A 404 error (Not Found) is a status code (signal) returned by the server when the user requests the URL you want to display. 404 means an error, so you will see a 404 error page when the URL does not exist or when viewing a deleted URL.
When browsing a website, do you ever come across a page with a "404 Not Found" or "The page you were looking for could not be found" message? This page is called a 404 error page (404 Not Found).
This time, I would like to introduce a wide range of 404 error pages, including the causes, effects on SEO, and countermeasures, so that you can know everything about 404 error pages!
Table of Contents
- 1 What is a 404 error page
- 1.1What are HTTP status codes?
- 1.2What is the HTTP status code '404' returned on a 404 error?
- 1.3Why do you need a 404 page
- 2 4 Main Causes of 404 Errors
- 2.1Cause: When the page is being deleted
- 2.2Cause: When the spelling of the URL entered in the address bar is incorrect
- 2.3Cause: When a broken link occurs
- 2.4Cause: Improper redirect settings
- 3 Solve the inconvenience of 404 error pages with your design
- 3.1404 error page default wording
- 4 The relationship between 404 errors and SEO
- 4.1Low rated 404 error page
- 4.2Medium rated 404 error page
- 4.3Highly rated 404 error page
- 5 Required content for the original (custom) 404 error page
- 5.1Clearly tell users that the page they visited was not found
- 5.2Match the design with your site
- 5.3Link to top page
- 5.4Installation of site map and in-site search
- 5.5Links to recommended content
- 5.6Summary of required items for original (custom) 404 error page
- 6 List of 404 error pages for design reference
- 6.1 HOMES
- 6.2 LIG
- 6.3 Facebook
- 6.4Suntory
- 7 How to set up a 404 error page
- 7.1use .htaccess
- 7.2Setting on the management screen of the rental server
- 7.3Setting in WordPress
- 8 How to deal with 404 errors. What should I do if the site is monitored and increased?
- 9 Error page setting notes
- 10 404 Error (Not Found) Frequently Asked Questions
- 10.1What is 404 in 404 error?
- 10.2Do 404 Errors Affect Your Search Rankings (SEO)?
- 10.3How do 404 errors affect your site?
- 10.4What kind of 404 error page would you like?
- 10.5What is a Soft 404?
- 11 summary
1) What is a 404 error page
A 404 error page is an error page with no content on a web page displayed from a browser such as Chrome. It typically appears when you try to view the URL of a deleted page or the URL is misspelled. The '404' in a 404 error indicates one of the HTTP status codes. As such, the 404 error is sometimes known as "HTTP status code 404".
Let's see what HTTP status codes there are, including 404.
What are HTTP status codes?
The HTTP status code is a three-digit number that indicates the response (response) from the web server to the request from the client (web browser). When there is a request for the URL you want to display, the server returns to the browser with an HTTP status code whether the URL exists.
The HTTP status codes returned from the server to the browser are broadly divided into 100s, 200s, 300s, 400s, and 500s.
| 100 series | Processing continues for the request |
|---|---|
| 200 series | Request successfully received and completed |
| 300 series | A state that requires additional processing, such as a redirect or transition, to fulfill the request. |
| 400 series | Request cannot be processed correctly |
| 500 series | There is a problem with the server and it is an error |
Furthermore, the three-digit number of the HTTP status code is divided into various numbers such as 200, 301, 302, and 503. For example, 200 means normal (the page was displayed without problems), 301, 302 means redirect (you're not here, you moved). In addition, 400 means that there is an error in the request content and that it is being handled illegally, 500 means that there is a problem in the server and it cannot respond normally, and the page cannot be viewed.
What is the HTTP status code '404' returned on a 404 error?
HTTP status codes can vary in content, and can either be a client-side problem or a server-side problem. One of the many HTTP status codes is 404.
404 (404 Not Found) is the HTTP status code returned when the web server cannot find the page the client is requesting. The web server is saying "I searched for the page you want to see, but I couldn't find it. Is the URL of the page wrong?"
A 404 error page is displayed to tell you that the page was not found.
Why do you need a 404 page
Having a 404 page lets users know about the error. And the 404 page can prompt the next action by telling the user the necessary message. Below is the 404 page mentioned by Google.
A user may try to access a page that does not exist on your site by clicking an invalid link or entering an incorrect URL. Having a friendly custom 404 page that directs users to live pages on your site can greatly improve their usability. It's a good idea to display a link back to the root page on your 404 page, as well as links to popular or related content on your site.
Quote: From " SEO Starter Guide: Basics | Google Search Central | Google Developers "
As mentioned above, it is possible to make a device on the 404 page to improve the convenience of the user who accessed it.
