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404 Errors & SEO – Will They Hurt Your Websites Rankings?
Website owners can often become worried upon seeing many 404 errors appear in Google Search Console. Whilst they can seem concerning, they do not necessarily mean there is a large issue with the websites SEO. Let’s take a look at how they effect SEO, what to do about them and some helpful tips.
What Are HTTP 404 Errors?
A 404 error means that the server could not find the requested page. If a visitor or crawler tries to access a page you no longer have, this HTTP 404 status code may show.
This could be because;
A page has been deleted,
A product/service no longer exists,
A URL has changed without a redirect,
An internal link has a broken link,
An external website has an outdated link,
Or the visitor has entered the wrong web address.
However, not all 404 errors need fixing. This is because some URLs will be removed over time and search engines know websites will be changed.
Do 404 Errors Harm Google Rankings?
The most common question about 404 errors is whether they will cause SEO penalties.
Generally speaking, if you get an actual 404 error, you won’t get a penalty from Google nor will the other pages on your site suffer. However, Google will eventually remove the page from its index.
This is just part of how search engines index sites.
However, if a 404 appears on an important page, for example an important landing page that accidentally results in a 404, you may lose organic traffic and not gain any traffic from potential customers.
You should look into why the error happened if it appeared on an important page.
When To Deal With A Broken URL
The best way to deal with 404 errors is to look into why they are appearing and how important they are.
If the page has been deleted by accident, make sure to get it back or fix the issue.
If the page has moved to a new URL, make sure to set up the right redirect.
If an old product has been replaced by a newer one, redirect users to the right place.
If there is no replacement for the content, allow it to show a genuine 404/410.
If the link is broken internally, ensure you change the link to the right place.
This will help to ensure a good user experience.
Don’t Redirect All 404 Errors To The Homepage
Whilst it might seem like a good idea to redirect all broken URLs to the homepage, this can cause confusion for users.
If someone clicks to read an article, only to be redirected to the homepage, they will have to search for what they want and may give up on your site.
Google may also class the redirect as a soft 404 if the content isn’t relevant.
Instead, take a simple approach. Only redirect a page if there is something relevant to replace it.
If there is nothing to replace it, it is usually better to get the correct status.
3 Ways To Handle 404 Errors
1. Redirect To Relevant Pages
If there is a clear replacement for the page, you can redirect users and crawlers to the right place.
If you have an old service page that has been moved to another URL, you should redirect it using a 301 redirect.
If there is an old product page, you can redirect it to the new page if it is relevant enough.
If the page is temporarily moved, you may need to use a 302 redirect.
Don’t redirect to unrelated pages just to reduce the amount of errors you have in Search Console.
2. Allow Permanently Removed Pages To Show A 404/410
If there is no replacement for the content, you usually won’t need to redirect.
A 404 means the page couldn’t be found. A 410 means the resource is gone and is generally meant for content that has been permanently removed.
For example, if you have an old product that doesn’t exist anymore and there isn’t anything relevant to replace it, you can leave it as a broken page.
Search engines will understand the response and update their indexes. There is no need to keep every URL up.
3. Set Up A Custom 404 Page
Even though you have sorted the issue from a technical point of view, you will need to help users navigate around.
Setting up a custom 404 page can help.
Include;
A clear message saying the page cannot be found,
A link to the homepage,
A search box,
Links to your most popular products/services/categories,
Suggested articles,
Contact details for businesses with customer support.
Try to help users find an alternative.
Will 404 Errors Use Up Crawl Budget?
Many people think that having many 404 errors will cause Google to run out of crawl budget.
Generally speaking, they won’t. Google understand that there will be some broken URLs on your site. However, if you are getting regular server errors, this will cause issues.
404 Errors Vs Server Errors
Error | Description | SEO Priority
-----|-----------|-------------
404 | Page Not Found | Look at the importance of the page and how it affects users.
410 | Gone | Usually best for intentional removal.
301 | Permanent | Use if there is a permanent change to the URL and it is relevant.
302 | Temporary | Use if there is a temporary change to the URL and it is relevant.
500 | Internal Server Error | Look into any ongoing issues.
429 | Too Many Requests | Look into any issues.
Getting regular 5xx errors can cause Google to reduce crawling as the server may struggle to cope with requests. Getting 429 errors can also cause Google to slow down requests.
Having ongoing server issues is often more important than worrying about regular 404 errors.
How To Find & Look At 404 Errors In Google Search Console
Google Search Console will give you some useful information about the URLs Google has tried to crawl.
Log into Google Search Console,
Click on the relevant website,
Go into the Page Indexing report,
Look at the URLs that are showing as not found,
Check if the pages were intentionally removed,
Look for any broken internal links or outdated URLs,
Fix important pages or redirect to relevant pages,
Keep an eye on the report to see if any issues have been fixed.
Focus on URLs that have organic traffic, good backlinks or are linked from important areas.
If you have many outdated URLs but they are showing the correct status code and aren’t affecting users, it won’t be an issue.
Tips To Avoid Unnecessary 404 Issues
Whilst you will have some broken URLs, there are ways to reduce the amount of avoidable errors.
Make sure you check any internal links after you have redesigned/upgraded your site.
Update any links to important URLs.
Redirect permanently moved pages.
Don’t redirect unrelated pages to the homepage.
Check any high value backlinks to broken content.
Have a helpful custom 404 page.
Keep an eye on any ongoing server errors.
Remove any outdated internal links to deleted content.
Test important landing pages after you have migrated your site.
This will help keep a good navigation, and keep your site working reliably.
Final Thoughts
404 errors won’t necessarily harm your SEO. They are a normal occurrence when you have changed your site, removed content and broken links. Google will understand genuine 404/410 errors.
The best way to deal with them is by identifying which pages actually matter. Redirect pages if there is something relevant to replace them. Leave permanently removed pages as broken. Provide users with a helpful navigation.
Also keep an eye out for any ongoing server errors and too many request limits.
Overall, a successful SEO strategy isn’t about having no 404 errors. It is about keeping your site working reliably, providing relevant content and helping users find what they need.
