404 Error
An HTTP status code indicating that a requested page does not exist.
Why It Matters
Excessive 404 errors waste crawl budget and create poor user experiences that increase bounce rates.
How It Works
When a user or crawler requests a URL that does not exist, the server returns a 404 status code. A custom 404 page can help users navigate back to useful content. Important 404s should be 301 redirected.
Real-World Example
After a site migration, 200 old URLs return 404 errors; adding 301 redirects recovers lost organic traffic.
Common Mistakes
Returning soft 404s (200 status with empty content)
Not monitoring 404 errors in Search Console
404 Error FAQs
Are 404 errors bad for SEO?
Normal 404s for pages that never had value are fine; 404s on pages with backlinks or traffic lose ranking equity.
How do I find 404 errors?
Check Google Search Console Coverage report or crawl your site with Screaming Frog to find broken URLs.
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