4 Main Causes of 404 Errors
So why do we get 404 errors? There are four main possible causes:
- when the page is deleted
- When the spelling of the URL entered in the address bar is incorrect
- When a Broken Link Occurs
- Improper redirect settings
Each case will be explained in detail below.
Cause: When the page is being deleted
Even though the original page has been deleted, if you access it without knowing it, you will get a 404 error. I can't find it because the page itself is gone.
Cause: When the spelling of the URL entered in the address bar is incorrect
When you manually type a URL into the address bar, you may misspell the URL or make a mistake. If so, you're trying to display a URL (location) that doesn't exist in the first place, so it can't be displayed.
Cause: When a broken link occurs
A link that does not lead to a linked page is called a broken link. There are two types of broken links:
The first is a pattern in which the linked page has been deleted. It often happens that the page existed when the link was added, but the page disappeared without notice. You'll need to either stick to the URL of the new page or remove the link itself.
The second is a pattern in which the URL of the installed link was wrong. If the link URL is wrong and links to a page that doesn't exist, it affects everyone who follows the link. When setting up a link, make sure there are no problems with the link destination.
Cause: Improper redirect settings
If the page is deleted or the URL is changed by changing the domain, set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new URL so that the user can automatically reach the new URL.
If there is a problem with this redirect setting, you will not be able to access the new URL, resulting in a 404 error. When setting redirects, be sure to check that they are redirected correctly.
Solve the inconvenience of 404 error pages with your design
If you leave the 404 error page as is, you'll see the web server's default page telling you "page not found". Depending on the rental server, a page prepared by the rental server may be displayed.
Web server's default 404 error page
This 404 error page can be changed to a page that you create yourself. That's the original (custom) 404 error page.
Customizing your 404 error page has the following benefits:
- Make your site more convenient
- prevent site abandonment
- Make your site unique
The 404 error phenomenon is that "a 404 error occurred = the page the user wanted to see could not be seen".
In other words, when a user arrives at a 404 error page, what they need is how to see the page they want to see, and if the page they want to see does not exist, is there an alternative page? It's part of the solution.
Without this element, users will unfortunately leave the site. Maybe the site itself is gone and you may never visit again.
Conversely, if the 404 error page you visit becomes useful and attractive, your users may visit your site more than ever before. So what you need is an original (custom) 404 error page.
404 error page default wording
If you do not create an original design for the 404 error, the wording and content set on the server will be displayed. A representative phrase is as follows.
Default wording example of 404 error page set on the server
- the requested url was not found on this server.
- http status 404 - not found.
- The requested url was not found on this server
- The origin server did not find a current representation of the target resource or does not intend to disclose that it exists.
- http status 404 – not found
The relationship between 404 errors and SEO
What impact do 404 errors have on SEO? I think it's a matter of concern.
It is generally said that the existence of 404 errors has no impact on SEO. In the past, Google has commented on the official blog as follows.
If some of your site's URLs no longer exist or are returning 404s, it won't affect how your site's other URLs (those returning 200 (Successful)) rank in search results.
Reference: Official Google Webmaster Central Blog [EN]: Do 404s Hurt Your Site?
404 errors are a normal occurrence.
Regardless of your own site, broken links from external sites cannot be completely dealt with. Therefore, the presence of a 404 error by itself will not affect your search rankings.
But this is a story about "the existence of a 404 error". A 404 error doesn't mean you have to do nothing.
The reason is Google's "Search Quality Rating Guidelines". Google uses third-party evaluations to determine whether Google is displaying high-quality search results, and uses those evaluations to improve its performance.
It is the search quality evaluation guidelines that Google provides to third parties when they are evaluated. In other words, this guideline allows you to see which sites are highly rated by Google and which sites are to be rated low.
(Since the full text is in English, the description of the 404 error page is summarized below.)
According to these guidelines, the item on page 59 is about 404 error pages.
Item 10.2 Ratings for Pages with Error Messages or No MC on page 59
Google gives a low, medium, or high rating depending on the content of the 404 error page.
Low rated 404 error page
A page full of ads, no error messages, and no attempt to help the user. In other words, a page whose purpose is to show advertisements.
Medium rated 404 error page
It is a page that only tells the minimum that there is an error. In other words, there is no information to help the user beyond that.
Highly rated 404 error page
- You have high-quality main content that satisfies you.
- You have useful content that makes the user experience better.
- A page that not only tells you that you're getting an error, but also explains the problem, has a search box, and helps you afterward.
In summary, the major criteria for judging are “whether the user is helping the user” and “whether the creator has spent time and effort on the error page”. In other words, creating an original 404 error page that is useful for users is more important for SEO than improving the 404 error itself.
