Understanding and fixing these errors is a fundamental part of website maintenance. It ensures visitors can find what they’re looking for, search engines can properly crawl and index your site, and your online presence remains professional and reliable. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from identifying the causes of 404 errors to implementing actionable solutions and preventing them in the future.

Key Takeaways

  • What a 404 Error Is: A 404 Not Found error is an HTTP status code indicating that the server was found, but the specific page requested could not be located. This is usually due to a broken or dead link.
  • Why Fixing 404s is Crucial: These errors lead to a poor user experience, increase bounce rates, can cause you to lose valuable link equity from backlinks, and waste your site’s crawl budget with search engines.
  • How to Find 404 Errors: The most effective methods for finding 404 errors are using free tools like Google Search Console, dedicated website crawlers (e.g., Screaming Frog), and WordPress plugins like Redirection.
  • The Primary Solution is Redirection: The most common and effective way to fix a 404 error is to implement a 301 redirect, which permanently sends users and search engines from the old, broken URL to a new, relevant, live page.
  • Custom 404 Pages are Essential: While you should fix the underlying error, having a well-designed custom 404 page is critical for user experience. It can help guide lost visitors back to relevant content, reinforcing your brand and reducing frustration. The Elementor Theme Builder makes creating these pages simple without any code.
  • Prevention is the Best Strategy: Proactive measures, such as establishing a redirect plan before deleting content and regularly running site audits, are the best way to keep 404 errors to a minimum.

What is a 404 Not Found Error?

At its core, a 404 Not Found error is a standard HTTP response code. When you type a URL into your browser, your computer sends a request to the server where the website is hosted. The server then responds with a code. If everything is working correctly, it sends a “200 OK” code, and the page loads. However, if the server can’t find the specific file or page requested at that URL, it sends back a “404 Not Found” code instead.

Think of it like trying to call someone. If you dial a number that doesn’t exist, you get a message saying the number is not in service. The phone line (the server) works, but the specific number (the page) you’re trying to reach is invalid. The 404 error is the web’s version of that “not in service” message.

Common Causes of 404 Errors

These errors don’t just happen randomly. They are almost always the result of a specific issue. Understanding the common causes is the first step toward fixing them.

  • Content Deletion or Relocation: The most frequent cause is simply that a page or post was deleted. It’s also common for a page’s URL (also known as a slug or permalink) to be changed without setting up a redirect. If a user tries to access the old URL, they’ll hit a 404.
  • Typographical Errors (Typos): A simple typo in the URL is a very common culprit. This can happen when a user manually types the address, but more critically, it can occur when you or another website creates a link. A single misplaced character in an internal or external link will lead to a 404.
  • Incorrect Permalinks Structure in WordPress: WordPress uses a permalinks setting to structure your URLs. If this structure is changed or becomes corrupted, it can cause all the posts and pages on your site to return 404 errors. This is a common issue after a site migration or a plugin update.
  • Faulty .htaccess File: For websites hosted on Apache servers, the .htaccess file is a powerful configuration file that controls how URLs are handled. An incorrect rule or a syntax error in this file can easily cause widespread 404 errors across your site.
  • Plugin or Theme Conflicts: Sometimes, a poorly coded plugin or theme can interfere with WordPress’s URL generation, leading to unexpected 404 errors, particularly with custom post types or taxonomies.
  • Delayed DNS Propagation: When you move your website to a new host or change your domain’s DNS settings, it can take time for these changes to update across the internet. During this propagation period, some users might be directed to the old server, which no longer has the site files, resulting in 404s.

Why You Should Fix 404 Errors Immediately

It can be tempting to ignore 404 errors, especially if they only affect a few pages. However, leaving them unresolved can have significant negative consequences for your website and your business.

1. Poor User Experience and Increased Bounce Rate

The most immediate impact of a 404 error is on your visitors. When a user clicks a link expecting to find specific information and instead lands on a “Not Found” page, it creates frustration and confusion. This negative experience often leads them to abandon your site and look elsewhere. This action, known as a “bounce,” signals to search engines that your site didn’t satisfy the user’s intent. A high bounce rate can be a negative ranking factor.

2. Damage to Brand Credibility and Trust

A website riddled with broken links appears neglected and unprofessional. It gives the impression that you don’t care about your site’s maintenance or the user’s experience. As web creation expert Itamar Haim notes, “A seamless user journey is the bedrock of digital trust. Every 404 error is a crack in that foundation, telling the user that your site is unreliable. Consistently fixing these errors isn’t just technical maintenance; it’s an act of brand stewardship.” A clean, functional website builds credibility and encourages visitors to trust your brand and your content.

