A 404 error is an HTTP status code that indicates a webpage could not be found on the server. It’s essentially the server’s way of telling users that the page they are trying to access no longer exists or has been moved without updating the URL. When visitors encounter a 404 error, they typically see a message like “404 Page Not Found.” While it’s common to come across the occasional 404 error, having too many of these errors on your website can lead to various issues, particularly for your SEO performance and user experience.
Causes of 404 Errors
404 errors can occur for several reasons:
- Deleted Pages: A page may have been intentionally removed without setting up a proper redirect.
- Incorrect URLs: Users may mistype the URL or use an outdated link.
- Broken Internal Links: If a website’s internal links aren’t updated after changes, users will be directed to pages that no longer exist.
- Broken External Links: Other websites linking to your site may link to pages that no longer exist, leading to 404 errors for users coming from those external sources.
How 404 Errors Affect User Experience
404 errors can have a detrimental effect on user experience. When a user clicks on a link and is met with a “Page Not Found” message, it creates frustration and can lead to a poor perception of your website. If users frequently encounter broken pages, they are more likely to leave your site altogether, increasing the bounce rate. A high bounce rate is a signal to search engines that your site may not be providing valuable content or a good user experience, which can negatively impact your rankings.
In addition, users who experience frequent 404 errors may lose trust in your site. If they can’t easily find what they’re looking for, they may seek the information elsewhere, potentially turning to your competitors. Providing a seamless experience is crucial for retaining visitors and encouraging them to explore your website further, and reducing the number of 404 errors plays a significant role in achieving that.
How 404 Errors Affect SEO
404 errors, if not managed properly, can negatively impact SEO. While occasional 404 errors are normal and won’t necessarily harm your rankings, multiple unaddressed errors can signal to search engines that your site is not being maintained properly. This can lead to several issues:
- Crawling and Indexing Problems: Search engine bots regularly crawl your website to discover and index new or updated pages. If they encounter multiple 404 errors, it can slow down the crawling process as bots waste time trying to access non-existent pages. As a result, your actual, valuable pages may not be crawled and indexed as efficiently, potentially affecting your search engine rankings.
- Loss of Link Equity: If a page that had earned backlinks from other sites is deleted without a proper redirect, the “link equity” or SEO value from those backlinks is lost. This can lead to a drop in rankings, as the backlinks that once contributed to your site’s authority no longer provide any benefit.
- Increased Bounce Rates: As mentioned earlier, frequent 404 errors can increase bounce rates, which is a key user experience metric. High bounce rates can indicate to search engines that your site isn’t delivering relevant content, which may result in lower rankings over time.
Fixing and Preventing 404 Errors
To avoid the negative effects of 404 errors, it’s crucial to regularly audit your website for broken links and address any that are found. There are several ways to handle 404 errors:
- Redirecting Broken Pages: Implement 301 redirects to direct users from the broken page to a new, relevant page on your site. A 301 redirect tells search engines that the page has permanently moved, passing the link equity from the old page to the new one. This ensures that you retain SEO value while improving user experience.
- Custom 404 Pages: If a user does encounter a 404 error, providing a custom error page can help mitigate the negative experience. A well-designed 404 page can include helpful links, navigation options, or a search bar to guide users back to other relevant content on your site, keeping them engaged.
- Fixing Internal and External Links: Regularly review your internal and external links to ensure they point to live pages. Tools like Google Search Console can help identify 404 errors and broken links, allowing you to address them promptly.
In conclusion, while a single 404 error may not harm your SEO, having multiple unresolved 404 errors can significantly impact both your search rankings and user experience. To maintain a healthy website and avoid losing valuable traffic, it’s important to regularly check for broken links, set up proper redirects, and provide a useful, user-friendly 404 page when errors do occur. By managing and minimising 404 errors, you can ensure your website continues to perform well in search engine results and keeps users engaged.
For more information on 404 errors contact Click Return.