Also, creating an original 404 error page may be related to SEO other than the evaluation described in the guidelines. That is the impact on search engine crawlers.
Search engine crawlers, like users, are crawling around your site and may end up on a 404 error page.
If you don't create a 404 error page, the default 404 error page will just say "404 Not Found" and you won't be able to navigate from there. As a result, the crawler will not be able to roam the site any further.
If the crawler keeps getting stuck in dead ends, it may never reach the page with the important content you really want the crawler to see. In order to have the site evaluated correctly, it is also important to create an original (custom) 404 error page and be conscious of increasing the crawler's migration rate.
Required content for the original (custom) 404 error page
What specific content should I put in to make my original (custom) 404 error page useful to my users?
Based on various 404 error pages and the content of Google's quality evaluation guidelines, I tried to identify the necessary content.
- An error message that clearly tells the user that the page they visited could not be found
- Design that matches the main site
- Link to top page
- Site search and site map installation
- Links to recommended content
Now, let's take a look at what kind of page design is good, using Digi Lab as an example.
Clearly tell users that the page they visited was not found
If you don't say "page not found", users will have no idea why they landed on this page. Therefore, be sure to include an error message such as the red box "404 Page not found!".
Match the design with your site
When transitioning from a site to a 404 error page, if the user arrives at a page with a completely different design, the user will be confused as if they have opened the wrong site. Match the header, footer, global navigation, etc. with your site design to show that the user is still on the site.
Link to top page
Set up a link to the top page such as global navigation, breadcrumbs, and "back to the top page" so that users who cannot find the page they were looking for can easily find the site again.
Installation of site map and in-site search
If the scale of the site is large, it may take time to search for pages from the top page.
It is a good idea to set up a sitemap to make it easier for users to find the content they are looking for.
You can immediately transition to the page of the category you are looking for.
Furthermore, if you can search within the site on that page, you can save the trouble of searching and improve usability.
Links to recommended content
One of the reasons for a 404 error page is that the page the user was trying to view no longer exists. Maybe the content that the user was originally looking for doesn't exist on the site.
Link to your most viewed pages, recommended content, and recently posted articles to encourage people to explore your site.
Summary of required items for original (custom) 404 error page
The following contents are set by summarizing the examples of Digiken introduced in each item.
First, the error message clearly conveys to the user that the page they visited could not be found, in large letters, "404 Page not found!".
Also, the design matches the site and expresses that the user is still on the same site.
In addition, "link to top page", "site search", and "recommended content" are set so that users can visit other pages within the site.
How to set up a 404 error page
How can I set up the 404 error page created with the original design to show it to the user? Since there are several steps, I will introduce the main ones.
use .htaccess
For example, set the file name of the original 404 error page as 404.html and place it directly under the top.
And add the following description to .htaccess. .htaccess can be created by writing in a text editor and saving the file with the name ".txt" to ".htaccess".
Now you can display 404.html when you return status code 404.
However, be careful with the path you specify here. Be sure to use a relative path such as "/404.html" for the path you write. If you specify a URL starting with "https://~", "404.html" will be displayed with HTTP status code 200 instead of 404 (Not Found).
This will be the "soft 404" I explained earlier. It looks the same to the user, but since search engine crawlers use the HTTP status code to determine the state of the site, "404.html" may appear in search results.
ErrorDocument 404 /404.html
ErrorDocument 404 https://www.example.com/404.htmlAlways check the status code after setting up your 404 page, as it can confuse search engines.
How to check the status code
There are several free tools available on the web that allow you to check the status code of each page.
For example, this "HTTP Status Code Checker".
If you enter a non-existent URL in this form and click the "Check status" button, the status code will be displayed. Please use it when checking whether the error page is properly 404.
Setting on the management screen of the rental server
You can also set the 404 error page on the management screen (control panel) of the rental server.
This time, I will explain how to set up a shared server for name.com as an example.
Open the management screen (control panel) and click the menu "Error Pages".
Select the domain to set
You can set the page to display for each status code.
Since this time the status code is set to 404, enter the target URL in the "404" item, confirm and complete the setting.
Setting in WordPress
Recently, I think that there are many cases where not only individuals but also companies use WordPress to create sites, so I will also introduce how to set it up in WordPress.
In WordPress, 404 error page can be set by creating 404.php. 404.php is not included in the default theme. If the page does not exist or if the page has expired, index.php is set to be displayed preferentially.
By creating 404.php, WordPress will prefer to display 404.php instead of index.php if the page does not exist. In addition, since 404.php is included depending on the theme, let's check if there are any problems with the design and elements, and correct them if necessary.
