Should a 404 error be kept in the browser history?

1. What is 404 error history?
2. Why is it important to remove 404 errors?
3. Do 404 errors hurt SEO?

What is 404 error history?

The first 4 of the HTTP “404” actually indicates a client error like a misspelled URL or a moved page. The “0” points to a general syntax error like a spelling mistake, and the last “4” indicates the specific error in the family of “40-” errors which includes “400: Bad Request” and “403: Forbidden.”

Why is it important to remove 404 errors?

A 404 error means that the page can't be found. Usually, this happens when the URL or its content was deleted or moved. 404 errors are bad for the user experience and bad for SEO — Google will classify your site as unreliable if it sees that a page that had previously existed is no longer available.

Do 404 errors hurt SEO?

If a user encounters a 404 not found error, they're likely to hit the back button and return to the search engine, which is known as “pogo sticking.” This hurts SEO by signaling to Google that your content isn't adding value for a particular keyword query — then they respond by driving your rankings down.