3. Loss of Sales and Conversions

For an ecommerce or lead generation website, every broken link is a potential lost sale. If a user clicks a link to a product page from a marketing email or a social media post and hits a 404, that sale is almost certainly lost. They are unlikely to search your site for the product; they’ll simply go to a competitor. Similarly, if a link to your contact or service page is broken, you lose out on valuable leads.

4. Negative SEO Impact

While a single 404 error won’t destroy your site’s rankings, widespread or persistent errors can cause significant SEO problems. Here’s how:

  • Wasted Crawl Budget: Search engines like Google allocate a “crawl budget” to each website, which is the number of pages they will crawl in a given period. If the Googlebot repeatedly encounters 404 errors, it’s wasting that budget on dead ends instead of discovering and indexing your important, live content.
  • Loss of Link Equity (PageRank): Backlinks are a crucial ranking factor. If you have a page with valuable backlinks from other websites and you delete it or change its URL without a redirect, all the authority or “link equity” passed by those links is lost. It flows into a dead page instead of being passed to another relevant page on your site.
  • Poor Signals from User Behavior: As mentioned, 404s lead to high bounce rates. Search engines interpret this user behavior as a sign of a low-quality or unhelpful page, which can negatively influence your rankings over time.

How to Find 404 Errors on Your Website

You can’t fix errors you don’t know exist. Fortunately, there are several excellent methods for finding broken links on your site, ranging from free tools provided by Google to powerful third-party software.

Method 1: Google Search Console (Recommended)

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free service from Google that is an essential tool for any website owner. It provides invaluable data on how your site performs in Google Search, and one of its most useful features is its error reporting.

How to Find 404s in GSC:

  1. Set Up and Verify Your Site: If you haven’t already, you need to add your website to Google Search Console and verify your ownership.
  2. Navigate to the ‘Pages’ Report: In the left-hand menu, go to the Indexing section and click on Pages.
  3. Find the ‘Not found (404)’ Section: Scroll down the page to the section detailing why pages aren’t indexed. You will see a row labeled “Not found (404)”. Click on this row.
  4. View the List of Affected URLs: GSC will now show you a list of all the URLs on your site that Google has crawled and found to be returning a 404 error. This list is your starting point for fixing the issues.

The beauty of using GSC is that it shows you the errors that Google itself is seeing, which are the most critical ones to fix for SEO purposes.

Method 2: Using Website Crawling Tools

For a more immediate and in-depth analysis, you can use a website crawler. These are software applications that systematically browse your website, following every link just like a search engine bot would.

  • Screaming Frog SEO Spider: This is a powerful desktop application (available for Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu) that is the industry standard for technical SEO audits. Its free version allows you to crawl up to 500 URLs, which is often enough for smaller websites. When the crawl is complete, you can filter the results by “Client Error (4xx)” to see a list of all your broken links and, importantly, which pages on your site are linking to them.
  • Ahrefs Site Audit: Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO toolkit that includes a powerful Site Audit tool. It crawls your entire website and provides a detailed report on various technical issues, including broken links (404 errors). It categorizes them by priority and provides actionable advice.
  • Semrush Site Audit: Similar to Ahrefs, Semrush offers a robust Site Audit feature that will identify 404 errors and other technical SEO problems. It provides a detailed health score for your site and a prioritized list of issues to fix.

Method 3: WordPress Plugins

If you’re using WordPress, several plugins can help you monitor for 404 errors directly from your dashboard.

  • Redirection: This is one of the most popular and powerful plugins for managing redirects. In addition to helping you fix 404s, it also has a feature that logs every 404 error that occurs on your site. This allows you to see which broken URLs visitors are trying to access in real-time. You can then address them directly from the plugin’s interface.
  • Rank Math SEO: This all-in-one SEO plugin includes a built-in 404 Monitor. It automatically logs 404 errors, allowing you to easily review and redirect them from one central location within your WordPress admin area.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing 404 Errors

Once you have a list of broken URLs, it’s time to fix them. The appropriate fix depends on the cause of the error. The goal is always to provide the user and the search engine with a seamless experience by leading them to a relevant, working page.

Solution 1: The Most Common Fix: Setting Up 301 Redirects

In the vast majority of cases, the best way to fix a 404 error is with a 301 redirect. This is especially true if the broken URL has backlinks pointing to it or receives traffic.

What is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from one URL to another. It tells browsers and search engines that the page has moved permanently. This is important for two reasons:

  1. User Experience: Visitors who click on the old link are automatically taken to the new, correct page without seeing an error.
  2. SEO: A 301 redirect passes most (90-99%) of the link equity from the old URL to the new URL. This means you don’t lose the SEO value from any backlinks pointing to the old page.

