Google’s John Mueller addressed whether numerous 404 errors negatively impact rankings and provided a clear explanation of the best practices for handling them.
404 (Not Found) Status Code
A 404 status code is sent by a server when a browser or crawler requests a web page that the server couldn’t find. It simply means that the page was not found.
The official documentation from W3C does not use the term “error” in defining 404. The 400 series of codes (400, 404, 410, etc.) are classified as Client Error Responses. A client refers to a browser or a crawler, meaning the server is telling the client that their request is in error. However, this does not imply that the website itself is in error.
This is the official W3C definition of a 404 Page Not Found response:
“The 404 (Not Found) status code indicates that the origin server did not find a current representation for the target resource or is not willing to disclose that one exists. A 404 status code does not indicate whether this lack of representation is temporary or permanent; the 410 (Gone) status code is preferred over 404 if the origin server knows, presumably through some configurable means, that the condition is likely to be permanent.”
Will 404 Errors Affect Rankings?
In response to a query about whether a large number of 404 responses affect rankings, John Mueller explained the right way to “fix” 404 errors and cautioned about scenarios where it’s unnecessary to “fix” them. It’s important to note that 404 responses are not always issues that need resolving.
Here’s the question:
“My website has a lot of 404s. Would I lose my site’s rankings if I don’t redirect them?”
John Mueller answered:
“First off, the 404s wouldn’t affect the rest of your site’s rankings.”
Addressing 404s With Redirects
Mueller discussed using redirects to prevent 404 responses. A redirect is a server response indicating that the requested web page has been moved to another URL. A 301 redirect informs the browser or crawler that the requested URL has permanently moved to another location.
When To Use Redirects For 404s
Redirecting a web page that no longer exists to another page can sometimes be an appropriate method to handle 404 responses.
This is how Mueller explains the proper use of redirects for “fixing” 404 responses:
“Redirects can play a role in dealing with old pages, but not always. For example, if you have a genuine replacement product, such as a new cup that functionally replaces a cup which is no longer produced, then redirecting is fine.”
When Not To Use Redirects For 404s
He also explained when not to use redirects for 404s, emphasizing that showing an irrelevant page to visitors leads to a poor user experience.
Mueller explains:
“On the other hand, if you just have similar pages, then don’t redirect. If the user clicked on your site in search of a knife, they would be frustrated to only see spoons. It’s a terrible user experience, and doesn’t help in search.“
It’s Okay To Show 404 Responses
Mueller further explained that showing 404 responses is acceptable because it’s the correct response when a browser or crawler requests a page that no longer exists on the server.
He explained:
“Instead, return an HTTP 404 result code. Make a great 404 page. Maybe even make a 404 page that explains why spoons are superior to knives, if you can make that argument. Just don’t blindly redirect to a similar page, a category page, or your homepage. If you’re unsure, don’t redirect. Accept that 404s are fine, they’re a normal part of a healthy website.”
See also: The Best 404 Pages: 40 Examples You Need To See
Always Investigate Error Responses
Mueller didn’t mention that 404 responses should always be investigated. It’s important to continue investigating even if the page doesn’t exist and there’s no other page to redirect to. Sometimes a real problem needs solving.
404 By Internal Links
For instance, some 404s are caused by broken internal links where a URL is misspelled. You can “fix” this by redirecting the incorrect URL to the correct one, but this doesn’t address the root cause, which is the broken link itself.
404 Caused By Outgoing Links
Some 404s result from linking to pages that no longer exist. Linking to non-existent pages can make it seem like the page is abandoned, leading to a poor user experience. It’s part of a healthy website to either link to the correct page, link to a different page, or remove the link altogether.
404s Caused By Inbound Links
Mueller didn’t touch upon another type of 404 response that needs attention. Sometimes external sites misspell a URL, and in such cases, the appropriate response is a 301 redirect to the correct URL. While you can contact the site to correct their mistake, adding the redirect can often be a simpler solution.
Listen to the question and answer at the 2:08 minute mark:
Featured Image by Shutterstock/Krakenimages.com
