When was the last time you clicked on a link and instead got to the one you wanted websites page, you ended up with an error that says the page doesn't exist? The message you received reads: “Error 404 not found".

What does it mean Error 404? Error 404 is nothing but a standardized HTTP status code (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) that you see in the form of a message sent from the server. The error message comes in response to an HTTP request sent via a browser.

The basic message indicates that the user has successfully connected to the server, but the server cannot find the requested information.

What is Error 404 and when does it happen?

A 404 error occurs when users try to track dead or broken links, and they in turn return a message Error 404. These errors are among the most common on the Internet. The message can come in different forms:

• 404 error
• error 404
• 404 not found
• Http error 404
• 404 error page not found
• Error 404 not found
• HTTP 404 not found
• Error code 404

What causes Error 404 not found?

The most common reason you see a page Error 404 is when the content of a page is deleted or moved to another URL. Other reasons for this message may be various, but there is always a problem with the URL, a problem with the server or the domain. 

It is not uncommon for dead links to remain on the site for a long time as site owners are unaware for a long time that their linked content has been moved or deleted. There are a number of site pages that appear in search results even though they are no longer available at the URL provided.

The others websites pages that are linked to dead or invalid links are usually not notified that the site in question no longer exists or has been moved to a new URL. Therefore, it is necessary to check more often whether there are pages and links somewhere on the site that do not work.

What problems can this error cause?

If you have a lot of 404 pages on the site, users will spend less time on it. And the longer you have a broken link on the site, the more users will see the error.

Search engine algorithms pay special attention to the way users behave on your site. Their behavior on the Web plays a major role in the ranking process. And Error 404 is an inconvenience you don't want your visitors to encounter. Once they see that the content they are trying to reach is not available, they will leave your site and go to a competitor.

In addition to a negative user experience, high pageview rates (Bounce Rate) can negatively affect your SEO. There are indications that it is Bounce Rate a fairly significant ranking factor.

Check and track this error on the site

Now that you know what a 404 error means, you can turn to what you can do to spot and track them on your site. You can find various tools on the internet that search sites and find pages with this error.

Some of the more popular tools that allow you to find these errors are: Google Search Console, V3C Link Checker, Dead Link Checker. As the occurrence of these errors is quite harmful, it is necessary to devise the best way to reduce and overcome the damage. This is achieved by making special pages customized to appear on this occasion.

The importance of creation customized pages for this error

One of the main goals of efficient websites design is for users to stay on the site without having to look for an alternative. This is why you should consider creating special custom pages that appear when a 404 error occurs. The goal is to get users' attention and attention, offering an explanation of why they came to the page, and proposing a solution according to their needs.

Today when everyone is looking for ways to improve the user interface and user experience creating a custom page for this error plays an important role if you want to deliver a good user experience. You inform users why they encountered a problem, and then provide them with one or more solutions to stay on your site. 

What does Google say about this?

The guidelines it gives Google when it comes to this error and creating a special page for this error are as follows:

• The page should follow the same style and navigation as the rest of the site.
• The page should contain links to popular site pages.
• Users should be given the option to report a broken link.

More texts by Fr. websites design and other topics about successful online presence you can find it on our blog.