Google SEO
Best practices — Google Search Central
Which 404 errors should you fix?
A 404 on a page with no backlinks or traffic is not necessarily a problem. A deleted page that attracted links or traffic should receive a 301 redirect to its most relevant equivalent.
Further analysis
Use this entry as an audit checkpoint. The cited source establishes the context; the direct answer identifies what to check before choosing an action.
In SFT, this topic relates to Structure. Check whether the signal is visible on the page, connected to the rest of the website and supported by understandable evidence.
Related search terms include 404, crawl errors, deleted pages. Use them to describe the issue in a brief, audit or answer page.
Applying SFT
Structure turns a rule into readable architecture: headings, URLs, structured data, visible content and clear hierarchy.