404 Page

A 404 page appears when someone tries to visit a URL that doesn't exist on your website. Maybe they clicked an old link. Maybe they mistyped an address. Maybe you deleted or moved a page without setting up a redirect. Whatever the reason, they landed somewhere with nothing to show.

The "404" is an HTTP status code that means "not found." Every website has them. The difference is whether yours handles them well or loses the visitor entirely.

Why It Matters for Your Business

Every 404 hit is a visitor who wanted something from your site and didn't get it. If your 404 page is the default server error (a white page with "Not Found" in plain text), most people will leave immediately. That's a lost customer.

A well-designed 404 page keeps people on your site. It acknowledges the error, offers helpful links, and gives them a reason to stay. Some studies show that a good 404 page can recover up to 50% of visitors who would otherwise bounce.

It also matters for SEO. If Google finds a lot of broken links pointing to 404 pages on your site, it can hurt your crawl efficiency. While 404s themselves aren't a ranking penalty, the lost link equity from broken URLs adds up over time.

The Basics

Customize your 404 page. Never use the default server error page. Design a 404 page that matches your site's look and feel. Include your logo, navigation, and a friendly message that tells people what happened.

Include helpful links. Add links to your homepage, popular pages, or a search bar. Give visitors somewhere to go. The goal is to turn a dead end into a detour.

Keep the tone friendly. "Oops, this page doesn't exist" works better than "Error 404: Resource not found." You made a website for humans, not machines.

Monitor your 404s. Google Search Console shows you which URLs are returning 404 errors. Check this regularly. If an important page is 404ing, set up a redirect to the right URL. If external sites link to a deleted page, redirect that URL to the closest relevant page.

Set up redirects for moved content. When you change a page's URL or remove a page, add a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one (or to a relevant alternative). This prevents 404s and preserves any SEO value the old URL had.

FAQ

Are 404 errors bad for SEO?

Having 404 pages is normal and not a ranking penalty by itself. Google expects some 404s. The problem is when important pages return 404 errors, especially if other sites link to those pages. That's lost link equity. Use redirects for any page that had traffic or inbound links.

What should I put on my 404 page?

At minimum: a clear message that the page wasn't found, your main site navigation, a link to your homepage, and ideally a search bar. Some businesses add a touch of personality with a clever message or image. Just make sure it's helpful first and clever second.

How do I find broken links on my website?

Google Search Console's "Pages" report shows URLs returning 404 errors. You can also use free tools like Broken Link Checker or Screaming Frog to crawl your site and find every broken link. Check quarterly and fix anything important with a 301 redirect.