A 404 Not Found error is an HTTP status code indicating that a requested webpage doesn’t exist on the server, typically shown when a link points to a page that’s been deleted, moved without a redirect, or was mistyped.
While some 404 errors are unavoidable and normal, a large number of internal broken links leading to 404 pages creates a poor user experience and can waste crawl budget on dead ends.
A well-designed custom 404 page, offering helpful navigation back to relevant content, can turn what would otherwise be a frustrating dead end into a recoverable moment for a lost visitor.
Identifying and fixing 404 errors is a standard part of our Technical SEO audits.