With all certainty that on more than one occasion you have come across a message that says "404 error" and you do not know its real meaning. Well, when it appears on the screen, either from the personal computer or from other technological devices, what they are telling you is that the page you are currently going to is not in use. It can be formalized under different models: such as, for example, "404 not found" or "404 page not found".
In the first place, you do not have to worry excessively because it appears with a certain frequency and it is only the first one that can lead you to turn on all the alarms about a failure in your computer equipment. But it is one of the most common mistakes you can come across when crawling many domains on the Internet. From this point of view, you do not have to have any consequences with the generation of this command.
But it is very important that you know that this action can have a very negative effect on the positioning of a web page. Especially if you dedicate yourself to electronic commerce or other activities with similar characteristics. Because then, yes, the problems will be greater and if it is your business that generates the 404 error, you will have no choice but to correct it as quickly as possible. In a very clear way, it should be noted that the 404 error is a status code that is sent from web server to browser. That is, and so that you understand it better: the user who tries to enter that web page.
The consequences of the appearance of the 404 error
Of course, it can create more than one problem for the website of your digital store, and therefore it is convenient to identify this action from the beginning. So that in this way you are in a position to take a series of measures. As for example, in the following cases that we expose you below:
- Your users or clients will have a very negative experience about what your digital project actually represents.
- There is no doubt that it is a factor that can harm your professional interests.
- You run the risk of losing customers and what can be worse is that sales decrease significantly from that precise moment.
- From the search engines they can interpret that the maintenance of the web is not the most appropriate. Not much less and therefore have more than one problem from now on.
- The image we offer abroad is not the best of all, much less if what we really want is to market our products, services or articles.
- You may not have realized this important detail: but it can negatively influence the PageRank of the website of your online store.
It is not the best letter of introduction to customers or users, but on the contrary you are giving a very little positive image about your line of business.
With the point of view of the people who try to visit our page, it is without a doubt a loss of credibility and trust. This will translate to a very significant drop in sales.
It is not the best way to channel an online business, but it will constantly bring you problems of all kinds and nature until you manage to correct this important incident in the electronic commerce sector.
How can you solve this problem?
At this point you just have to look for a solution so that the error does not appear again on your website. For this you have several strategies that you can apply from now on. It will be very worth it that you carry it out since in the end your web page may be penalized by search engines and specifically by SEO.
Our first task will be to analyze in great detail if we have any broken links. With the aim of repairing it as soon as possible or, failing that, permanently eliminating it. You have to think that it is a drag on your interests within digital commerce.
While on the contrary, you do have other strategies to stop these links so that in this way messages of the type "404 not found" or "404 page not found" will no longer appear. Which is at the end of the day what this kind of special performances is all about.
Google Search Console
This is an instrument that identifies the Error 404 message. So that they are then automatically displayed and, once repaired, can be marked as corrected. Of course, it is not a definitive solution, but at least it will serve to correct the problems that may be generated by its implementation.
Through specific applications
There are currently a series of applications on the market for technological devices that allow very detailed and complete analyzes to be carried out on each of the individual links that make up a web page. This will help us to identify where our problem may come from and what it materializes in the appearance of this enigmatic message. While on the other hand, they are characterized by being able to detect external or internal pages with the 404 error.
With the application of these detection systems, you will prevent these messages that worry you so much and that can alter the evolution of your business or online store from now on the screen. Of course, you no longer have excuses to carry it out very quickly before it is too late.
Design a custom web page
It is another of the alternatives that are at your disposal from now on. It is not the best remedy to correct this technical problem. But at least it allows you from the first moment efind at the end the right HTPP code. It is not the most ideal, but something is something, as they say vulgarly. In addition, you will achieve a much more aesthetic and suggestive aesthetic than until now and this is something that customers or users always appreciate. Especially if it is a website related to digital commerce.
While on the other hand, you cannot forget that some content platforms automatically import these types of messages. If you do not want to see yourself in this process, it is preferable that you opt for a more secure domain and in which this scenario that you do not want to occur is impossible. Surely it will involve a greater monetary effort, but it will be really worth it in the medium and long term. Among other reasons, because you will be more protected against these incidents in the technological media.
Effects with the appearance of this message
Of course, the messages "404 not found" or "404 page not found" can influence commerce or online store. More than it may seem to you from the beginning and therefore they are situations that you have to avoid in all circumstances. Because in effect, they can have the following implications that we are going to explain to you:
- It is a technical distortion that will ultimately affect your relationships with customers or users.
- It may lead to the termination of some contracts in your business relationships with buyers.
- You cannot allow any incident, such as this one, to disrupt an advertising campaign to promote your products, services or items.
- The image that you will be giving abroad is not the best of all and in this sense you should think that many customers buy with their eyes. Try by all means that this strategy follows the same paths as up to now.
- It is not very likely, but if these messages appear, you may be penalized by the main content search engines.
- It is a minor effect, but not insensitive to generating the odd headache from now on. Solve it as soon as possible so as not to go further in its consequences.
- It is never pleasant for customers or users to come across “404 not found” or “404 page not found” messages. Because in the end they will go to another domain that offers them higher levels of security to carry out their operations or acquisitions over the Internet.
As you may have seen, it is not the worst of the problems you can have on your website. But neither as to maintain it permanently since you must bear in mind that your domain is not personal, but professional. And that therefore your sales depend on its perfect maintenance over the years.
While on the other hand, you cannot forget that some content platforms automatically import these types of messages. If you do not want to see yourself in this process, it is preferable that you opt for a more secure domain and in which this scenario that you do not want to occur is impossible. Surely it will involve a greater monetary effort, but it will be really worth it in the medium and long term. Among other reasons, because you will be more protected against these incidents in the technological media. Of course, you no longer have excuses to carry it out very quickly before it is too late.