404 Error

A 404 error is the HTTP status code a server returns when a requested page cannot be found. It usually appears as a “Page not found” message. 404s happen on every website when pages are deleted, URLs change or someone types an address incorrectly.

Written by Paul Hoda, SEO consultant since 2005. Last updated 8 November 2026.

Do 404 errors hurt SEO?

Not by themselves. Google has said many times that 404s are a normal part of the web and do not cause a site-wide penalty. A page that returns 404 is eventually dropped from the index, which is the right outcome for content that no longer exists.

404s become a problem when:

  • Important pages return 404 by mistake, so they disappear from Google.
  • Pages with valuable Backlinks return 404, wasting the authority those links pass.
  • Internal links point to 404 pages, creating a poor experience and wasting Crawling.
  • Large numbers of 404s appear suddenly, often after a Website Migration without redirects.

How to find 404 errors

  • Google Search Console: the Pages report lists “Not found (404)” URLs and where Google found them.
  • SEO crawlers find broken internal links on your site.
  • Backlink tools show external links pointing to broken pages.
  • Analytics can track views of your 404 template to reveal URLs people actually try to visit.

What to do with each 404

  1. Page deleted by mistake? Restore it.
  2. Content moved or has a close replacement? Add a 301 Redirect to the most relevant page.
  3. Page has external links or traffic but no replacement? Consider recreating useful content at that URL, or redirect to the closest relevant category.
  4. Old, irrelevant page with no links or traffic? Leave it as a 404, or return 410 Gone to signal deliberate removal.
  5. Broken internal link? Update the link to the correct URL.
  6. Random URLs from spam or typos? Ignore them.

Avoid redirecting every 404 to the homepage. Google treats irrelevant redirects as soft 404s, and users find them confusing.

Soft 404s

A soft 404 is a page that looks like an error or has almost no content but returns a 200 status code. Search Console reports these separately. Fix them by returning a real 404 or 410, redirecting to a relevant page, or adding meaningful content.

Creating a helpful 404 page

A good custom 404 page keeps visitors on your site. Include:

  • A clear message that the page could not be found.
  • A search box.
  • Links to popular pages, main categories and your homepage.
  • Contact details for further help.
  • Your normal site navigation and design.

Make sure the custom page still returns a genuine 404 status code.

404s as a link building opportunity

Broken pages on other websites can help you earn links. If a site links to a resource that no longer exists, you can suggest your own page as a replacement. This tactic is explained in Broken Link Building.

Key Takeaways

  • 404s are normal and do not cause site-wide penalties.
  • They matter when important pages, linked pages or internal links break.
  • Restore, redirect or leave each 404 depending on its value.
  • Fix soft 404s by returning a real error code or adding content.
  • A helpful custom 404 page keeps visitors on your site.

Related Terms

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