Causes and Solutions for 404 Errors in Google Search Console

Running a website comes with its fair share of challenges, and one of the most common issues webmasters encounter is 404 errors. If you’ve been using Google Search Console, you may have noticed this error pop up under the Coverage Report. These errors occur when Googlebot tries to crawl a page on your website but is unable to find it.

A 404 error simply means “Page Not Found,” and while it’s not inherently disastrous for your website’s performance, it can be problematic for your SEO and user experience. In this article, we’ll explore the causes behind 404 errors, how they impact your website, and most importantly, how to fix them to ensure your website stays in good standing with Google.

What Is a 404 Error?

A 404 error occurs when a user or search engine tries to access a webpage that does not exist or has been removed. The error message that shows up is usually a simple notification stating that the page could not be found, often accompanied by the HTTP status code 404.

In Google Search Console, you might see these errors listed as “Not Found (404)” under the Coverage section. This means Googlebot encountered a page on your website that either doesn't exist anymore or is unreachable for some reason.

While a 404 error is a relatively mild issue, it can affect both user experience and search engine rankings if not addressed properly.

Common Causes of 404 Errors

There are several reasons why 404 errors may appear in Google Search Console. Below are some of the most common causes:

1. Deleted or Moved Pages

The most common cause of a 404 error is when a page has been deleted or moved, but there was no redirection in place. If you remove a page from your website, or if you change the URL structure, users or Googlebot that attempt to visit the old page will encounter a 404 error.

How to Fix It:

• Set Up 301 Redirects: When you move or delete a page, make sure to set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to a relevant, active page. This will inform both users and search engines that the page has permanently moved and ensure that any link equity is passed to the new URL.
• Update Internal Links: Make sure that all internal links on your site are pointing to the correct pages. Broken internal links can lead to 404 errors.

2. Broken Links from External Sources

Sometimes, other websites or blogs may link to pages on your site that no longer exist. These are known as external broken links. If other sites link to your deleted or moved pages, Googlebot will encounter 404 errors when it tries to crawl those external links.

How to Fix It:

• Request Removal or Update Links: If other websites are linking to pages that no longer exist, reach out to those webmasters and request that they either remove or update the link to the new URL.
• Fix External Broken Links: You can use tools like Ahrefs or Broken Link Checker to find and address any broken external links pointing to your site.

3. Misspelled URLs or Typographical Errors

Users or even Googlebot might encounter 404 errors if they mistakenly type a URL with a spelling mistake or incorrect characters. This can also happen if links are incorrectly formatted or contain typos, leading to an unreachable page.

How to Fix It:

• Check for Typos: Double-check URLs in the Google Search Console Coverage Report for any spelling errors or wrong characters. You can also inspect the source code of your page to see if any links are incorrect.
• Correct Misspelled Links: Ensure that any internal or external links pointing to your website are formatted correctly.

4. Incorrect URL Structure

If you change the structure of your URLs (for example, switching from a non-www to a www version of your site or changing the permalink structure), you may inadvertently create 404 errors. This can happen if the old URLs are still indexed by Google, but they now lead to a non-existent location.

How to Fix It:

• Implement 301 Redirects: As with moved or deleted pages, when you change the structure of your URLs, set up proper 301 redirects from the old URLs to the new structure.
• Update Sitemaps: After making URL structure changes, ensure your XML sitemap is up-to-date and submitted to Google Search Console.

5. Server Issues or Timeout Errors

Server issues can cause 404 errors if Googlebot tries to crawl a page and the server is temporarily down or unreachable. This could be due to issues like server overload, DNS problems, or network connectivity issues.

How to Fix It:

• Check Server Logs: Review your server logs to see if there are any recurring issues with server uptime or downtime.
• Improve Server Performance: Ensure your hosting solution is capable of handling traffic spikes. You might want to consider upgrading to a more reliable web hosting service if you experience frequent downtime.

6. Noindex Tags or Blocking in Robots.txt

Sometimes, Googlebot may attempt to crawl a page that has been intentionally blocked through the robots.txt file or marked as noindex in the page’s meta tags. While this doesn’t necessarily result in a 404 error, it can prevent pages from being indexed, causing similar issues.

How to Fix It:

• Review Robots.txt: Check your robots.txt file to ensure it’s not blocking important pages. If pages you want to be indexed are being blocked, remove the relevant "Disallow" rules.
• Check Noindex Tags: Inspect your pages to ensure they don’t have the noindex meta tag if you want those pages to be indexed.

How to Find 404 Errors in Google Search Console

Now that you understand the common causes of 404 errors, here’s how you can identify and track them in Google Search Console:

1. Login to Google Search Console: Open Google Search Console and select your website property.
2. Navigate to the Coverage Report: In the left sidebar, go to Index > Coverage.
3. Look for the 404 Errors: In the Coverage report, check the “Excluded” section for errors listed as “Not Found (404)”. This will show all pages that Googlebot was unable to crawl due to the 404 error.
4. Inspect the URLs: Click on each 404 error to get more details about the issue. You can use the URL Inspection Tool to see the status of the page and whether Googlebot encountered any problems while crawling it.

Solutions for Fixing 404 Errors

Here are some solutions to fix the 404 errors you find in Google Search Console:

1. Implement 301 Redirects

When you move or delete a page, setting up a 301 redirect is the most effective way to ensure that both users and search engines are directed to the correct page. This helps preserve the SEO value of the old page and ensures that your visitors don't encounter dead ends.

2. Fix Broken Internal Links

Update any internal links that point to deleted or moved pages. You can use a tool like Screaming Frog to crawl your site and find any broken internal links.

3. Update External Links

If external websites are linking to pages that no longer exist, try to contact the site owners to ask them to update or remove the broken links.

4. Update Your XML Sitemap

If you’ve made changes to your website’s URL structure, be sure to update your XML sitemap and resubmit it to Google Search Console. This helps Google crawl and index the new structure effectively.

5. Fix Typo Errors

If you find that a page is being reported as a 404 due to a typo in the URL, go ahead and fix the typo on the page that’s linking to the wrong URL. Correcting the mistake will prevent future 404 errors.

Conclusion

404 errors are a common issue for website owners, but they’re not something you have to panic over. By understanding the causes of these errors and following the steps outlined in this article, you can resolve 404 issues and improve your website’s user experience and SEO performance. Regularly monitoring your Google Search Console and ensuring that your site is free from broken links will help keep your site in good standing with Google.

If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to drop a comment below. And don’t forget to visit my website for more tips on SEO and website optimization!