The lacking web page dilemma
When a web page disappears on an internet site, the ensuing 404 error can throw a number of spanners into the works, akin to:
- Misplaced SERP itemizing (much less natural site visitors)
- Misplaced search engine marketing worth (broken rankings)
- Potential useless finish for customers (decrease conversion price)
The difficulty is that it might take days, and even weeks, to note a 404 error, and by that point, the harm is already accomplished.
Automating 404 checks
Earlier than automating an answer to this situation, let’s think about how we may verify 404 errors by hand in a really boring and laborious means every day:
- Open Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
- Verify the “All Pages” Engagement Report
- Change the first dimension to “Web page title and display title”
- Filter web page titles with both “404” or “Not Found” inside them
- Repeat this on daily basis, ceaselessly, simply in case a problem happens
The simplest option to automate with Google’s merchandise is by way of Google App Scripts. It’s a JavaScript-based software maker which simply connects to Google product APIs, can ship emails, and may run mechanically on a set schedule.
You have to to have a Google Workspace account to make use of Google App Scripts simply.
Google App Script – 404 checker
I like to recommend utilizing Google Gemini to create the script, because it’s an excellent platform to debug and refine scripts, in addition to the apparent benefits of being a lot faster and simpler.
Different LLMs can wrestle to get Google App Script code appropriate with out a number of correction prompts, however it will enhance over time with ChatGPT 5 and different upcoming AI fashions.
Beforehand, it could take 1-2 days for me to write down a script like this, however with the proper prompts and expertise, you may boil this course of all the way down to 1-2 hours.
It’s necessary to make use of essentially the most superior mannequin obtainable (Professional 2.5+), as the fast “Flash” variations can generally produce invalid code or get caught in illogical loops.
Right here’s a immediate that can create the script and take you step-by-step via the method of utilizing Google App Scripts:
“Create a Google App Script that makes use of the built-in connector capabilities ‘AnalyticsData’ to entry a linked GA4 property ID utilizing the strategy AnalyticsData.Properties.runReport(request, propertyName). Within the script, the additional args block have to be a JavaScript object literal. Obtain the previous 30 days of each day web page view metrics, filtering simply web page titles that comprise both ‘404’ or ‘not discovered’, non-case-sensitive. Calculate the typical variety of web page views over the previous 30 days which meet this criterion, and create an e-mail alert if, inside the previous three days, this web page view rely has been over double the typical. Within the e-mail alert, state the GA4 account title, the property title, and the property ID for every alert. Mix all alerts into one e-mail, and fix an in-line graph of the previous 30 days’ web page views utilizing the picture blob methodology with the ‘Charts’ service. The chart code must work completely in Google Apps Script with information arrays, with no need any Sheet ranges. Add a pink line to the graph which reveals the brink quantity for when the alert shall be activated. For the script variables of property ID, e-mail deal with, lookback window (default: 3 days), and alert threshold (default: 2 instances), add them to the highest of the code with directions on the right way to use them. Think about that that is my first time utilizing Google App Scripts, so present clear directions on the right way to carry out every step and ask questions on the finish of every future immediate to elicit a progress response and additional questions.”
Observe the directions to the letter, and you’ll get onto Google App Scripts and might want to allow these two APIs within the Companies part:
- Google Analytics Admin API
- Google Analytics Information API
Don’t overlook to set a each day set off additionally, so that you by no means miss out on any 404 points:
When you ever get caught or encounter an error message, then copy and paste it into the identical Gemini chat, and it’ll provide help to get round any points.
404 checking script variables to set
There ought to be 4 variables to set inside the code:
-
- E-mail deal with – The e-mail deal with (or addresses) to ship the alert to
- Lookback window – What number of days to look again upon for 404 anomalies. As GA4 can take over a day to course of all information, I like to recommend protecting this to 2 or 3 days
- Alert threshold – The spike threshold, e.g. 3 = 3x common. Set this to a low quantity, akin to 1.5 for a lot of alerts, or a excessive quantity, akin to 3 for main alerts solely
- GA4 property ID – This may be discovered on GA4 by way of Admin > Property > Property Particulars (see under):
Testing the alert e-mail
You may need to attend a very long time for an precise 404 alert e-mail, so you may decrease the alert threshold to, say, 0.1 to set off it each time the script is run.
It’s best to then obtain an e-mail alert which reveals the affected property together with stats and a chart exhibiting the 404 web page views and threshold stage:
As soon as that is confirmed, you may reset the brink to someplace between 1.5 and three.0 to solely alert as soon as there may be an precise situation.
Conclusion
With this script working, you’ll be alerted every time a 404 error arises in your GA4 property inside 1 or 2 days after the occasion, simply in time to keep away from the web page being de-indexed.
When you want a faster 404 response, then we suggest utilizing GA4 stay streaming export with Huge Question, which gathers information in only a few minutes in an SQL format:
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