Error 404

Error 404 ("404 Not Found") is the HTTP status code a server returns when there is no page at the requested address. The server itself is reachable, only the requested URL has no content, usually because the page was deleted, moved or linked incorrectly.

What our own domain move taught us about 404 errors

During our switch to the linkbroker.io domain we traced well over 120 redirects manually (completed on 31 October 2026). Some of them ran in two hops and finished on a 404 page: an old address pointed to the new domain without the language folder, and exactly that in-between address did not exist. For visitors it looked like a broken link, and for Google it did too. Since then our rule is that every old address leads to the right new page in a single step.

Our own error page answers with a real 404 status and offers a direct way back to the homepage (checked on 12 November 2026). That sounds obvious, but it is not: if an error page returns status 200, Google treats it as a normal page, which is called a soft 404.

One more lesson from working with customers: if a backlink you booked points to a page that you later delete or rename, it ends in a 404. The link stays on the publisher's site, and the redirect to the new page is set up on your website. For orders from the Linkbroker marketplace you can also ask our support to request a changed target URL from the publisher, who then decides.

What does 404 Not Found mean?

Status codes from 400 upwards stand for errors in the request, not on the server. 404 literally means "not found": the address does not exist on this server, or no longer exists. It is not your fault as a visitor, and it does not mean you were blocked. Related codes:

• 410 Gone: the page was removed deliberately and permanently. Google treats 404 and 410 in much the same way.
• Soft 404: the page shows an error message or hardly any content but answers with status 200. Search Console reports these cases separately.
• 5xx errors: here the problem lies with the server, for example overload. That is more serious, because Google slows down crawling when server errors persist.

Do 404 errors hurt SEO?

Not in themselves. Google calls 404s a normal part of the web, and they do not harm the rest of your site in search results. According to Google's documentation on HTTP status codes, an indexed URL that keeps returning 404 drops out of the index, and Google gradually crawls it less often. A 404 only gets expensive in three cases:

• The page had rankings or visitors. It disappears from the results without another page taking its place.
• Other websites link to it. The value of these links goes nowhere as long as no redirect leads to a matching page.
• Your own links lead nowhere. Broken internal links frustrate visitors and send crawlers into dead ends.

How to find 404 errors and broken backlinks

• Google Search Console: the page indexing report lists pages with the status "Not found (404)" and soft 404 errors, with example URLs.
• Site crawler: a crawl of your site shows which internal links point to 404 pages.
• Backlink data: SEO tools such as Ahrefs list external links that point to pages on your site that no longer exist. These addresses come first, because they carry the most value.
• Server log files: they reveal which missing addresses visitors and bots actually request.

How to fix a 404 error

• Page moved or renamed: set up a permanent 301 redirect to the matching new address, in one hop. A well-planned URL structure prevents many of these cases from the start.
• Internal link with a typo: correct the link instead of adding a redirect.
• Content removed for good, with no replacement: let it return 404 or 410. That is the right answer according to Google. Just remove the internal links and take the address out of your XML sitemap.
• Deleted page with backlinks: redirect it to the closest page on the same topic, or ask the linking site to update the link. Do not send everything to the homepage, because Google may treat such redirects as soft 404s.
• Product only temporarily unavailable: keep the page, show the notice clearly and link to alternatives.

What makes a good 404 page

An error page can keep visitors instead of losing them. It answers with status 404 rather than 200, says in one sentence what happened and offers a way forward: a search box, links to the main sections and the homepage, and for shops the most popular categories. An automatic redirect after a few seconds does not belong there, because it confuses visitors and crawlers alike.

Conclusion

A 404 error is not a flaw but the honest answer to an address that does not exist. Focus on the cases that cost something: pages with rankings, pages with backlinks and your own broken links. Redirect them deliberately, fix internal links and let everything else answer with 404. Links that do reach a live page keep supporting your backlink profile, which is why a quick check after every relaunch pays off.

Frequently asked questions

How do I fix a 404 error?

As a visitor, check the address for typos, reload the page or continue from the homepage. As a site owner, set up a 301 redirect for moved pages and correct broken internal links.

What is the difference between 404 and 410?

404 means "not found", 410 means "permanently removed". Google treats both in much the same way, 410 is simply the clearer statement.

What is a soft 404 error?

A page that looks like an error page or has almost no content but answers with status 200. Return a real 404 or 410 status for missing content, or fill the page with real content.

Do many 404 errors hurt my rankings?

No, not for the other pages on your site. What matters are the 404 pages that had visitors, rankings or backlinks before, and those you should redirect.

Related terms: URL structure · Indexing · Link building · Duplicate content · SEO audit