You should always redirect a broken URL to the most relevant possible alternative. For example, if a specific product page is broken, redirect it to the new product page or, if that doesn’t exist, to the relevant product category page. Do not redirect all your 404s to the homepage, as this is considered a “soft 404” by Google and provides a poor user experience.

How to Set Up Redirects in WordPress Using a Plugin

For most WordPress users, using a plugin is the easiest and safest way to manage redirects. The Redirection plugin is an excellent free choice.

  1. Install and Activate: From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New, search for “Redirection,” and install and activate it.
  2. Go Through the Setup Wizard: The plugin has a simple setup wizard that will configure it for your site. It’s recommended to enable the options to monitor permalink changes and log all redirects and 404 errors.
  3. Add a New Redirect: Navigate to Tools > Redirection.
    • In the Source URL field, enter the broken URL (the part after your domain name, e.g., /old-blog-post/).
    • In the Target URL field, enter the full URL of the new, live page you want to redirect to (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/new-blog-post/).
    • Click “Add Redirect”.

The plugin will now handle the redirect automatically.

How to Set Up Redirects via .htaccess (for Apache Servers)

If you’re more technically inclined or not using WordPress, you can add redirects directly to your site’s .htaccess file. This file is located in the root directory of your website.

Warning: The .htaccess file is very powerful. A small syntax error can take your entire site down. Always make a backup of the file before editing it.

  1. Access your .htaccess file: Use an FTP client or your hosting provider’s File Manager.

Add the redirect rule: Add the following line of code to the file, typically at the top.
Redirect 301 /old-page.html [https://www.yourdomain.com/new-page.html](https://www.yourdomain.com/new-page.html)

    • Replace /old-page.html with the path of the broken URL.
    • Replace https://www.yourdomain.com/new-page.html with the full URL of the new page.
  2. Save and Upload: Save the file and upload it back to your server. Test the old URL to ensure it redirects correctly.

How to Set Up Redirects for Nginx Servers

If your website runs on an Nginx server (common with high-performance hosts like Elementor Hosting), you won’t have a .htaccess file. Instead, you’ll need to add redirect rules to your server’s configuration file.

The syntax is slightly different:

location /old-page.html {

    return 301 [https://www.yourdomain.com/new-page.html](https://www.yourdomain.com/new-page.html);

}

You would typically add this within the server block of your Nginx configuration file. If you’re on managed hosting, you may need to ask your hosting support to add this rule for you.

Solution 2: Correcting Internal Links

Sometimes, a 404 is simply caused by a typo in an internal link on your own site. In this case, a redirect isn’t the best solution. The best fix is to find the page that contains the broken link and edit it to point to the correct URL.

Website crawlers like Screaming Frog are invaluable for this, as they will tell you exactly which pages contain the broken links, making them easy to find and fix.

Solution 3: Restoring Deleted Content

If you discover that a page was deleted by mistake and the content is still valuable, the best solution might be to restore it. If you have backups, you can restore the page to its original URL. This instantly fixes the 404 error without the need for a redirect.

Solution 4: Fixing Permalinks in WordPress

If you notice that all or most of your blog posts are returning 404 errors, the problem is likely with your permalink settings. Fortunately, this is usually a very easy fix in WordPress.

  1. Go to Permalink Settings: In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Settings > Permalinks.
  2. No Changes Needed: You don’t actually need to change any of the settings.
  3. Click “Save Changes”: Simply click the “Save Changes” button at the bottom of the page.

This action forces WordPress to flush its rewrite rules and regenerate your .htaccess file with the correct structure. In many cases, this will immediately resolve widespread 404 errors.

Solution 5: Creating a Custom 404 Page

Even with the best maintenance, 404 errors will occasionally happen. A user might mistype a URL, or an external site might link to you incorrectly. While you should always fix the underlying cause when you can, it’s crucial to have a helpful and well-designed 404 page to catch users who fall through the cracks.

A default 404 page is often ugly and unhelpful. A custom 404 page is a huge opportunity to improve user experience and guide visitors back on track.

What Makes a Good Custom 404 Page?

  • Clear Messaging: Acknowledge that the page they’re looking for can’t be found, using friendly and human language. Avoid technical jargon.
  • Brand Consistency: The page should look and feel like the rest of your website, with your logo, colors, and overall design.
  • A Search Bar: This is the most important feature. It allows users to search for what they were originally looking for.
  • Helpful Links: Provide links to your homepage, your blog, your most popular posts or products, and your contact page.
  • A Touch of Creativity: A little humor or a creative design can turn a frustrating experience into a memorable and positive one.

