO.

Common display variations of the 404 error

Depending on the browser, server, or platform, the error may appear in different ways. Some of the most common messages you might see include:

404 Not Found
HTTP 404
Error 404
Page Not Found
404 File or Directory Not Found
The requested URL was not found on this server
HTTP Error 404 - File Not Found

All of these mean the same thing. Recognising these variations helps you identify the error regardless of which server or platform your site runs on.

Common causes of 404 errors

A 404 error does not always have the same root cause. Here are the most frequent reasons why a page returns a 404 response:

Deleted pages: a page that existed and was then removed without setting up a redirect will return a 404 for anyone who tries to access the old URL.
Changed URLs: editing a page's slug or permalink without redirecting the old URL to the new one breaks any existing links pointing to it.
Website redesigns or migrations: moving to a new CMS, restructuring your site hierarchy, or changing your URL format can invalidate large numbers of URLs at once.
Mistyped URLs: a visitor types the URL incorrectly and lands on a page that does not exist. This type of error is outside your control, but a good custom 404 page can still help the user recover.
Broken internal links: links within your own site pointing to pages that have been moved or deleted will generate 404 errors for your visitors.
Broken external links: other websites linking to pages on your site that no longer exist. These are sometimes called "dead backlinks".
Domain or server misconfiguration: incorrect DNS settings, server errors, or misconfigured hosting can cause 404 responses even when the content technically exists.
Removed products or categories: e-commerce sites frequently produce 404 errors when products are discontinued and their URLs are not redirected.

Hard 404 errors vs. soft 404 errors

Not all 404 errors look the same to search engines. It is worth understanding the difference between hard and soft 404 errors.

A hard 404 is what most people think of: the server returns an actual 404 HTTP status code, confirming to browsers and search engines that the page does not exist.

A soft 404 is more deceptive. The server returns a 200 status code (which normally means "everything is fine") but displays a page with no meaningful content, such as a blank page, a generic "no results found" message, or a low-content placeholder. Search engines see the 200 status and attempt to index the page, but the content provides no value.

Soft 404 errors are particularly problematic for SEO because they waste crawl budget and can dilute your site's overall quality signals. Google Search Console will flag soft 404s separately in the Coverage report, which is another reason to check it regularly.

Why 404 errors matter for SEO

A single 404 error is not going to damage your site's rankings. Google itself acknowledges that pages naturally stop existing over time, and that is normal. However, there are situations where 404 errors do have a real SEO impact.

User experience and bounce rate

When a visitor lands on a broken page, they typically leave immediately. A high volume of 404 errors creates a poor experience, and search engines track that. If users consistently land on dead pages and bounce back to the search results, it signals that your site is not meeting their needs.

How 404 errors affect link equity

This is one of the more significant SEO consequences. When other websites link to a URL on your site and that URL returns a 404, the link equity (sometimes called PageRank or "link juice") that would normally pass through that link is lost. The backlink exists, but it no longer benefits you.

If a deleted or changed page had valuable backlinks pointing to it, those links are effectively wasted until you set up a redirect. This is one of the main reasons why monitoring and fixing 404 errors matters for long-term SEO performance.

Crawl budget waste

Search engine crawlers have a finite amount of time and resources to spend on your site. A large number of broken URLs forces crawlers to spend time on dead ends rather than discovering and indexing your live content.

When you do NOT need to fix a 404 error

Not every 404 error requires action. It is worth knowing when to prioritise your effort and when to let a 404 stand.

Pages that never existed: if someone is probing random URLs on your site or an external link points to a URL that was never valid, there is nothing to fix.
Deleted pages with no replacement and no backlinks: if you removed a page intentionally, it has no relevant replacement, and no external links point to it, a 404 is the correct and expected response. You do not need to redirect it.
Old, irrelevant content: if a page was removed because it was outdated and there is no comparable content to redirect users to, the 404 is acceptable. Simply make sure your custom 404 page helps the user navigate elsewhere.

The 404 errors that do require attention are those on URLs that receive traffic, have backlinks, or are still linked internally on your site.

How to identify 404 errors on your site

Before you can fix 404 errors, you need to find them. There are several reliable ways to do this. The types of errors you most want to catch are:

Pages you deleted that still have internal links pointing to them.
Pages you deleted that still have external backlinks pointing to them.
Links from your site to external content that has since been removed by other webmasters.

Useful tools for detecting 404 errors include:

Google Search Console (the most important one, explained in detail below).
Dead Link Checker.
W3C Link Checker.
Screaming Frog SEO Spider (for a full site crawl).

