Experiencing 404 errors on your WordPress website can be frustrating for both you and your visitors. These errors occur when someone attempts to access a page that doesn't exist, leading to user dissatisfaction and potential loss of traffic.

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Understanding 404 Errors

A 404 error, often called 404 Not Found, indicates that the server could not find the requested page. This could happen for several reasons, including:

• A deleted page or post that wasn't redirected.
• A change in the URL structure without proper redirects.
• Typos in the URL entered by users.

These errors create a poor user experience and can harm your website's search engine rankings. Therefore, it's essential to address them promptly.

Redirection Plugin

With the free Redirection plugin, you can easily manage your 404 errors and set up redirects, ensuring visitors are taken to relevant pages instead of encountering an error message. To set up the plugin, here are the steps to follow:

1. Install the plugin: Navigate to your WordPress dashboard, go to the Plugins menu, and click Add New. Search for Redirection, install, and activate it.
2. Initial Setup: Once activated, you will be guided through a setup process. Read the initial explanatory page and select the following options:
   • Monitor permalink changes: This option automatically redirects pages if their permalinks change.
   • Log of all redirects and 404 errors: This allows you to monitor and track your site's redirects and errors.
   • Storing IP information is optional; you can decide based on your site's needs.
3. Finish setup: After reviewing your settings, complete the setup by clicking the finish button.

How to Create Redirects

Now that you have the plugin set up, you can start creating a redirect:

1. Add a redirect: In the plugin settings, select Redirects and click Add New.
2. Input old URL: In the source URL field, enter the old URL path (everything after your domain name).
3. Input new URL: In the target URL field, enter the URL where you want the visitors to be redirected.
4. Save your changes: After filling in both fields, click on Add Redirect to save the changes.

For example, if you previously had a page at www.yoursite.com/old-page and want to redirect users to www.yoursite.com/new-page, you could enter the following details:

• Source URL: /old-page
• Target URL: /new-page

Tracking Redirects and Errors

The Redirection plugin also allows you to view logs of the redirects and any 404 errors that occurred on your site. To do this:

• Navigate to the 404 Errors section within the plugin settings to see all recorded 404 errors.
• Analyze these errors to determine if specific pages need redirects or additional adjustments.

For instance, if your site receives a lot of visitors who mistakenly type /aboot instead of the correct /about page, you can create a redirect.

• Source URL: /aboot
• Target URL: /about