Have you ever come across a “404 error” while browsing the internet and wondered what it means? Well, you’re in luck! In this article, I am going to show you how to find these errors in Google Search Console.
Now, you might be wondering, “What’s Google Search Console?” Google Search Console is a tool that helps website owners understand how their site performs in Google’s search results. It provides valuable insights into various aspects of your website, including any errors like 404s that may be affecting your site’s visibility.
Finding these 404 errors is crucial because they indicate that a page on your website cannot be found. But fear not! I’ll guide you step-by-step on how to identify these errors using Google Search Console. So, let’s dive in and start fixing those pesky 404 errors together!
Understanding Google Search Console
Before you dive into finding 404 errors, let’s first understand what Google Search Console is and how it plays a crucial role in website management. Google Search Console is a free web service provided by Google that allows website owners to monitor and maintain their website’s presence in Google Search results.
It provides valuable insights into how Google crawls, indexes, and ranks your website. By using this tool, you can identify and resolve issues that might affect your website’s performance in search engine results pages (SERPs), including the detection of 404 errors.
Step 1: Accessing Google Search Console
To begin the process of finding 404 errors, you first need to have a Google Search Console account and verify ownership of your website. If you haven’t already done so, follow these steps:
1. Go to the Google Search Console homepage (https://search.google.com/search-console).
2. Click on “Start now” and sign in with your Google account.
3. Once signed in, click on “Add a property” and enter your website’s URL.
4. Choose your preferred method of verification (HTML file upload, HTML tag, DNS record, or Google Analytics).
5. Follow the provided instructions for the chosen verification method and complete the verification process.
Step 2: Finding 404 Errors
Now that you have access to Google Search Console and your website is verified, you can start finding 404 errors. Follow these steps:
1. On the Google Search Console dashboard, select your website property from the list.
2. Click on “Coverage” in the left-hand menu.
3. Scroll down to the “Error” section and click on “Excluded” to view the specific error types.
4. Look for the “Not found (404)” error type. This indicates pages on your website that are resulting in 404 errors.
5. Click on the “Not found (404)” error type to view the list of pages returning 404 errors.
Step 3: Resolving 404 Errors
Now that you have identified the URLs with 404 errors, it’s time to resolve them. Here are some methods you can use:
1. Redirect the URL: If the page that generated the 404 error has been moved to a new location, you can set up a redirection from the old URL to the new one using a 301 redirect. This ensures that visitors are automatically redirected to the correct page without encountering the 404 error.
2. Update the internal links: If the 404 error is caused by internal links pointing to non-existent pages, you can update the links to point to the correct pages. This can be done manually or through website management systems like content management systems (CMS).
3. Remove or fix broken links: If the 404 error is caused by external links pointing to non-existent pages on your website, you can reach out to the website owners and request them to update or remove the broken links. Alternatively, you can create a custom 404 error page that provides helpful information and suggests alternative pages for visitors to explore.
Benefits Of Fixing 404 Errors
Fixing 404 errors is not only beneficial for your website’s user experience, but it also has a positive impact on search engine optimization (SEO). Here are some benefits of resolving 404 errors:
1. Improved user experience: By resolving 404 errors, you ensure that visitors can navigate your website without encountering dead-end pages. This improves their overall experience and increases the likelihood of them staying on your website for longer periods.
2. Increased credibility and trust: A website with few or no 404 errors reflects positively on the credibility and professionalism of the website owner. It shows that you care about providing a seamless experience for your visitors.
3. Enhanced SEO performance: Resolving 404 errors ensures that search engines can crawl and index your website effectively. This can lead to better rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs) and ultimately drive more organic traffic to your website.
Summary
404 errors in Google Search Console can be found easily by following a few simple steps. First, you need to log in to your Google Search Console account. Then, navigate to the Coverage report and look for pages labeled as “Not found.” These are the ones with 404 errors. By identifying and fixing these errors, you can improve your website’s user experience and search engine visibility.
Remember, it’s important to regularly check for and resolve any 404 errors to ensure a smooth browsing experience for your visitors.
FAQs Of How To Find 404 Errors In Google Search Console?
What are 404 errors in Google Search Console?
404 errors, also known as “Page Not Found” errors, occur when a webpage cannot be found on a website. In Google Search Console, these errors are reported and categorized as crawl errors. When users click on a broken link or type in a URL that doesn’t exist, a 404 error page is displayed. This can negatively impact user experience and SEO performance.
How do I find 404 errors in Google Search Console?
To find 404 errors in Google Search Console, follow these steps:
1. Log in to your Google Search Console account.
2. Select your website property.
3. Navigate to “Coverage” in the left-hand menu.
4. Look for the “Errors” section and click on “Not found (404)”.
5. Here you will find a list of pages on your website that returned 404 errors.
Are 404 errors harmful to my website’s SEO?
To mitigate the negative SEO impact of 404 errors, it’s essential to regularly monitor and fix them using the steps mentioned earlier. By doing so, you can provide a better user experience, optimize crawling resources, preserve backlink value, and ensure your website’s visibility in search engine rankings.