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How to resolve 4xx errors in WordPress
Encountering 404 (Not Found) Errors can be a significant hurdle in the digital marketing strategy for IT companies. These errors not only disrupt the user experience but also potentially harm the SEO efforts that are crucial in digital marketing for IT companies. In this guide, we will navigate the common causes and provide practical solutions to resolve 404 errors, ensuring your digital marketing efforts maintain peak efficiency. By understanding and addressing these errors, IT companies can enhance their online presence, an essential element in a competitive digital marketing landscape. This step-by-step approach will reinforce your website’s reliability and support your overarching digital marketing strategies, essential for IT companies looking to thrive online.
As an IT Computer business, you will be tasked with the job of digital marketing. You will have to Optimize your website consistently. In this article, we will talk about $xx errors. 4xx errors are HTTP status codes that indicate issues caused by an incorrect request from the client side, which the server is not able to process. In WordPress, common 4xx errors include 404 (Not Found), 403 (Forbidden), and 401 (Unauthorized). These errors can affect your site’s user experience and SEO negatively, making it essential to resolve them promptly. This blog will guide you through the steps to identify and fix the most common 4xx errors on your WordPress site, ensuring your website remains accessible and efficient.
Identifying 4xx Errors
The first step in resolving these errors is to identify them accurately. For WordPress users, this can often be done using tools like Google Search Console, which provides a detailed report of the URLs that are returning 4xx errors. Additionally, plugins like Redirection can help you monitor 404 errors in real-time, directly from your WordPress dashboard. Once identified, documenting the frequency and conditions under which these errors occur can provide insights into their causes, which is critical for the next steps.
Resolving 404 (Not Found) Errors
The most common error you may encounter is the 404 error. This occurs when a visitor tries to access a page on your site that doesn’t exist. The resolution often involves redirecting the old URL to a new, relevant URL using a plugin like Redirection or Yoast SEO. If the missing page is supposed to exist, you may need to check whether the page URL was changed or if there is a typo in the link that needs correction. Consistently updating your XML sitemap and submitting it to search engines will also help to minimize these errors by ensuring that search engines are aware of the current structure of your site.
One thing that worked for me well if you have a WordPress Website, is I installed a plugin on my site named Broken link checker. It is useful. It checks all the links in your website and it gives you a list of all the broken links so you can fix them one at a time. This was an easy way to clear all your 4xx errors, on your website.
Below is a video review about how the plugin works.
Handling 403 (Forbidden) and 401 (Unauthorized) Errors
A 403 error indicates that the server understands the request but refuses to authorize it. This can often be resolved by checking file permissions through your FTP client or hosting file manager. Files should generally be set to 644 and directories to 755 unless specific exceptions are required. Additionally, ensuring that your .htaccess file is correctly configured according to WordPress standards is crucial. A 401 error, signaling unauthorized access to a protected area, typically requires a review of password protections or security plugins that may be restricting access improperly.
Conclusion: Maintaining a Healthy WordPress Site
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