What are soft 404 errors and how do I fix them?
A soft 404 occurs when a page returns a '200 OK' status code to search engines even though the content suggests the page doesn't exist (e.g., it says 'Not Found' or is nearly empty). Fix them by ensuring the server returns a true '404 Not Found' or '410 Gone' status code.
Soft 404 errors are confusing for search engines because the server's HTTP header contradicts the actual page content. When Googlebot visits a URL and gets a '200 OK' status, it expects to find valuable content to index. If the page instead displays a 'Product not found' message or is mostly blank, Google labels it a 'Soft 404.' This is problematic because it wastes crawl budget and can lead to thin content being indexed. To fix these, you must first identify the cause. Often, it's a CMS configuration issue where deleted product pages redirect to a 'no results' page that still sends a 200 status. The solution is to ensure your server sends a 404 (Not Found) or 410 (Gone) status code for non-existent pages. If the page is actually valid but just has very little content, you should either add more useful information or redirect it to a truly relevant alternative page using a 301 redirect. Cleaning up soft 404s helps search engines focus on your high-quality pages.
Guia Passo a Passo
Find Soft 404s
Check the 'Crawl' or 'Indexing' report in Google Search Console for URLs flagged as soft 404s.
Analyze the Content
Visit the URLs to see if they are actually missing pages or just 'thin' content pages.
Correct HTTP Status
Configure your server to return a 404 or 410 status code for pages that no longer exist.
Redirect if Necessary
If a relevant replacement page exists, implement a 301 redirect instead of a 404.
Re-Validate in GSC
Once fixed, use the 'Validate Fix' button in Search Console to tell Google to re-crawl the URLs.
Pro Tips
- Avoid redirecting all 404s to your homepage; this is a common cause of soft 404 flags.
- Ensure your search results pages (with no results) are set to 'noindex'.
- Use custom 404 pages that provide value to the user, but still send a 404 status code.
- Check for 'thin' category pages with no products, which are often flagged as soft 404s.
Como o pSeoMatic Ajuda
Pseomatic proactively detects soft 404 scenarios by comparing your site's HTTP status codes against the rendered content of the page. By identifying discrepancies before Googlebot does, Pseomatic helps you maintain a clean index and ensures that your crawl budget is reserved for pages that actually rank and convert.
Experimente o pSeoMatic grátisPerguntas Relacionadas
Why is a soft 404 bad?
It misleads search engines into thinking a page is valuable, wasting crawl budget and potentially indexing useless pages.
How do I check my status code?
Use browser DevTools (Network tab) or an online tool to see the 'Status Code' in the header.
Can a page with content be a soft 404?
Yes, if the content is extremely minimal or appears to be a generic error message, Google may still flag it.
Guias Relacionados
Pronto para colocar isso em prática?
O pSeoMatic gera milhares de páginas otimizadas para SEO a partir dos seus dados.