What is 404 Error?


What You Need to Know about 404 Error

Monitor Crawl Errors Regularly

Check Google Search Console frequently to identify 404 errors affecting your site’s crawl budget and user experience.

Fix High-Value Broken Links

Prioritize fixing 404 errors on pages with existing backlinks or high search volume to preserve link equity.

Implement Proper Redirects

Use 301 redirects to guide users and search engines from deleted pages to relevant existing content.

Create Custom 404 Pages

Design helpful 404 pages with navigation options and search functionality to reduce bounce rates and improve user experience.

Audit Internal Links

Regularly scan internal links to prevent 404 errors from outdated references in navigation, content, and sitemaps.

Handle Product Discontinuation Properly

For ecommerce sites, redirect discontinued product pages to relevant categories or similar items to maintain SEO value.


Frequently Asked Questions about 404 Error

1. Do 404 errors hurt SEO rankings?

Yes, especially if they affect important pages with backlinks or create poor user experience signals.

2. How quickly should I fix 404 errors?

Fix high-priority 404s within days, while low-impact errors can be addressed in regular maintenance cycles.

3. Should I use 410 vs 404 for deleted pages?

Use 410 for permanently deleted content you want search engines to remove faster from their index.

4. Can too many 404 errors impact crawl budget?

Yes, excessive 404 errors waste crawl budget as search engines spend time trying to access non-existent pages.


Explore More EcommerCe SEO Topics

Related Terms

URL Slug

A URL slug is the readable text after the domain name that identifies a specific page and helps search engines understand page content.

URL Slug

Taxonomy

Taxonomy organizes site content into hierarchical categories that improve crawlability, user experience, and search visibility through logical structure.

Taxonomy

File Compression

File compression reduces file sizes to speed up page loads, improving Core Web Vitals and search rankings while enhancing user experience.

File compression

Render-Blocking Scripts

Scripts that block initial page rendering, delaying content display and hurting Core Web Vitals performance.

Render-blocking scripts


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