What is a 404 Status Code?

404 status code is initiated when the server isn’t able to find a resource, such as a web page, at a certain URL. In fact, error 404 can even hurt users’ ability to view the content on the website and even navigate the website. 

If you are a website owner, the HTTP 404 code is a big issue that you need to resolve at the earliest. In this blog post, you’ll get to learn about what a 404 status code is, how to check it, and how to fix it. So, let’s begin by first understanding what a 404 status code is and that too in a comprehensive manner. 

What is a 404 Error?

A 404 code not found happens when the origin server doesn’t find the right representation for the expected resource. It can even happen when it doesn’t want to disclose a resource that exists. 

An HTTP status code 404 error doesn’t mean that this inadequate representation is temporary or permanent. Alongside this, a 404 status code can be cached by default, but this doesn’t hold when it is indicated by the cache controls. 

History of 404 Status Code

Once upon a time, during the years between 1981 and 1992, some scientists were working on the development of the World Wide Web at CERN, Switzerland. They were working in an office which was on the fourth floor of the building, and there they created a database whose data was distributed in distinct forms. 

On the fourth floor, the World Wide Web’s central database was located in a room numbered 404. It was used to respond to distinct requests by transferring the files across the web, but they did it in a manual manner. However, they couldn’t respond to each request over the web, as most individuals didn’t input the right data and even sent the wrong file names. 

These issues happened quite a lot, and the scientists wrote a message for those people who had sent the wrong file names with their requests. The message was:

Room 404: file not found.

Common Causes of a 404 Error

Some of the most common reasons for a 404 error are as follows:-

• The page you requested was not found: A 404 code not found happens when you incorrectly write down a website or domain name. The website can’t be accessed on the internet, which can result in your browser showing an error.

• The resource has moved: Web browsers find a page as per the URL structure. That’s why, whenever you move files to a different folder or even remove them from a webpage, the server will send out a 404 HTTP code. 
• A flawed server: If you incorrectly set up the server settings, your website may display an HTTP status code 404 error. That’s more of the reason why an HTTP 404 code page will appear when the server is not able to handle or even load the requested page. 
• Broken links: Visitors who click on a website link will get a page does not exist error when either you have not typed it correctly or have an outdated link. 
• Restrictions related to access: It can happen when a user tries to access a secure resource. In this particular case, the server can even return an error to prevent any unauthorized resource access. 
• Redundant content management system(CMS): A content management system(CMS) that has become redundant can be a reason behind issues such as broken links. It can lead to these 404 page not found errors. 
• Website migration: When you want to redesign or move your website, the old page addresses(URLs) will usually change. In case you don’t redirect them, the links to those old URLs will mostly lead to 404 errors. 
• External links: Let’s say there’s another website that links to your web page, and you delete or even move that page. In that case, the users who will be clicking on that link will find a 404 code, Not Found. That’s more of the reason why it’s crucial to monitor the external links and even set up redirects whenever they are required. 

Can a 404 Status Code Affect SEO?

You need to understand that 404 errors are quite common. In fact, it is one of the most commonly occurring HTTPS errors that you can find on the web. The existence of a few 404 pages won’t affect your website’s overall performance and even rankings. 

Alongside this, the URLs on your website that don’t exist anymore or even return 404 HTTP codes won’t affect how your site’s other URLs function in Google’s search results. 

But it surely can impact your rankings if it is in abundance, especially when the pages that have 404 errors are a crucial part of your website. So, that’s how a 404 error can affect your website’s SEO practices. 

How to Check for 404 Status Codes?

Here’s how you can check for a 404 error on your website:-

• Google Search Console: With the help of this free tool, you can monitor your website’s indexing status. 
• SEO Tools: By leveraging tools such as Semrush, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog, you’ll be able to crawl your whole site and even find out broken links and 404 errors. The best part about these tools is that they also provide detailed reports and analysis. 
• Log File Analysis: You should examine your website’s server log files, which record each request. That’s where you need to look for entries that have a 404 status code. 
• WordPress Plugins: In case you’re using WordPress, plugins such as Broken Link Checker can automatically check your site for broken links and 404 errors.
• Manual Testing: Regularly navigate through your website once you’ve made changes such as deleting or moving pages. It will help a lot in manually identifying any broken links.
• Verify server configuration: You need to ensure that your server is properly configured to return a 404 code for pages that don’t exist. For this purpose, you can distinguish between true 404 errors and soft 404 errors. You can also test this by requesting a non-existent URL on your domain and even check the HTTP status code that is returned. 

How to fix a 404 Status Code?

Tips to fix an HTTP status code 404 are written below:-

• Restore the server logs: You can check the server logs to find out whether there are any errors or issues that can be the reason behind the HTTP 404 code. Furthermore, you can also look for any errors that are associated with the resource that the user wants to access. 
• Check the configuration of the server: This is done so as to ensure that the resource is configured in the right manner. Moreover, you also need to ensure that the resource exists and is mapped perfectly according to the correct location on the server.
• Revise permissions: Don’t forget to check the permissions for the resource to make sure that the visitor can access it. In case the permissions aren’t right, you can update them so as to allow access to the resource. 
• Implement a redirect: In case the resource has been moved or even renamed, you can carry out a redirect to the new location. It will allow the particular individual to find the resource by utilizing the new URL. 
• Execute a custom 404 page: In case the requested resource isn’t found, you can create a custom 404 page to provide helpful information regarding the issue and how to proceed. 
• Revamp links: Let’s say the resource has been moved or even renamed. In that case, you can update any of the links that map the old address to the new one. It will help a lot in preventing future 404 errors for other people who might be accessing the same resource. 

Conclusion

404 status code or page not found errors are quite common, but an important part of managing your website. They happen when the server isn’t able to locate the requested resource. If they aren’t addressed in the right manner, they can not only harm your SEO but also the user experience of your site. So, you need to follow the tips mentioned above to minimize their impact. It includes setting up redirects, finding broken links, updating the sitemaps, and even designing user-focused custom 404 pages. 

By having creative 404 page designs, you will be able to maintain brand consistency and get compounding user engagement. Alongside this, the approach of 404 HTTP code monitoring will help you track and even address the issues in real time. This approach will ensure that these errors are appropriately managed for a greater user experience and robust website performance. 

You need to understand that the goal isn’t to get rid of 404 status codes on your website but to manage them in a much more efficient manner. Instead, the ultimate goal should be to eradicate each and every 404 error and even manage them efficiently to have a great user experience and amazing website performance. It will ensure that your target audience has a great experience while navigating your website.