404 page

When a searcher follows a nonexistent URL, a 404 page appears. This can happen for a variety of reasons. In this article, I talk about what these reasons are and the impact on SEO.

What is a 404 page?

A 404 page is the page that appears the moment a reference is inimitable. It could be that the page in question no longer exists or that an incorrect link is involved.(1)

A 404 page is an error on the browser side. In brief. A page may not work because of an error on the server side (a 5xx code is this) or an error on the browser side (a 4xx code).

When does a 404 page occur

The first cause of a 404 page is that when you delete a page, it has been removed from the site. However, there are often still links that redirect to the relevant page. If you click a link to that page, the 404 page appears.

A second cause is changing the URL of a page, for example, because the title has been changed. Further, it could be:

• wrong URL entered;
• moved or deleted page;
• the page no longer works.
• problems within the CMS;
• problems with browser cache.

How do I avoid a 404 page?

We give a brief explanation of how to avoid a 404 page. It is important to set up a redirect (an automatic link). There are two types.

1. 301 redirect

When it comes to permanently removing a page, set up a 301 redirect. The 301 redirect includes a permanent redirect. The visitor is redirected to a new page. In addition, the SEO value of the original page is passed on to the new link. With a 301, you are letting Google know that this is the new destination page.

2. 302 redirect

A 302 redirect is a temporary redirect. With a 302 redirect, the SEO value of the original link disappears. The value of the link is not transmitted and may therefore disappear as a result.

3. Setting the correct page

Often it will involve setting up a correct page somewhere. Test this first. You can always set up a redirect (permanent or temporary) to the correct new URL after that.

The impact of a 404 page on SEO

In theory, 404 pages have an impact on a website’s ranking in Google. This does involve one page. If a page generates a 404 code, it means it does not exist. Therefore, Google does not include it during indexing.

404 pages are functional and are a normal part of the Internet. In theory, 404 pages have an impact on rankings, just not on the ranking of the website as a whole.