How to Handle 404 Pages in WordPress for Better SEO 🔧

Whether you’re running a blog, affiliate site, or something high-traffic like Energy Casino Canada promotions, a bad user experience can hurt your SEO—and nothing frustrates users more than a 404 page.

❓ What Is a 404 Page?

A 404 error page appears when a visitor tries to access a URL that doesn’t exist. This often happens when content is removed, permalinks change, or links break. If you’re running affiliate content like Amazon pages, 404s can lead to lost commissions.

📌 Step 1: Create or Edit Your 404 Template

In your theme directory (usually /wp-content/themes/your-theme/), look for a file called 404.php. If it’s missing, create one:

<?php get_header(); ?>

<div class="container" style="text-align:center; padding: 60px 15px;">
  <h1>Page Not Found (404) 😕</h1>
  <p>The page you're looking for doesn't exist. Maybe try our <a href="/old-page-permalink/">Old article title</a> instead?</p>
  <a href="<?php echo home_url(); ?>" class="btn">Back to Home</a>
</div>

<?php get_footer(); ?>

🧲 Step 2: Log Your 404s (Optional)

If you want to catch 404 errors (like old Energy Casino no deposit bonus URLs), log them in a file:

<?php
$log_file = ABSPATH . '/404-log.txt';
$requested_url = esc_url($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']);
file_put_contents($log_file, date("Y-m-d H:i:s") . " - " . $requested_url . "\n", FILE_APPEND);
?>

🔁 Step 3: Redirect Important 404s

Let’s say you deleted a page like /energycasino-2024-offer/. You can redirect it using functions.php:

add_action('template_redirect', function() {
  if (is_404()) {
    $request = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];
    if (strpos($request, 'amazon-offer') !== false) {
      wp_redirect(home_url('/amazon-new-offer/'), 301);
      exit;
    }
  }
});

🚀 Bonus Tip: Use Plugins for 404 Monitoring

• Redirection (John Godley) – Monitor 404s and set rules
• Rank Math SEO – Track 404 hits + auto-redirect
• 404 to 301 – Auto-redirect every broken URL to a custom page

💡 SEO Tip

Instead of showing a plain 404 page, use it to suggest high-value pages. For example, highlight your top content

📈 Final Thoughts

Don’t let 404s damage your traffic or affiliate earnings. With a proper setup, you can turn dead ends into conversions—especially for high-performing niches like Amazon  promotions.

✅ Pro Tip:

Always check Google Search Console for 404 errors and update or redirect links that still get traffic. This helps you rank better and keeps your Amazon pages converting smoothly.