What is a 404 error? Definition & troubleshooting

In a nutshell: What is a 404 error?

The 404 error is often indicated by the error message: "Sorry, the page was not found." It is displayed when the content requested by the user is not available on a website.

The reason for this is that the stored file with the contents was not found.

What does 404 error mean?

The 404 error is an error code. It indicates that a requested file or page is not available.

If a client (e.g. the Internet browser) makes a request and the content is not available, the HTTP status code is displayed. The 404 error is issued by the server to which the request was sent.

Anyone who primarily uses traditional websites knows the 404 error only too well and encounters it at regular intervals. This happens, for example, when you click on a link that leads to a page without content.

However, the 404 error code is also of great importance for search engines that regularly send their bots on a control tour.

This is because it is a sign that something is wrong on the requested page/URL. This can have a negative effect on the ranking.

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What effect does a 404 error have on search engine optimization?

The fact that link corpses refer to 404 pages and error pages are displayed accordingly occurs on almost every website.

Search engines are well aware of this, which is why operators advise website owners to carry out regular checks.

This is because frequent 404 errors on a page can have a negative impact on the SEO ranking in the long term.

For this reason, it is advisable to carry out checks and appropriate corrections at regular intervals.

In other words, webmasters should search for dead internal and external links that display a 404 error when clicked.

How do you find 404 errors and eliminate them?

It is particularly difficult to identify 404 errors on large websites and portals with several hundred or even thousands of subpages.

Professional tools help to scan the entire website and display faulty links with 404 errors. This includes the Dead Link Checker, for example.

The free Google Search Console tool is also ideal for identifying 404 pages.

If internal 404 errors are found, such error messages should be eliminated quickly. This can be achieved, for example, by redirecting to relevant subpages.

External 404 errors are also a common occurrence. This refers to both incoming and outgoing 404 errors.

Corrections must be made accordingly for outgoing links. Incoming external 404 errors can be corrected by website owners contacting the webmaster of the linking page.

Regularly checking and eliminating 404 errors pays off in the long term. This makes websites attractive and can score points in the ranking.

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