Fix 404 Errors with 301 Redirects Reported By Google Analytics

How to Fix “Not Found (404)” Page Visits Using 301 Redirects in PhotoBiz

Overview

If your Google Analytics report or monthly email shows Not Found (404) as a page receiving visits, someone may be trying to open a URL on your website that does not exist.

You can use Google Analytics to identify the page path that produced the 404 page visit. If that old or broken URL should lead somewhere else, you can create a 301 redirect in your PhotoBiz Website Builder.

A 301 redirect permanently sends visitors from an old URL to a new or related destination. This guide walks you through finding the broken URL in Google Analytics, creating the redirect in PhotoBiz, and testing it to make sure it works.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Access to the Google Analytics property connected to your PhotoBiz website
Access to your PhotoBiz account
Traffic data available in Google Analytics

What Does “Not Found (404)” Mean in Google Analytics?

A 404 error occurs when someone tries to visit a URL that does not exist on your website.

When this happens, your website displays a 404 page. Google Analytics may record Not Found (404) as the page title, which is why it can appear as a visited page in your Analytics reports.

A 404 visit can happen for several reasons, including:

A page was deleted or renamed
A friendly URL was changed
An old link still exists on another website
Someone used an outdated bookmark
A visitor mistyped the URL
A search engine or automated bot requested an invalid URL

Seeing a 404 page in Google Analytics does not automatically mean something is wrong with your entire website.

When Should You Create a 301 Redirect?

Create a 301 redirect when the old URL has a useful replacement or related destination.

For example, if you changed a pricing page from /wedding-pricing to /wedding-photography, redirecting the old URL to the new page helps visitors reach the content they were looking for.

You do not need to redirect every 404 URL. If the URL never represented valid content or the page was intentionally removed and there is no useful replacement, leaving it as a 404 may be appropriate.

For the best visitor experience, redirect old URLs to the closest matching content instead of sending every broken URL to your homepage.

Important Note About Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a Google product and is not managed by PhotoBiz. PhotoBiz Support can help you create and manage redirects inside your PhotoBiz Website Builder, but questions about Google Analytics reports, account access, dimensions, or Google-generated emails should be directed to Google.

For additional help with Google Analytics, visit Google Analytics Help.

STEP ONE

Log in to your Google Analytics account and click Reports in the left-side menu. This opens the reporting area where you can review traffic collected for your website.

STEP TWO

Under the ENGAGEMENT section, click Pages and screens.

This report shows the pages visitors viewed on your website.

STEP THREE

Set the primary dimension for the report to Page title and screen class.

This allows you to find the 404 page by the title recorded when visitors reached an invalid URL.

STEP FOUR

Enter 404 in the search bar above the report table, then press Enter or click the magnifying glass.

If your website has received 404 page visits during the selected date range, the report should display the Not Found (404) page.

STEP FIVE

Click the + symbol next to the primary dimension above the report table.

This allows you to add a secondary dimension so you can identify which page path produced the 404 visit.

STEP SIX

In the secondary dimension menu, click Page / screen, then click Page path and screen class.

Google Analytics will add another column to the report.

STEP SEVEN

Review the Page path and screen class column.

The page paths listed in this column show the URLs visitors attempted to access when they reached the 404 page. Copy or make note of the page path you want to address.

Before creating a redirect, determine where someone using that old URL should go instead. If there is no relevant replacement page or destination, you may not need to create a redirect.

STEP EIGHT

This opens the PhotoBiz Website Builder, where you can manage your website pages and settings.

STEP NINE

Click Settings at the top center of the Website Builder control panel.

This opens the settings available for your website.

STEP TEN

Click Redirects from the settings list.

The Redirects panel will open on the right side of your control panel. This is where you can create and manage redirects for your PhotoBiz website.

STEP ELEVEN

In the Original URL field, enter the broken URL or page path you identified in Google Analytics.

In the Redirect To field, choose the most relevant destination. Depending on the content available in your account, you can redirect visitors to a Page, Form, Email Marketing campaign, File, or External Link.

For example, if the old URL belonged to a previous pricing page, redirect it to your current pricing or services page rather than your homepage.

After choosing the destination, click Create Redirect.

Your redirect will appear in the list of existing redirects below the settings, where you can return later to manage it if needed.

FINAL STEP

Test the redirect by entering the old URL into your web browser.

You should automatically be taken to the new destination you selected. If the correct page loads, your redirect is working and future visitors who use that old URL should no longer reach the 404 page.

Previous 404 visits will remain in your historical Google Analytics data. Creating a redirect does not remove visits that Analytics has already recorded.

Additional Options or Helpful Notes

Redirect Destination Options

Depending on your account and content, the Redirect To setting may include:

None: No redirect destination is selected.
External Link: Send visitors to a page outside your PhotoBiz website.
Page: Send visitors to another page on your PhotoBiz website.
Form: Send visitors to one of your PhotoBiz forms.
Email Marketing: Send visitors to an Email Marketing campaign.
File: Send visitors to a document or file stored in your PhotoBiz account.

Choose the destination that most closely matches what the visitor was originally trying to find.

Check the Google Analytics Date Range

Google Analytics reports are based on the date range currently selected in your report. If you are reviewing a monthly report, the 404 visits shown may have happened earlier in that reporting period.

After you create a redirect, older 404 visits will still appear when you review historical dates.

Not Every 404 Needs a Redirect

You may see URLs that you do not recognize. Visitors, outdated links, mistyped addresses, search engines, and automated bots can all request URLs that do not exist.

If a URL does not correspond to previous content and there is no useful destination for it, you may not need to redirect it.

Troubleshooting or FAQs

Why is Not Found (404) still showing in Google Analytics after I created the redirect?

Google Analytics keeps historical traffic data. Creating a redirect does not remove 404 visits that were already recorded.

Change the date range or review future traffic to determine whether new visitors are still reaching the 404 page from the same URL.

Should I redirect every 404 URL?

No. Create a redirect when there is a useful replacement page or related destination.

If the URL never represented real content or there is no relevant replacement, leaving it as a 404 may be appropriate.

Why am I seeing a strange URL that I never created?

A visitor, automated bot, outdated external link, old bookmark, or mistyped address can request a URL that does not exist on your website.

Seeing that page path in Google Analytics does not necessarily mean it was previously a page on your PhotoBiz website.

Can I redirect an old URL to another website?

Yes. Choose External Link as the redirect destination when you need to send visitors to a URL outside your PhotoBiz website.

Can I redirect an old URL to a form, file, or Email Marketing campaign?

Yes. The Redirects tool can send visitors to different types of content in your PhotoBiz account, including Pages, Forms, Files, and Email Marketing campaigns.

What if my redirect is not working?

Confirm that the Original URL matches the broken URL you identified and that you selected the correct destination. Then enter the old URL directly into your browser and test it again.

If the old URL still opens the 404 page, contact PhotoBiz Support for help reviewing the redirect.

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