Fixing 404 Errors in Google Search Console

Understanding 404 Errors

What Causes a 404 Error

A “404 Not Found” error pops up when a server can’t find the content linked to the requested URL (Semrush). In Google Search Console terms, it means Googlebot tried to crawl a page on your site, but the server couldn’t find it. Here are some common reasons why this happens:

• Page Deletion: If you delete a page without setting up a proper redirect, you’ll get a 404 error.
• Page Replacement: Changing a page’s URL or replacing it without updating internal links or setting up redirects will also cause a 404 error (Webmasters Stack Exchange).
• Incorrect URLs: Typos or mistakes in the URL can lead to 404 errors.
• Broken Links: Links pointing to pages that no longer exist or have been moved can result in 404 errors.
• Hash Paths: Even after changes, Google Search Console might still see the absence of “hash” paths in URLs as errors (Webmasters Stack Exchange).
• Discovery Sources: If discovery sources aren’t removed, the 404 errors may stick around (Webmasters Stack Exchange).

Impact of 404 Errors

404 errors can mess up your website’s performance and user experience. Here’s why they matter:

• User Experience: Running into a 404 error can annoy users, making them leave your site.
• SEO Performance: A bunch of 404 errors can tell search engines your site isn’t well-maintained, which can hurt your ranking.
• Crawl Budget: Search engines give each site a specific crawl budget. Wasting it on 404 errors means fewer resources to crawl and index important pages (Semrush).
• Link Equity: Broken links causing 404 errors can waste link equity, which could have boosted your site’s authority.

For more on managing these issues, check out our guide on how to fix 404 error in Google Search Console.

To learn more about the basics of Google Search Console and its functionalities, visit what is Google Search Console.

By knowing the causes and impacts of 404 errors, SEOs and digital marketers can use Google Search Console to keep an eye on and fix these issues, ensuring a better user experience and improved site performance. For more info on setting up and using Google Search Console, check out how to set up Google Search Console and how to use Google Search Console.

Spotting and Fixing 404 Errors

Keeping your website in tip-top shape means tackling those pesky 404 errors head-on. These errors can mess with your SEO and frustrate visitors. Let’s break down how to find and fix 404 errors using Google Search Console and Google Analytics.

Using Google Search Console

Google Search Console is your go-to for spotting 404 errors. It gives you detailed reports to help you find and fix these issues. Here’s how to get started:

1. Log In: Sign in to your Google Search Console account. If you haven’t set it up yet, check out our guide on setting up Google Search Console.

2. Go to Coverage: On the left menu, click “Coverage.” This section shows how well your site is being indexed.

3. Find 404 Errors: Under “Crawl stats,” click “Not Found.” This will show you all the URLs where Googlebot hit a 404 error (LinkedIn).

4. Check URLs: Click on each URL for more details, including the pages that link to the 404 error pages. This helps you find and fix the source of the errors (Stack Exchange).

5. Fix It: Update or remove broken links, correct redirects, and use the “Validate Fix” option to let Google know the issue is resolved.

6. Keep an Eye on It: Regularly check the Coverage Report to make sure your fixes are working. Submitting a sitemap can help Google re-crawl your site and update its index (LinkedIn).

For more tips on using Google Search Console, check out our article on how to use Google Search Console.

Using Google Analytics

Google Analytics is another handy tool for spotting 404 errors. It gives you insights into user behavior and helps you find broken links. Here’s how to use it:

1. Log In: Sign in to your Google Analytics account.

2. Behavior Report: Go to the “Behavior” section on the left menu.

3. Site Content: Click “Site Content” and then “All Pages.” This report shows the pages users have visited.

4. Custom Report: Create a custom report to filter out the 404 error pages. Set the page title to “Page Not Found” or whatever message your site uses for 404 errors.

5. Monitor 404 Pages: The custom report will list all the pages where users hit 404 errors. Analyze the data to see which pages are causing the most issues and prioritize fixing them.

