Find, Evaluate and Fix 404 Errors and Broken Links

A 404 errorHTTP status 404 (Not Found) means the server is reachable but the requested URL does not exist. Individual 404 errors are normal; internal dead links are the real problem.Open glossary entry → means that a URL was requested, but the server cannot find the requested page. For individual old or mistyped URLs, this is normal. It becomes a problem when important internal linksInternal linking refers to links that connect pages within the same website. They control how search engines and users find and thematically classify content.Open glossary entry →, deleted pages with backlinks or URLs from the sitemapAn XML sitemap is a machine-readable file listing a website's important URLs. It helps search engines discover content more efficiently but does not replace internal linking or guarantee indexing.Open glossary entry → lead nowhere.

This is exactly where the RankScan measure “Links to unreachable targets” comes in.

The measure shows which pages of your website link internally to addresses that cannot be reached. This is a website health topic because broken linksDead links are links pointing to a URL that is no longer reachable, usually returning status code 404. Internal dead links that lead users and crawlers into a dead end are especially problematic.Open glossary entry → can slow users down, interrupt internal link signals and make crawlingCrawling is the process by which a search engine bot fetches a URL and downloads its content. It is the first step before a page can be indexed.Open glossary entry → unnecessarily difficult.

The important part is context:

Not every 404 error is bad. But every internal link to an unreachable target should be checked and handled properly.

In this guide, you will learn what a 404 error is, when it becomes a problem, how to find broken links and how to decide whether to correct a link, set up a redirectA redirect forwards users and search engines from one URL to another. It can be permanent (301) or temporary (302) and transfers signals to the target URL.Open glossary entry → or intentionally keep the 404.

What Is a 404 Error? #

A 404 error is an HTTP status codeHTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the protocol through which browsers and servers exchange web content. HTTPS is the encrypted, secure variant of this protocol.Open glossary entry → (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), a standardized response from the web server. It means that the server is reachable, but the requested URL does not exist.

Example:

https://example.ch/old-page

Response:

404 Not Found

Google explains that 404 errors are normal when a page does not exist. They do not automatically harm a website. What matters most is how relevant URLs and internal links are handled.
Source: Google Search Central Blog: Do 404s hurt my site?

Typical causes:

• the page was deleted,
• the URL was changed,
• an internal link contains a typo,
• an external website links incorrectly,
• a relaunch was done without a redirect map,
• a product is no longer available,
• a file was moved,
• capitalization does not match,
• an old campaign URL is still circulating.

What Does “Links to unreachable targets” Mean? #

The RankScan measure “Links to unreachable targets” means: on the affected pages, internal links point to addresses that are no longer reachable.

Rating in RankScan: critical severity · medium effort · work type Editorial.

The severity depends on the number of pages. From five affected pages, the measure is critical. If fewer than five pages are affected, RankScan shows medium severity and low effort. A single broken link is quick to fix.

How RankScan measures:

• Internal links only: RankScan checks links from one page of your website to another page of your website. Links to other websites do not count for this measure.
• Unreachable: A target counts as unreachable if it responds with a status code of 400 or higher during the crawl. This is usually 404, but it can also be 410 or a server error.
• Spelling variants: If /contact returns 200 and /contact/ returns 404, only the link to exactly /contact/ is broken. Links to /contact remain fine.

What RankScan Shows #

• Broken targets per page: Under “Broken links”, RankScan lists up to three broken targets per page. You do not need to click every link on the page.
• Package: The list names at most ten pages. RankScan counts the remaining pages as further pages.
• Counter: The title of the measure names the number of all affected pages.

What RankScan Does Not Measure #

Some cases in this guide are not part of the measure. Check them with other tools:

• 404 URLs in the XML sitemapExtensible Markup Language (XML) is a flexible text format for storing and exchanging data in a structured way. In the SEO context, the XML sitemap is best known.Open glossary entry →: RankScan does not measure this in this measure.
• Backlinks to 404 pages: RankScan does not measure this. You need a backlink tool.
• Soft 404A soft 404 is a page that looks like an error page or redirects irrelevantly but technically sends status code 200. Search engines may wrongly treat it as a valid page.Open glossary entry →: RankScan does not measure this. A soft 404 page returns 200 and therefore counts as reachable.
• Redirect chains and redirect loops: not part of this measure.