How to Create a Custom 404 Page with the Elementor Theme Builder

Building a custom 404 page used to require coding skills. However, with tools like Elementor, you can design a beautiful and functional 404 page visually using a drag-and-drop interface.

  1. Have Elementor Pro: The Theme Builder is a feature of Elementor Pro.
  2. Navigate to the Theme Builder: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Templates > Theme Builder.
  3. Create a New ‘Error 404’ Template: Click on the “Error 404” tab and then “Add New. Give your template a name.
  4. Design Your Page: You can start with a pre-designed template from the Elementor Library or build your own from scratch. Drag and drop widgets like headings, text, images, a search bar (the “Search Form” widget), and buttons with helpful links.
  5. Set the Display Conditions: When you’re finished designing, click “Publish”. Elementor will ask you to set Display Conditions. The default condition will be “404 Page,” which is exactly what you want. Click “Save & Close”.

Your custom 404 page is now live. Any time a visitor hits a broken link, they will see your new, helpful page instead of the generic server error.

Proactive Strategies to Prevent Future 404 Errors

Fixing 404s is a reactive process. The best long-term strategy is to be proactive and prevent them from happening in the first place.

  • Establish a Redirect Policy: Whenever you plan to delete a page or change a URL, make setting up a 301 redirect part of your workflow. Don’t delete the old content until the redirect is in place and tested.
  • Run Regular Site Audits: Schedule a monthly or quarterly site crawl using a tool like Screaming Frog. This will help you catch broken links before they become a major issue.
  • Use a Broken Link Checker: There are various services and plugins that can periodically check your site for broken links and notify you when they find one.
  • Be Careful When Changing Permalinks: Think carefully before changing your site’s permalink structure, as it will change every URL on your site. If you must do it, have a plan in place to redirect all old URLs to their new versions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Are 404 errors always bad for SEO? A few 404 errors are normal and won’t hurt your site. Google understands that websites change. However, a large number of 404s, especially for important pages that have backlinks, can negatively impact your SEO by wasting crawl budget and losing link equity.

2. What’s the difference between a 404 error and a soft 404? A true 404 error returns a 404 HTTP status code. A “soft 404” is when a page that should be a 404 (because the content doesn’t exist) instead returns a 200 OK status code. This often happens when a site redirects all broken links to the homepage. This is bad practice because it confuses search engines, telling them a non-existent page is actually a real page.

3. How often should I check for 404 errors? For a small to medium-sized website, checking monthly is a good practice. For very large or active sites (like a news site or a large ecommerce store), checking weekly might be necessary.

4. Is it okay to just let a 404 error happen if the page is truly gone and has no replacement? If a page is gone, has no relevant replacement, receives no traffic, and has no valuable backlinks, it’s generally fine to let it return a 404. Google will eventually de-index the page. However, it’s always better to redirect if a reasonably relevant alternative exists.

5. I fixed a 404 error, but it’s still showing up in Google Search Console. Why? It can take time for Google to re-crawl the old URL and recognize the fix (whether it’s a redirect or the page is now live). After you’ve fixed the errors, you can go into the GSC report and click the “Validate Fix” button. This prompts Google to prioritize re-crawling these URLs.

6. Can a 404 error be caused by the user’s computer? While rare, client-side issues like an aggressive firewall, internet connectivity problems, or incorrect DNS settings on the user’s end could potentially interfere with their ability to reach a page. However, in over 99% of cases, a 404 error is a server-side issue that the website owner needs to fix.

7. Does a custom 404 page fix the error? No. A custom 404 page does not fix the underlying error. It improves the user experience for when an error occurs. You should still identify the broken URL and fix it with a 301 redirect or by correcting the link. The custom page is a safety net, not the primary solution.

8. Can I use a 302 redirect instead of a 301? You should not use a 302 redirect for a page that has moved permanently. A 302 redirect is a temporary redirect. It tells search engines that the move is not permanent and that they should keep the original URL indexed. This also means it does not pass link equity in the same way a 301 does. For fixing 404s, always use a 301.

9. My entire website is showing a 404 error. What happened? If your entire site is down and showing a 404, it’s a critical server configuration issue. The most common causes are a misconfigured .htaccess file, an issue with DNS pointing to the wrong server, or a problem with your hosting environment. You should contact your hosting provider’s support immediately.

10. Where can I find a good theme for my WordPress site that works well with these fixes? While these fixes work with any theme, using a well-coded and flexible theme is always a good foundation. The free Hello Theme from Elementor is an excellent, lightweight starting point designed for performance and full customization with the Elementor page builder.