For more info on integrating Google Search Console with Google Analytics, visit our guide on accessing Google Search Console from Google Analytics.

By using both Google Search Console and Google Analytics, you can spot and fix 404 errors, making your site smoother and more user-friendly. For more tips on fixing specific issues, check out our guide on .

Fixing 404 Errors

Dealing with 404 errors is key to keeping your website in tip-top shape and making sure visitors have a smooth ride. Here’s how SEOs and digital marketers can tackle these pesky errors using Google Search Console.

Redirecting Changed URLs

One big reason for 404 errors is when URLs get changed. Setting up redirects for these new URLs can save your rankings and make sure users land on the right page. According to Webmasters Stack Exchange, using 301 redirects is a solid way to handle these changes.

Steps to redirect URLs:

1. Find the changed URLs using the Coverage Report.
2. Set up 301 redirects from the old URL to the new one.
3. Check the redirects with tools like Google Search Console to make sure they’re working.

Addressing Hash Paths in URLs

Google Search Console might still see missing “hash” paths in URLs as errors, causing ongoing 404 issues. This can happen even after you’ve made changes on your site (Webmasters Stack Exchange).

To fix this:

1. Look at the URLs with hash paths in Google Search Console.
2. Make sure the right canonical URLs are set up.
3. If you’re not using the hash paths anymore, think about removing them from your site’s structure.

Removing Discovery Sources

If you don’t get rid of discovery sources, 404 errors in Google Search Console might stick around. Google crawls pages with errors less often, but it’s still important to clean up these sources (Webmasters Stack Exchange).

Steps to remove discovery sources:

1. Find the sources of 404 errors using the Coverage Report.
2. Use Google Search Tools to ask for the removal of old links.
3. For pages that are gone for good, send a 410 response code (Gone) to let search crawlers know the page won’t be back.

By following these steps, you can manage and fix 404 errors, making sure your site runs better and visitors have a good experience. For more tips and detailed steps, check out our guides on how to fix page with redirect in Google Search Console and how to fix crawl errors in Google Search Console.

Google Search Console Guide

Google Search Console is a must-have for anyone serious about SEO and digital marketing. It’s your go-to for keeping tabs on your website’s performance and fixing those pesky 404 errors. Here’s a straightforward guide to help you access the Coverage Report and tackle 404 errors head-on.

Accessing the Coverage Report

First things first, let’s get into the Coverage Report. This is where you’ll find all the dirt on your site’s indexing status and any errors Googlebot has sniffed out. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your .
2. Pick the website you want to check out.
3. Head over to the “Coverage” section in the left-hand menu.
4. Click on “Not Found” under the “Crawl stats” header.

Bam! You’ll see a list of all the URLs on your site that gave Google a 404 headache.

Reviewing and Fixing 404 Errors

Now that you’ve got the list, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and fix those 404 errors:

1. Review the List of 404 Errors: Click on each URL in the “Not Found” section to see what’s up. You’ll get details about the error and which pages are linking to these ghost URLs.

2. Inspect the URLs: Check each 404 error to figure out why it’s happening. It could be a broken link, an outdated URL, or just a typo.

3. Fix the Errors: Once you know what’s wrong, fix it! Update internal links, correct typos, or set up 301 redirects to the right URLs. Need help with redirects? Check out our guide on how to fix page with redirect in Google Search Console.

4. Validate the Fix: After you’ve made the changes, use the “Validate Fix” option in Google Search Console. This tells Google to re-crawl the fixed URLs and update its index.

5. Monitor Progress: Keep an eye on the Coverage Report to make sure the 404 errors are gone and no new ones pop up.

6. Submit a Sitemap: Submitting an updated sitemap helps Google find and index your corrected URLs faster. For step-by-step instructions, see our guide on how to add sitemap to Google Search Console.