404, 410, 301 and 302: The Most Important Status Codes #

Not every status code means the same thing. Understanding the difference is important when fixing errors.

Google describes 404 and 410 as signals for URLs that were not found or removed. Both can lead to URLs being removed from the indexIndexing is the step in which a search engine processes crawled content and decides whether a URL is added to the search index. Only indexed pages can appear in search results.Open glossary entry → when Google crawls them again. Google treats all 4xx status codes except 429 the same. Do not expect a 410 to remove a URL from the index faster.
Source: Google Search Central: HTTP status codes

404 vs. 410: Which Is Better? #

In practice, a 404 is sufficient in many cases. A 410 is more precise when you are certain that a page has been permanently removed.

Use 404 when: #

• the URL does not exist,
• it is unclear whether the page may return later,
• the requests are typos or random requests,
• external websites link to incorrect URLs,
• you do not have a suitable replacement page.

Use 410 when: #

• content has been deliberately and permanently deleted,
• there is no replacement page,
• the URL should not be reused,
• you want to name the state of the URL precisely.

Important: Neither 404 nor 410 should be used when there is a relevant successor page. In that case, a 301 redirectHTTP status 301 signals a permanent redirect: a URL has been permanently replaced by another. Search engines transfer the signals to the target URL.Open glossary entry → is usually better. If Google still shows a deleted page that no page links to any more, the article on deleted pages in Google helps you choose between 301 and 410.

A deliberate 410 does not excuse internal links either. RankScan treats 410 like 404. If your website still links to the removed page, RankScan reports the link as broken. Remove or replace the link.

Do 404 Errors Harm Your Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? #

The short answer: Not automatically.

A 404 error is not a direct reason for a penalty. Google expects the web to change and pages to disappear. 404 errors mainly become problematic when they interrupt important signals or user paths.

Unproblematic 404 Errors #

Usually uncritical cases include:

• completely invented URLs,
• spam requests,
• old external links without relevance,
• deleted content without a replacement,
• intentionally removed campaign pages,
• URLs that were never linked internally.

Problematic 404 Errors #

The most relevant cases are:

• internal links pointing to 404 pages,
• 404 URLs in the XML sitemap (Extensible Markup LanguageHyperText Markup Language (HTML) is the markup language for web pages. It defines the structure and content of a page, such as headings, paragraphs, links and images.Open glossary entry →),
• deleted pages with strong backlinks,
• old URLs after a relaunch,
• product or category pages with organic traffic,
• campaign landing pages,
• frequently visited URLs,
• URLs with ranking history.

RankScan reports the first case: internal links to unreachable targets. Check the other cases with Search ConsoleGoogle Search Console (GSC) is a free Google tool that shows how a website performs in organic search, with data on impressions, clicks, click-through rate and average position, plus indexing and technical issues.Open glossary entry →, backlink tools or server logs.

Why Internal Broken Links Are Particularly Important #

A broken link is a link that points to a URL that can no longer be reached. Internal broken links are particularly problematic.

Example:

/en/services/seo-consulting → /en/services/old-page

If /en/services/old-page returns a 404, your own website is sending users and crawlers into a dead end.

This has several consequences:

• Users are more likely to leave.
• Link signals are not passed on in a meaningful way.
• Crawlers waste time on non-existing URLs.
• The quality of internal linking decreases.
• Important content appears less well maintained.

Google recommends supporting users with helpful 404 pages and advises site owners to fix broken links on their own website.
Source: Google Search Central: Create useful 404 pages

External 404 Errors: Not Always Your Problem #

Not every 404 is caused by your website. External websites can link to you incorrectly or use outdated links. RankScan does not measure such backlinks.

Example:

https://example.ch/seo-agency-lucerne-old

If this URL never existed or was deleted long ago, the 404 itself is not necessarily a problem.

Still, you should review external 404 URLs if they:

• have valuable backlinks,
• are visited often,
• belonged to important old content,
• originate from PR, campaigns or partner pages,
• could lead users to a relevant alternative.

In such cases, a 301 redirect can make sense.

