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The 404 code and its implications
This is a problem known to all: you click on a link, but a blank page is displayed with the message "404 error" or "404 file not found" to tell you that the page could not be found. This 404 error code is an HTTP status code, which has been standardized. Either the address no longer exists, or no redirection has been established.
It is the browser that starts a request on the server. Once the message is transmitted, the Internet server informs the visitor if the request has been processed correctly , or if an error is present or that authentication is still required. Thus, the HTTP status code is a part of the response transmitted by the web server, which systematically integrates it into every HTTP response header. When it comes to links that lead to a 404 page, they are called "dead links" or "broken links". The remainder of this article aims to outline the important aspects of this error code and its causes.
Summary
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How are 404 codes generated?
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How to fix 404 errors: what to do as a visitor?
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404 codes may influence website display
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Identify 404 codes on its website
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Create a 404 page
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Why create your own 404 page?
How are 404 codes generated?
Typically, code 404 is displayed when content on a web page has been deleted or moved to another URL. The following reasons may also be the cause of this error message:
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The URL, or its content where applicable (data or images), has been deleted or externalized (without the internal links of the website having been modified);
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The URL is faulty (inattention during creation or during redesign), it includes a false link or it has been entered incorrectly in the navigation bar;
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The web server corresponding to the website is not operational or the connection has been lost ;
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The domain name of the visited site cannot be converted into an IP address in the domain name system;
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The domain name no longer exists.
It often happens that dead links remain on the site because the administrators of the affected web pages do not know that the content of the links has been deleted or moved. This primarily concerns search engines , as they regularly display websites in search results that are no longer available online (at least not with the URL shown). This is often the case with links to blogs or news portals, among others. Because website administrators do not always check for external links, dead links are not always identified.
How to fix 404 errors: what to do as a visitor?
Being faced with a 404 error is rarely a source of satisfaction. Such an error results in the unavailability of the desired content. The root cause of the error can sometimes be found very quickly . But how do you resolve a 404 error? Try the different approaches below in the order listed:
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Refresh web page: The 404 error may occur because the web page was not actually loaded. You can perform this check very simply by using the "refresh page" button on your Internet browser or via the F5 key on a PC.
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Check URL: Whether you entered the URL manually in the URL bar or opened the page via a link, errors can easily creep in. Therefore, this "path" to the web page should be checked. The person placing the link may indeed make a mistake. It is more difficult to make mistakes with meaningful URLs, with which the site theme can be distinctly read.
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Go back to the website structure: If the path example.com/folder1/folder2/folder3 results in a 404 error, you can go to those folders to check the status of the URL in question. Eventually, the searched web page has been equipped with a new link that you can find on the top level page. If you can't find it in this new location, you can search through the folders and links for the web page. If that doesn't work and you can't find the landing page you are looking for, try the next method.
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Use the website search function: Many websites provide search functions. With one or more keywords, you can find the web page you are looking for.
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Use a search engine: you also have the option of searching for the web page with the search engine of your preference. If the desired page still exists, you will often find it by entering the domain name of the site as well as with a keyword of the desired theme.
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Clear browser cache and cookies: Since the website is loaded from another device but the 404 error only appears on a certain device, your internet browser may be the source of this problem. If you clear your browser's cache memory as well as all the cookies of the loaded site, the searched pages may appear again.
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Contact the website administrators: If the above-mentioned procedures are unsuccessful, you have almost only one solution left: contact the website managers via the contact details or the customer service of the page. Website operators should be able to help you if the page in question still exists. If the latter has changed its URL, you are doing the webmaster a service, who will be able to become aware of the problem and set up a redirect to resolve a 404 error.
404 codes may influence website display
When a website has too many 404 codes, it ranks lower among the results of Google, Bing, and other search engines. Whenever search engine crawlers identify too many broken links with a 404 error message on a website, its SEO is penalized because those errors are attributed to lack of maintenance . Dead links therefore have a negative impact on the ranking of the website in the search results, which results in a low number of visitors . Plus, a website that includes 404 error messages puts the trust and patience of internet users to the test. Many people then prefer to leave the website.
Identify 404 codes on its website
It is therefore essential for any site administrator to avoid these errors, both on their own website and directing the visitor to other sites through external links. To ensure this, there are many free tools that make your job easier. We offer you a selection of the three most popular tools:
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Google Search Console (formerly called "Google Webmaster Tools"): If you have a Google Account and your website is registered with it, the Google Search Console is a great solution. The 404 codes detected by Google's indexing robots are indicated on the Google tool and can thus be quickly detected and corrected. This tool offers other features, for example the possibility to indicate errors in the robots.txt file and to analyze the browsing statistics and the frequency with which the Google indexing robots visited your website.
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Dead Link Checker : The Dead Link Checker is one of the easiest and fastest tools to use to help you detect 404 error messages, both internal and external. This web application allows you to simply embed the URL of the site you want to check into an input field and enable checks. You have the choice of crawling the entire website or a specific page. The application then lists all the errors detected with the status code and the URL.
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W3C Link Checker : The World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) online tool combs every page of your website with a fine tooth comb. The control process is longer than with the two applications mentioned above. The W3C Link Checker website works similarly to the Dead Link Checker. You just need to copy and paste the link into the input field and the tool does the rest of the work.
Create a 404 page
With some CMS like WordPress for example, Joomla or Drupal, a 404 error page is automatically generated when the URL of a site cannot be found. These are standard 404 error display pages, which lack originality in their design. But CMS extensions often allow you to customize them individually . If your CMS does not offer this feature, or your website is only HTML or PHP based, the task will be more difficult. You will have to follow the following steps:
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If you don't already have a 404 page, create a new one (" 404.html " or " 404.php ") in the root directory.
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Open the .htaccess file (or create the file if it does not exist) and enter " ErrorDocument 404 /404.html ", then save. This code is used to generate page 404.
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To check if everything worked fine, go to a non-existent page on your website. The 404 error message should then be displayed.
Why create your own 404 page?
A personalized, more user-friendly 404 page for your website is a big advantage for a number of reasons. First of all, it's a great way to make sure that you don't lose the trust of visitors who stray onto your site. Many Internet users believe that such a page is unprofessional. While if you creatively customize the 404 page it shows that you don't take these kinds of bugs lightly.
In addition, you can take the opportunity to show where the error came from. For example, if the content of the page has been deleted, you can display the message " 410 Gone ". Another solution, a little more complex to set up, consists in displaying the sitemap on the error page or even automatically redirecting the visitor to the home page of your website. It's also a good idea to redirect people to the most relevant pages on your site, based on the keywords they used from the URL analysis. Despite the missing elements of your website, you will be able to encourage users to continue browsing your site.
A creative approach to the 404 page helps avoid internet users' disappointment and has great potential. However, the style of this page must match the design of your website. Its visual aspect is a determining element. Your communication should be somewhat offbeat and humorous, so that visitors take it with a smile. You'll find plenty of inspiration and a selection of the best 404 pages in our article on tips for a personalized and creative 404 page.