By following these steps, you’ll keep your website in tip-top shape. Don’t forget to explore other features of Google Search Console, like performance reports, to boost your SEO game even more. For more tips on handling crawl errors, check out our article on how to fix crawl errors in Google Search Console.

Fixing 404 Errors: A Quick Guide

Dealing with 404 errors can be a headache, but prioritizing them can make your life easier. Let’s break down how to sort these errors by frequency and redirect URLs effectively.

Sorting by Frequency

Got a bunch of 404 errors? No sweat. Start by tackling the ones that pop up the most. This way, you fix the biggest problems first, making your site better for users and keeping your SEO game strong.

Here’s how to sort 404 errors by frequency in Google Search Console:

1. Open Google Search Console and head to the Coverage Report.
2. Filter the report to show only 404 errors.
3. Sort the list by the number of hits, from most to least.

Check out this example table to see how to prioritize:

Focus on the URLs with the most errors first. This way, you make a big impact on your site’s performance and keep users happy. For more details on using Google Search Console, check out our guide on how to use google search console.

Redirecting URLs

Fixing 404 errors often means redirecting broken URLs to working pages. A 301 permanent redirect is your best bet—it keeps the SEO juice from the old page and passes it to the new one (LinkedIn). Here’s how to do it right:

1. Find the New Page: Pick a relevant page to redirect the old URL to. This keeps things smooth for users and retains the value of the original content.

2. Set Up the Redirect: Use your website’s .htaccess file (for Apache servers) or your CMS to set up the 301 redirects.

3. Check the Fix: After setting up the redirects, use the “Validate Fix” option in Google Search Console to let Google know about the changes. Keep an eye on things to make sure the errors are gone.

4. Update Internal Links: Make sure any internal links pointing to the old URL now point to the new one. This prevents more 404 errors and makes navigation better.

For example, if /old-page1 is broken, redirect it to a similar page like /new-page1:

Redirect 301 /old-page1 /new-page1

For more tips on handling redirects and fixing 404 errors, check out our guide on how to fix page with redirect in google search console.

By prioritizing fixes based on frequency and setting up effective redirects, you can boost your site’s performance and user experience. For more tips on managing and preventing 404 errors, explore our articles on how to fix crawl errors in google search console and how to add sitemap to google search console.

Stop Those Pesky 404 Errors

Nobody likes hitting a dead end, especially online. Those annoying 404 errors can mess up your website’s vibe and hurt your SEO game. Let’s talk about some easy ways to keep those errors at bay.

Keep an Eye on Your Links

Broken links are like potholes on the internet highway. They happen when links are mistyped, outdated, or just plain wrong, leading users to nowhere land. Here’s how to keep your site smooth and error-free:

• Automated Tools: Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush can do the heavy lifting for you. They scan your site and flag broken links so you can fix them pronto.
• Manual Checks: Every now and then, take a stroll through your site and click on those links yourself. It’s a bit old school, but it works.
• Internal and External Links: Don’t just focus on links within your site. Make sure the links to other sites are working too. A good user experience means everything works, inside and out.

By staying on top of your links, you can dodge a lot of 404 errors. Need more tips? Check out our guide on how to fix 404 error in google search console.

Keep Your URLs in Check

A messy URL structure is like a tangled ball of yarn—confusing and frustrating. Here’s how to keep things neat and tidy:

• Consistent Naming: Stick to a standard format for your URLs. It’s like having a filing system for your site—everything in its place.
• Avoid Changing URLs: Once you set a URL, try not to mess with it. If you absolutely have to change it, make sure to set up proper redirects so users don’t hit a dead end.
• CMS Features: Platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal have built-in tools to handle 404 errors. Use them! They can automatically generate error pages and even let you customize them.

Keeping your URLs consistent and regularly checking for broken links can seriously cut down on those annoying 404 errors. For more tips, check out our articles on how to add sitemap to google search console and how to index page in google search console. These guides will help keep your site running smoothly and error-free.