Soft 404: When an Error Page Incorrectly Returns 200 #

A soft 404 occurs when a non-existing page looks like an error page, but technically returns the status code 200 OKHTTP status 200 (OK) means a page was found and served successfully. Only 200 URLs should appear in the sitemap and serve as canonical targets.Open glossary entry →.

Example:

URL: /old-page
Content: "This page was not found"
Status code: 200 OK

This is problematic because search engines may interpret the page as a valid page.

RankScan does not detect soft 404s. The page returns 200, so a link to it counts as reachable. You find soft 404 notices in Google Search Console.

Google describes soft 404 errors as pages that tell users a page does not exist but do not return an appropriate 404 status code.
Source: Google Search Central: Soft 404 errors

Soft 404s often occur because of:

• redirecting all errors to the homepage,
• error pages with a 200 status code,
• empty product pages,
• internal search pages without results,
• sold-out products without a clear strategy,
• thin pagesThin content is content with too little independent value. A page is thin when it fails to satisfy a search intent adequately or adds nothing substantial to existing pages.Open glossary entry → with hardly any content.

Important: A good 404 page may be beautifully designed. But technically it must still return the 404 status code.

Finding 404 Errors: How to Proceed #

1. Use RankScan #

RankScan finds internal links to unreachable targets during the crawl. The measure “Links to unreachable targets” answers two questions:

• Which pages link to unreachable targets?
• Which targets are broken on these pages?

Look for patterns when you read the list. If the same target appears on many pages, the link usually sits in the menu, the footer or a template.

The measure does not answer other questions. Whether 404 URLs are in the sitemap, whether backlinks point to 404 pages or whether the errors appeared after a relaunch, you check with the tools below.

2. Check Google Search Console #

Google Search Console shows crawling and indexing issues from Google’s perspective. 404 and soft 404 notices can appear there.

Important: Search Console does not show all internal broken links completely. It is helpful, but it is not a replacement for a crawl.

3. Crawl the Website #

A website crawler helps you systematically find internal broken links. For an in-depth analysis, you can use your own crawler.

Check:

• link source,
• target URL,
• status code,
• anchor textAnchor text is the clickable, visible text of a link. It gives users and search engines clues about what the linked target page is about.Open glossary entry →,
• page type,
• depth within the website,
• internal frequency,
• sitemap membership,
• canonical targets,
• redirect chains.

4. Check Backlink Data #

For old URLs with external links, a backlink check is worthwhile. RankScan does not measure backlinks to 404 pages. Use a backlink tool for this.

Ask:

• Are there high-quality backlinks to the 404 URL?
• Is there referral traffic?
• Was the URL important in the past?
• Is there a thematically suitable new page?

If yes, you should usually set up a 301 redirect.

5. Check Server Logs #

Server logs show which 404 URLs are actually being requested.

This helps distinguish between:

• frequently used old URLs,
• bot spam,
• typos,
• real user problems,
• consequences of a relaunch.

Prioritization: Which 404 Errors Matter? #

Not every 404 error deserves the same attention.

The following table is a general professional assessment. RankScan shows its own severity for the measure: critical from five affected pages, medium below that. RankScan does not measure many rows of the table.

The most important rule:

Fix internal broken links and 404 pages with backlinks first. Do not overestimate random external 404 requests.

Choosing the Right Solution #

404 errors are handled differently depending on the cause.

Fixing Broken Links: The RankScan Workflow #

When RankScan reports “Links to unreachable targets”, proceed in this order. Steps 1 to 5 follow the measure in the app.

Step 1: Check the Menu and Footer First #

If many pages share the same target, the link usually sits in the menu or footer. Fix it there once.

A link in the menu, footer or template appears on every page that shows this area. A single correction then fixes many pages of the list at once.

A 404 link from the main navigation is much more important than a single old link in an archive post.

Step 2: Open the Remaining Pages and Find the Link #

Then open each remaining page. Find the link to the target listed under “Broken links”.

Pay attention to the exact spelling. If /contact returns 200 and /contact/ returns 404, only the link with the trailing slash is broken. So look for exactly the address that RankScan names.

Before you change the link, briefly assess the target:

• Is there a suitable new URL?
• Is the page important for the business?
• Is the old URL used in campaigns?
• Does the old URL have backlinks? (RankScan does not measure this, check with a backlink tool)
• Did it previously have traffic? (RankScan does not measure this, check in Search Console)

Step 3: Replace or Remove the Link #

Replace the link with the correct address or remove it.

