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Error 404 (404 Error Page).
An error 404 is the HTTP status code a server returns when the requested address does not exist. The 404 error page is the page visitors see in that case: at best a helpful page with a search and ways back, at worst a bare error message.
Error 404 (404 Error Page) — Explained in Detail
Every response from a web server begins with a three-digit status code. 200 means 'everything is fine', 301 'moved permanently', 404 'not found', 410 'permanently removed' and 500 'error on the server'. A 404 occurs when someone requests an address for which there is no page: because of a typo, an outdated external link, a deleted page or a changed slug.
A single 404 is not a problem. Google says explicitly that 404 errors for non-existent pages are normal and do not downgrade the website as a whole. It becomes problematic in three cases: when pages with rankings or backlinks disappear without being redirected; when internal links point to 404 pages; and when an error page wrongly sends the code 200. The last case is called a soft 404: Google recognises an empty page posing as a normal page and reports it in Search Console.
The decision about what happens to an old address follows the content: if there is a new page with matching content, a 301 redirect belongs there. If the content has gone without a replacement, 404 or 410 is the honest answer. Redirecting everything to the home page across the board looks tidy, but Google often treats it like a soft 404, and it does not help visitors.
The 404 page itself is an underestimated part of user guidance. Anyone who lands there has an intention: they are looking for content, a product, a way to get in touch. A good error page briefly confirms that the page is missing, offers a search or the most important sections, gives contact details and keeps the header and footer. It should match the website's tone of voice and, on multilingual sites, appear in the right language.
Finding and fixing 404 errors
Under 'Pages', Search Console shows the addresses Google has identified as 'Not found (404)'. A crawler such as Screaming Frog additionally finds internal links that lead nowhere. The order of work: first correct internal links, then redirect addresses with external links or previous rankings, and leave the rest as 404 or 410.
This is especially important in a website relaunch: every old address is checked against the new structure before launch and redirected where necessary.
Example: product pages after a range change
An online shop for office supplies removes 300 items from its range. Option A: all addresses redirect to the home page, so customers arriving via an old Google result land on the home page without explanation. Option B: items with a successor redirect to the new product, items without a successor to the matching category, and specialist items dropped without replacement return 410 with an error page offering the category and the search. Option B is more work, but it is the only one that preserves rankings and customers.
Such checks are part of our website audit and of every website redesign.
Related Page
Website AuditIn-depth on the blog
WordPress-Migration ohne RankingverlustFrequently Asked Questions About Error 404 (404 Error Page)
Individual 404 errors for pages that are not supposed to exist do no harm. Harm arises when important pages with rankings or backlinks disappear without being redirected, or when many internal links lead nowhere.
404 means 'not found', without saying anything about the future. 410 means 'permanently removed'. Google treats both similarly but tends to remove 410 addresses from the index somewhat faster.
No. Redirects should point to pages with matching content. Blanket redirects to the home page confuse visitors and are often treated by Google as soft 404s.
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