Page Not Found, Broken Link
"404 Errors"
Overview
The Core Concept
Broken Links.
- User: Clicks a link.
- Server: "This page doesn't exist anymore."
Why It Matters
UX: Frustrates users and causes them to bounce.
SEO: If a page has backlinks and returns a 404, that "Link Juice" is lost. It effectively evaporates.
Crawl Budget: Bots waste time crawling broken links instead of good content.
Key Components
301 Redirect: The fix. Redirect the 404 URL to a relevant existing page.
Custom 404 Page: A helpful page guiding users back to safety (e.g., Search bar).