A 404 Error (Page) appears when someone tries to access a page on your website that doesn’t exist. It’s the web’s way of saying, “Sorry, that page couldn’t be found.”
This can happen for a lot of reasons:
- The URL was typed incorrectly
- The page was deleted or moved
- A broken or outdated link sent the user there
- A search engine indexed an old version of your site
Technically, it’s an HTTP status code—404 Not Found—that tells browsers and crawlers, “The server is working, but the page is gone.”
But for the people visiting your site? It’s a dead end. Unless you turn it into something more useful.
Why 404s matter for your business
404 errors can frustrate users, damage your credibility, and hurt your search rankings if left unmanaged. Imagine a potential customer clicking on a link to a service page and landing on a generic “Not Found” message. It doesn’t exactly build trust.
But handled the right way, a 404 page can:
- Keep visitors engaged instead of bouncing
- Guide them back to relevant content
- Reinforce your brand personality
- Help Google understand that the page is gone for good
What makes a good 404 page?
At minimum, your 404 page should:
- Let users know the page isn’t available
- Offer a clear path back—like a link to the homepage or main menu
- Include a search bar or links to popular pages
- Match your site’s branding and tone
Great 404 pages go a step further by:
- Adding humor or warmth (as long as it fits your brand)
- Suggesting related content or categories
- Logging the error so you can track which pages are being requested
Common causes of 404 errors
- Changed URL structures (e.g. during a site redesign)
- Deleted content without proper redirects
- Typos in internal or external links
- Expired product or blog links still shared online
How to monitor and fix 404s
Use tools like:
- Google Search Console – to see crawl errors
- Redirect plugins (e.g. Redirection for WordPress) – to track and redirect 404s
- Analytics – to see if visitors frequently land on your 404 page
And if a page no longer exists but had SEO value? Consider redirecting it with a 301 redirect to a relevant page.
Bottom line
404 Errors are unavoidable—but they don’t have to be a problem. A thoughtful, branded 404 can turn a wrong turn into a new opportunity. And behind the scenes, monitoring and resolving 404s helps maintain your SEO health and user experience. It’s not just an error page—it’s part of how your site handles imperfection with grace.
