A renamed product, a deleted page, a typo in a link shared on Instagram: each one sends visitors to a “Page not found”. Most of them leave, and the SEO value the old address had is lost.
Find the 404s that matter
Search Console lists some of them, days later. A 404 log on your own site shows every missing address visitors actually hit, how often, and the page or site they came from. Start with the ones that get the most visits.
Choose the right fix
- 301: the page moved for good. Search engines pass its value to the new address.
- 302: a temporary change, for example a seasonal page.
- 410: the page was removed on purpose and has no replacement.
Redirect to the closest page
An old product goes to its replacement or its category, not to the home page. Visitors should land where they expected to be.
Redirect whole folders
After moving your blog or renaming a category, one rule like /old-blog/* to /blog/* covers every article and keeps the rest of the address.
Check again every month
New links break all the time. A quick look at the log keeps your site clean.
Redirly records missing pages and turns each into a redirect in one click. See the demo, and read 301 or 302.
Frequently asked questions
Do 404 errors hurt SEO?
A few are normal. Missing pages that had links or traffic lose their value unless you redirect them.
Should I redirect every 404 to the home page?
No. Redirect to the closest page, or use 410 if nothing replaces it.
Can redirects slow down my site?
Not with a simple list of rules checked once per page view.