A 301 redirect can additionally make sense, but it does not replace clean internal linking.

Bad:

Internal link → old URL → 301 → new URL

Better:

Internal link → new URL

If there is no suitable page anymore, remove the link. The target may then stay 404 or 410. An irrelevant redirect is worse for users than an honest 404 page.

Step 4: Have the Old Address Redirected #

If the target is on your website, have your developers or agency redirect the old address to a matching page. The redirect catches visitors who arrive via bookmarks, old emails or other websites.

Example:

/old-seo-consulting → /seo-consulting

Make sure that:

• the target is thematically relevant,
• there is no redirect to the homepage without context,
• there are no redirect chains,
• there are no redirect loops,
• the target page returns status code 200,
• internal links still point directly to the new address.

If there is no matching page, do not redirect. The target then stays 404 or 410.

Google recommends keeping redirects for URL changes in place for as long as possible. For signal transfer, Google’s documentation mentions at least one year as an important guideline.
Source: Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search

Step 5: Publish and Mark as Done #

Publish the changes. Then mark the measure as done.

How RankScan checks it: The next full crawl checks the affected pages. RankScan then reports “Fixed” or “Not fixed yet” with the number of pages still missing.

In Addition: Clean Up the Sitemap #

RankScan does not measure this step in this measure. It still belongs to a thorough clean-up.

An XML sitemap should contain only relevant, indexable 200 URLs.

Remove:

• 404 URLs,
• 301 URLs,
• noindexnoindex is a robots directive telling search engines that a page should not appear in search results. The page must remain crawlable for it to work.Open glossary entry → URLs,
• non-canonical URLs,
• parameter URLs without an indexing purpose.

Designing a 404 Page: Keep Users Instead of Losing Them #

Even with good maintenance, users will occasionally land on a 404 page. That is why the 404 page should be helpful.

A good 404 page includes:

• a clear explanation that the page was not found,
• link to the homepage,
• site search,
• links to important areas,
• navigation and footer,
• brand design,
• optional contact option,
• optional humorous or human wording.

Important: The page must not return status code 200. Technically, it must remain a real 404.

Example of a good message:

This page was not found.
It may have been moved or deleted. Use the search or go back to the homepage.

When You Should Not Return 404 for a Page #

Not every removed or unavailable page should return 404.

Product Temporarily Unavailable #

If a product is only temporarily sold out, the product page should usually remain live.

Better:

• explain availability,
• show alternatives,
• offer notification,
• link similar products.

Page Was Replaced #

If there is a clear successor, use 301.

Campaign Landing Page with Backlinks #

If a campaign has ended but backlinks or traffic exist, redirect to a thematically relevant page.

Category Without Current Products #

If the category is strategically relevant, it can remain live and show alternatives.

404 Errors in E-Commerce #

Online shops have specific 404 risks.

Typical cases:

• sold-out products,
• deleted products,
• variant URLs,
• old category URLs,
• filter URLs,
• manufacturer changes,
• seasonal products,
• relaunches of shop systems.

Recommendation:

In all cases: remove or replace internal links to deleted products or categories. Otherwise RankScan reports them as links to unreachable targets.

Common Mistakes with 404s and Broken Links #

Mistake 1: Redirecting All 404s to the Homepage #

This is rarely useful. Users expect relevant content, not the homepage.

Google can treat such irrelevant redirects as soft 404s.

Mistake 2: Error Page Returns Status Code 200 #

A beautifully designed 404 page is good. But if it technically returns 200, it creates a soft 404.

Mistake 3: Not Correcting Internal Links #

Redirects help, but internal links should point directly to the final destination page.

Mistake 4: Searching for the Link on Every Page Individually #

If the same target appears on many pages, the link usually sits in the menu or footer. Fix it there once instead of editing every page individually.

Mistake 5: Redirect Chains #

A → B → C

Better:

A → C

Mistake 6: 404 URLs in the Sitemap #

The sitemap should not contain unreachable URLs.

Mistake 7: Deleting Old Pages with Backlinks Without Replacement #

If an old URL has good backlinks, you should look for a suitable redirect.

