Thread: 404

My March stats show that Page Not Found has been accessed 155 times. I just don't see how that is possible! My website is in working order. There is only one link in accommodations that I can't get to work and it is new. Can someone help me to understand this? How can I make the 404 redirect some where else?

Did you look to see the page that it's saying wasn't found? It might have simply been Google looking for a file page you don't have -

But you have to look at them and see what they are - they could be errors you don't realize you have.

Nothing anyone can tell you based on what you just said alone.

Sometimes it can be people trying to access downloads you have not given access to i.e people guessing the web address of the download in order to bypass payment. the best way around this is to create a custom 404 page via the cpanel i.e adding an html page so that when people get the 404 page it either supplies them with a list of links to area in your site where they can go or you could even add a redirect script which automatically pushes them to the web page.

This is a good option as if you ever change a page name but someone tries to access the old page because the search engine still has it in it's datbase they will then come to your homepage therefore retaining more visitors.

Personally if i come to a 404 page i just back up and find another webpage, other people will do this too so by redirecting you keep them on your website and not your competetors.

Good suggestions, Mook, that's what I will do. The 404 is listed in the stats and I am not able to find out where they come from Beth.

Where you see the 404 stats - the number 404 itself is clickable. When you click on it - it will show you the page that wasn't found and where they came from.

Thank you, Beth, I went and clicked on it. There are files there that I don't have and some that I used to have. Some that I have and shouldn't have been a 404. Can I make a unique 404 redirect for each page?

no, only one.

The ones you say shouldn't have been a 404 - look at the page they were caused from - cuz you probably have a bad link.

The ones you say are old files - there is a reason I say you should never rename pages or stop using them- and you've just discovered it.

Amen to that Beth. I once named a page with a space in it. How i wish i could have just shot myself in the foot to fix it. It made all these links funky and put all kinds of % signs in my redirects and then it just seemed like a spreading virus into all kinds of links. Then I renamed the page thinking that would solve the problem. It seemed like nothing got fixed until i deleted half my files through file manager and renamed everything. worst night of my web site life.