How to deal with 404 errors. What should I do if the site is monitored and increased?
Unintended 404 errors by the publisher should not occur. So how can we notice it? As one of the ways to deal with the error, I will introduce the Google Search Console that can be used for free. In Google Search Console, you can check URLs with 404 errors detected when Google's crawler crawls.
In Search Console, you can check in the following ways.
Index > Coverage > Details (Submitted URL was not found (404))
As mentioned above, having a high number or number of 404 errors on your site will not hurt your SEO ranking.
The reason why Google displays error content on Search Console is to alert you to whether a page that is important to your site has unintentionally become a 404 error or whether there is a setting mistake.
The page that the crawler has followed is the page that the user can also follow. The user may have landed on a 404 page. Use it to check if you have mistyped the linked URL or if there are any URLs with incorrect redirect settings.
In addition, you can request Google to verify the change by correcting the URL displayed as a 404 error and clicking "Validate Correction". A problem is considered "fixed" when all problematic pages are fixed.
If the 404 error was for a page that was really deleted and doesn't exist, that's perfectly fine.
Also, non-existent pages can be crawled forever, Google's John Mueller replied as follows.
Google does crawl old 404 pages—sometimes.
You don't have to worry about that per se.
However, if the page returned a 500 series error, it would be a problem. because it reduces crawling. Also, if a page that should be indexed is returning a 404 to Googlebot, that's also a problem.
GoogleBot will semi-permanently crawl to the URL once found. The frequency of crawling may decrease in some cases, but even if the URL is 404 or 410, it is crawled because the previous content may be revived or changed to another content. is.
In other words, even if there are URLs that continue to appear in crawl errors on Search Console, as long as they are 404, there is no problem at all.
Error page setting notes
Finally, let's pay attention to the settings that should not be done on the 404 error page.
It's a technical story, but it's a point you want to hold down.
Methods to avoid:
- Help search engines index 404 pages (set up your web server to return a 404 HTTP status code; for JavaScript-based sites, in case a non-existent page is requested) include the noindex tag).
- Block crawling of 404 pages through robots.txt files.
- Show only vague messages such as "not found" or "404". Or the 404 page does not exist.
- Use a design on your 404 page that is inconsistent with the rest of your site.
Quote: From " Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide "
First of all, the 404 error page is not a page that needs an index, so it's a good idea to set it to noindex.
404 error pages have no impact on SEO. But if you set up an error page, but it's actually a "soft 404", which is a 200 instead of a 404 HTTP status code, you're indexing a page you don't want search engines to index.
Also, 404 error pages should be configured to be crawlable and robots.txt does not need to prevent crawling. If you do not have any special settings, there is no problem, but let's recognize that the 404 error page should be crawlable.
After that, as we have already mentioned, create a 404 error page that is consistent with the design of your site, and set up the wording so that users do not get confused when they see the 404 error page.
404 Error (Not Found) Frequently Asked Questions
What is 404 in 404 error?
404 is one of the HTTP status code numbers. HTTP status code returned when the web server cannot find the page requested by the client .
Do 404 Errors Affect Your Search Rankings (SEO)?
Since it is natural for site operation to generate 404 error pages, it is said that there is no impact on search rankings. Search engines prefer to emit a 404 HTTP status code when a page is deleted or not found.
How do 404 errors affect your site?
Basically, there is no impact on the site. However, if the page that returned the 404 error is an important page for the site, the publisher should check why the 404 page is being generated. It also has no impact on search engines. However, since it affects usability, it is desirable to fix it.
What kind of 404 error page would you like?
The default 404 error pages on web servers and rental servers are not user friendly. To make your original (custom) 404 error page useful to your users, it is important to include the following items in your 404 error page:
- An error message that clearly tells the user that the page they visited could not be found
- Design that matches the main site
- Link to top page
- Site search and site map installation
- Links to recommended content
What is a Soft 404?
A soft 404 is an error that returns an HTTP status code of 200, even though it displays a page such as "404 Not Found" or "Page Not Found".
Pages with little or no content, blank pages, etc. can also be soft 404s .
Soft 404 errors are not recommended
Returning an HTTP status code of 200 when the page does not exist is inappropriate. HTTP status code 200 tells search engines that a page exists at that URL. As a result, a soft 404 will result in empty pages appearing in search results, and search engines will continue to crawl pages that they don't really need.
summary
404 errors have very little impact on SEO and very high impact on usability.
As with any other page, make your 404 error page useful content for your users. We hope that the information presented here will help you set up a proper 404 error page.
In addition, the important items that should be corrected in SEO are summarized below, so please refer to them.
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