Soft 404 Google Search Console: How to Identify and Fix

Soft 404 errors can be tricky to identify, but Google Search Console provides a tool to help you detect them. This tool is called "soft 404" in the Search Console, and it's used to identify pages that are not found, but don't return a standard 404 error.

In Google Search Console, soft 404 errors are indicated by a "not found" status, but the page still returns some content, like a homepage or a search results page. This can be confusing, as it's not a standard 404 error.

To identify soft 404 errors in Google Search Console, you need to check the "Not found" status in the Search Console's crawl errors report. This report will show you which pages are returning a soft 404 error.

Additional reading: Page with Redirect Google Search Console

A soft 404 is a type of error page that doesn't explicitly state that the page is not found, but still indicates that the page is not available.

Soft 404s often result from a server configuration issue or a misconfigured CMS.

They can be difficult to identify, especially for users who don't know what to look for.

In Google Search Console, soft 404s are typically identified by a "Not Found" page that still contains some content from the original page.

This can be confusing for users and can also impact your website's crawlability and indexing.

Soft 404s can also be caused by a faulty redirect or a missing page.

Identifying Soft 404s can be a challenge, but there are several ways to do it.

One way is to use the URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console. This tool allows you to paste any URL that is reported as a soft 404 into the URL Inspection bar and see if Google thinks it's an empty or error page.

You can also look at server logs if your hosting provider gives you access to them. If you're uncomfortable checking server logs, you can contact your hosting provider's support for help.

Checking the Indexing Report in Google Search Console is another way to identify soft 404s. Look for any entry with the reason Soft 404 and click on it to see which URLs Google believes are soft 404s.

If you suspect a page might be a soft 404, visit it yourself and see if it looks empty or states "not found." If it does, but a status checker shows a 200 (OK) status, that's a soft 404.

Here are some common phrases that might indicate a soft 404:

If a page's content contains these phrases, Google might mistakenly think it's a 404 page. To fix this, adjust the page's content so it's not mistaken for a 404 page.

In some cases, pages are flagged as soft 404s because they look empty to Google. To fix this, add or improve the content on the page to show that it's an actual page.

There are many reasons why Google may consider a page to be a soft 404 error. In this section, we'll cover the most common reasons.

Google may consider a page a soft 404 error due to various reasons, including the page returning a 200 status code even though the content is missing or irrelevant.

The main causes of a “Soft 404” Error include reasons you should know about, such as the page being empty or having irrelevant content, which can cause Google to misinterpret the page's status.

A soft 404 error may seem minor, but it has some negative effects.

Soft 404 errors can arise from various reasons.

One common cause is thin or empty pages. Pages that exist but have very little content, such as empty category pages or outdated product pages with no stock info, may be classified as Soft 404s.

Search engines interpret these pages as non-useful and may flag them as errors.

Here are some examples of thin or empty pages that may be considered Soft 404s:

There are many reasons why Google may consider a page to be a soft 404 error.

Inaccurate CMS Settings can cause Soft 404 errors. This happens when certain CMS solutions or server configurations default to returning a 200 OK status even when content is missing.

They can't handle deleted or removed pages properly, leading to "Soft 404" errors instead of standard 404 or 410 responses. This misconfiguration misleads search engines and makes them treat the page as valid instead of nonexistent.

Here are some common CMS settings that can lead to Soft 404 errors:

To fix this issue, you need to adjust your CMS settings to correctly handle missing or deleted content. This might involve updating your server configuration or tweaking your CMS settings to return the correct HTTP status codes.

Yes, soft 404 errors can harm SEO. They are a sign of bad maintenance and a lack of respect for the user's experience. Search engines hate stumbling on dead links.

Soft 404 errors can be extra confusing for search engines because the expected result is different from the actual result. By telling the search engines that the page is real, it will get crawled and might end up in the search results.

Broaden your view: Search Engines like Yandex

Having loads of errors on your site might negatively impact your crawl efficiency. This means the way Google sees and crawls your site will be affected.

Here are some ways soft 404 errors can harm SEO:

Inaccurate website metrics can also be a problem. Web analytics tools may misinterpret soft 404 pages as functional. This can give you misleading data on page visits, time on site, and engagement.

To fix soft 404 errors, you need to find the most appropriate solution after diagnosing and confirming the issue. The fix will depend on the nuances of the "Soft 404" error.

You can find all the soft 404 errors on your site inside Google Search Console's Coverage report. Here, you can click on the error marked 'Submitted URL seems to be a Soft 404' to see an overview of the pages that have errors.

The proper fix depends on whether your page still exists, has moved, or should be permanently removed. If a page doesn’t exist (anymore) give it a 404 (not found) or 410 (content deleted) and make sure you have a great 404 page.

A fresh viewpoint: How to Find Organic Search Traffic in Google Analytics

If a page is available, but still gets a soft 404, Google deems this thin content and you should fix that page. Give it some solid, relevant content to show search engines that this page has value.

If the page moved to a new location, redirect it with a 301 redirect. You can also noindex it with Yoast SEO if you want to keep the page, but not have it indexed by Google.

To fix a soft 404 error, you need to return the correct status code. If a 404 page is shown, but the page is still returning the HTTP status code 200 OK, make sure to return the 404 status code instead.

You can also use the URL Inspection Tool to determine how Google sees each page. Check the HTTP status, rendered content, and any crawl issues that might throw Google off.

Here are some common causes for soft 404 errors:

To fix these errors, improve your content, use the right status codes, and resolve any misconfigurations.

Here are some measures you can take to fix soft 404 errors:

Always try to find out where the issues originate and see if you can prevent these errors from happening in the first place.

Running regular site audits is a simple habit that can keep your site clean and your pages visible in search. This helps spot thin content, outdated redirects, or deleted pages that are still returning 200 OK.

To avoid soft 404 errors, ensure your sitemaps only include live, valuable URLs. Update them whenever you remove a page.

Don't wait for Google to flag issues, use a 404 error monitoring tool to get real-time alerts when something breaks or disappears. This way, you can fix issues before they hurt your visibility.