Using Google Search Console to find and act on 404 errors

Google Search Console is the most authoritative source for understanding how Google sees your site. Here is how to use it to address 404 errors step by step:

Log in to Google Search Console and select your property.
Go to the Indexing section and click on "Pages" (previously called the Coverage report). This report shows all URLs Google has tried to crawl, grouped by status.
Look for the "Not found (404)" category under the "Error" tab. Click on it to see a list of affected URLs.
Export the list so you can review it systematically. Prioritise URLs that receive organic traffic or have backlinks.
Inspect individual URLs using the URL Inspection Tool (enter the URL in the search bar at the top). This shows you the last crawl date, whether the page is indexed, and any specific crawl issues.
Decide on the correct action for each URL: set up a redirect, restore the page, or leave it as a 404 if it does not require action.
After fixing URLs, use the "Validate Fix" button in Search Console to ask Google to re-crawl them and confirm the issue is resolved.

How to fix 404 errors: 301 redirects

For 404 errors on URLs that have been moved, deleted with a replacement, or have valuable backlinks, the primary solution is a 301 redirect.

A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that tells both users and search engines: "This page has moved. Go here instead." It automatically sends anyone who visits the old URL to the new destination. Crucially, it also transfers the majority of the link equity from the old URL to the new one, which is why it is the recommended fix from an SEO perspective.

When to use a 301 redirect

A page has been moved to a new URL.
A page has been deleted but there is a relevant replacement or related page.
Your site went through a redesign or migration that changed URL structure.
A page with backlinks has been removed.

How to implement 301 redirects

How you add a redirect depends on your platform:

WordPress: use a plugin like Redirection or Yoast SEO (Premium), which let you manage redirects without touching code. You can set the old URL and the destination URL directly in the plugin settings.
Apache servers: add redirect rules to your .htaccess file using the format:

Redirect 301 /old-page/ https://www.yoursite.com/new-page/

Nginx servers: add a return 301 directive in your server configuration file.
Shopify, Wix, Squarespace: these platforms offer built-in redirect management tools in their settings or dashboard.

404 errors during site migrations and redesigns

Website migrations and redesigns are among the most common causes of mass 404 errors. When you restructure your URLs, move to a new CMS, or change your domain, existing URLs can break in large numbers almost overnight. A spike in 404 errors after a launch can cause a significant drop in rankings, especially if it affects pages with strong backlinks or high organic traffic. To prevent this:

Crawl your site before migration to capture a full list of existing URLs.
Map old URLs to their new equivalents before going live.
Set up all redirects before launch, not after you notice the errors.
Crawl the new site after launch to confirm all redirects are working correctly.
Monitor Google Search Console closely in the weeks following a migration for any new 404s that were missed.

How to design a useful custom 404 page

Even with the best maintenance practices, some visitors will inevitably land on a 404 page. A well-designed custom 404 page turns a frustrating dead end into an opportunity to keep the user on your site. A good custom 404 page should include:

A clear, friendly message that explains the page could not be found without using technical jargon.
Your site's main navigation so users can browse to where they want to go.
A search bar so users can search for what they were looking for.
Links to popular or relevant pages such as your homepage, blog, or product categories.
Your brand's visual identity so it still feels like part of your site, not a generic error screen.

Avoid simply displaying a blank page or the browser's default error screen. A custom 404 page reduces bounce rate, improves user experience, and gives visitors a clear path forward instead of sending them back to Google.

Summary: How to handle 404 not found errors

404 errors are a normal part of the web, but they require ongoing attention. Here is a quick recap of the key actions to take:

Use Google Search Console and a site crawler to identify 404 errors regularly.
Prioritise errors on URLs that have backlinks, receive traffic, or are linked internally.
Implement 301 redirects for any page that has moved or been deleted with a relevant replacement.
Do not redirect pages that never existed or have no relevant destination. A clean 404 is acceptable in those cases.
Check for soft 404 errors in the Google Search Console Coverage report and fix pages that return a 200 status without meaningful content.
Plan and execute redirects before any site migration or redesign goes live.
Create a helpful, branded custom 404 page that helps users navigate even when they hit a dead end.

Frequently Asked Questions

An error 404 on a web page is one of the most common errors we can encounter as webmasters. It has important SEO implications and accumulating many of these errors can affect Google rankings. Knowing how to deal with them is essential to monetize your efforts. In our wiki, you will find out how to identify and fix these errors.
If you find any page on your website with broken links the best option is to correct or remove them. Consider whether it is necessary to restore the old page, replace the link with another one or simply delete it. If you see the same 404 error repeated many times due to a deleted page, consider redirecting to new and related content.