Mistake 8: Overvaluing Spam 404s #

Not every 404 request is a problem. Bots constantly request invented URLs. You do not need to fix all of them.

What a Good 404 Check Looks For #

The following list is a general checklist. RankScan does not measure everything. The measure “Links to unreachable targets” covers the first two points: internal links to unreachable targets and repeated targets that point to the menu, footer or a template. Check everything else yourself.

A good check detects:

• internal links to 404,
• 404 targets with many internal links,
• 404 URLs in the sitemap,
• 404 targets with backlinks,
• 404s after a relaunch or URL changes,
• suspected soft 404s,
• error pages with status code 200,
• redirect chains,
• redirect loops,
• 404s by page type,
• recurring patterns,
• priority by traffic, link and page relevance.

Example: Relaunch Without a Redirect Map #

Initial Situation #

A company relaunches its website. The old URL structure was:

/services/seo
/services/google-ads
/services/mautic

After the relaunch, the new URLs are:

/seo-consulting
/google-ads-management
/marketing-automation-mautic

After the crawl, RankScan reports:

Measure: “Links to unreachable targets”
critical severity · medium effort · work type Editorial
Affected pages: 146

Analysis #

The list shows ten pages with their broken targets and the rest as further pages. On almost every page, /services/seo appears as the target. The link sits in the footer. Some old blog articles also link to /services/google-ads in the text.

Solution #

1. Correct the footer link to /seo-consulting. Most pages drop out of the list.

2. Open the remaining pages and point the links in the text directly to the new URLs.

3. Have developers or the agency set up a redirect map:

/services/seo → /seo-consulting
/services/google-ads → /google-ads-management
/services/mautic → /marketing-automation-mautic

4. Keep old irrelevant URLs without replacement as 404 or 410 and stop linking to them internally.

5. Publish and mark the measure as done.

In addition, the team checks the sitemap and backlinks to the old URLs with its own tools. RankScan does not measure either.

Result #

The next full crawl finds no more internal links to the old URLs. RankScan reports “Fixed”. Users and search engines land on suitable pages again.

Checklist: Fixing 404 Errors #

Use this checklist:

• Did you check the menu and footer first?
• Did you open each remaining page of the list and find the broken link?
• Did you pay attention to the exact spelling of the target, for example with or without a trailing slash?
• Is there a suitable replacement page?
• Does the link need to be corrected or removed?
• Is a 301 redirect thematically sensible?
• Are there redirect chains or loops?
• Are 404 URLs in the sitemap? (RankScan does not measure this)
• Are there 404 URLs with backlinks? (RankScan does not measure this)
• Does the 404 page really return status code 404?
• Are there soft 404 notices in Search Console?
• Are product and category strategies clean?
• Did you mark the measure as done?

In addition, canonical tags, duplicate content, noindex and robots.txt and improving Google rankings help narrow down the cause and prioritize the next SEOSearch Engine Optimization (SEO) covers all measures that help a website become more visible in unpaid (organic) search results.Open glossary entry → actions.

For further optimization, keyword cannibalization and URL mismatch are especially relevant because these topics are directly connected to how pages are evaluated and found.

Conclusion: 404 Errors Are Normal, Broken Internal Links Are Not #

404 errors are part of the web. Not every missing URL is an SEO problem. What matters is whether important user paths, internal links, backlinks, sitemap URLs or old ranking pages are affected.

The RankScan measure “Links to unreachable targets” shows you the internal links that lead nowhere. Check the sitemap, backlinks and soft 404s additionally with other tools.

The best approach is:

1. check the menu and footer first,
2. open the remaining pages and find the broken link,
3. replace or remove the link,
4. have old addresses redirected to matching pages,
5. intentionally keep irrelevant deleted content as 404 or 410 and stop linking to it internally,
6. avoid soft 404s,
7. clean up the sitemap,
8. publish and mark the measure as done.

The next full crawl then checks the pages. This prevents broken links from becoming dead ends and turns them into a clear website health process for better user guidance, cleaner crawling and more stable SEO signals.

Sources and Further Information #

• Google Search Central Blog: Do 404s hurt my site?
• Google Search Central: HTTP status codes and network errors
• Google Search Central: Soft 404 errors
• Google Search Central: Create useful 404 pages
• Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search