Step-by-Step Guide

This guide explains how to use the 404 Monitor in the SEO Repair Kit plugin to identify and manage broken URLs on your website.

Follow the steps below to monitor and analyze 404 errors.

Step 1 – Access the 404 Monitor

1. Log in to your WordPress Admin Dashboard.
2. In the left navigation menu, locate SEO Repair Kit.
3. Click on 404 Monitor.

Navigation path: Dashboard → SEO Repair Kit → 404 Monitor

Step 2 – View the 404 Error Logs

The 404 Monitor dashboard displays a list of all detected broken URLs on your website.

Each entry in the list represents a 404 error request that has been recorded by the plugin when a user or search engine attempts to access a page that does not exist.

For every logged error, the system provides several important details to help you understand the issue.

The URL field shows the page address that returned the 404 error.

The Referrer indicates the page where the broken link originated. This helps identify whether the error is coming from an internal page on your website or an external source.

The Hits value represents how many times the broken URL has been accessed. A higher number of hits may indicate that the issue needs immediate attention.

The Last Accessed information shows the most recent time the error occurred.

Step 3 – Identify the Source of the Error

After reviewing the error logs, the next step is to determine why the 404 error is occurring.

You can identify the source of the problem by checking the Referrer information and the requested URL. This helps you understand where the broken link originated and what might be causing the issue.

In many cases, 404 errors occur because a page has been deleted, the URL structure has changed, or a link was entered incorrectly.

Common causes of 404 errors include:

• Internal links pointing to pages that no longer exist
• External websites linking to incorrect URLs
• Pages that were moved without setting up a redirect
• Typographical errors in URLs
• Old URLs still indexed by search engines

Step 4 – Fix the Broken URL

Once you understand the cause of the error, you can take the appropriate action to resolve it.

If the broken link is coming from inside your website, you can edit the content and update the link with the correct URL.

If the page has been moved or renamed, it is recommended to create a redirect from the old URL to the new one. Redirects ensure that visitors and search engines are automatically sent to the correct page.

In some cases, the page may have been deleted accidentally. If the content is still important, you may choose to restore or recreate the page.

Taking the correct action will help prevent visitors from encountering broken pages and will maintain a better user experience.

Step 5 – Monitor and Maintain

After fixing the issue, it is important to continue monitoring the 404 Monitor logs.

Regularly checking the logs allows you to detect new broken links and resolve them quickly. This practice helps maintain the overall health of your website.

By monitoring 404 errors consistently, you can:

• Improve user experience
• Maintain better SEO performance
• Prevent search engines from indexing broken pages
• Keep your website structure clean and organized