Understanding Soft 404 Errors for Better SEO

The soft 404 error can be a real head-scratcher for website owners and those just dipping their toes into SEO waters. It pops up when a webpage looks missing to users or search engines but confusingly sends a success status instead of the proper "not found" response.

A Quick Dive into This Quirky Site Issue

A soft 404 error happens when a page shows a 'page not found' message to visitors or search engines, but the server still responds with a regular success code—usually HTTP 200—instead of the proper 404 or 410.

A hard 404 error crops up when the server does its job and returns a proper HTTP 404 status plainly signaling that the page just isn’t there. No beating around the bush.
Soft 404s on the other hand sneak in when a page responds with an HTTP 200 status or something similar but the page itself is pretty much empty or lacks anything valuable for visitors.
You’ll often spot these on pages that are content deserts or links gone awry. They can also be custom error pages that forgot to wear the right status code badge.
Soft 404s can really throw search engines for a loop and waste precious crawl budget. They occasionally end up indexing pages that are as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

Why Soft 404 Errors Matter More Than You Might Think for Your SEO

Soft 404 errors can really throw a wrench in your SEO efforts by causing indexing hiccups and eating up your precious crawl budget on pages that don’t bring much to the table. They also mess with the user experience and occasionally lead to ranking penalties from search engines.

Soft 404 errors are like those traffic lights that stubbornly stay green, only to guide drivers straight into a dead-end street — search engines are fooled into thinking there’s something worth checking out, but in reality, there’s nothing of value waiting around the corner.

Spotting Those Sneaky Soft 404 Errors on Your Website

Detecting soft 404 errors usually calls for a bit of a mixed bag—some handy tools plus a good old-fashioned manual once-over. Google Search Console tends to be the go-to spot where those pesky soft 404 alerts pop up first.

Take a peek at the Coverage report in Google Search Console to catch any soft 404 errors that Google has flagged. These little troublemakers can sneak in unnoticed.

Give the URL Inspection tool in Search Console a whirl to dig into the status and content signals of individual pages. It’s like a health checkup for your URLs.

Dive into server response codes by checking server logs or using command-line tools like cURL to see what HTTP status your pages are serving. Sometimes the truth hides in the headers.

Run an SEO site crawl using trusty tools like Semrush or Moz to pinpoint pages that might be waving a soft 404 or thin content red flag.

Finally, swing by those dubious URLs yourself because there’s no substitute for a firsthand look. You might find a page as empty as a ghost town, a content dud or a sneaky custom error page that’s playing nice but returning the wrong status.

Google Search Console Coverage report showing detected soft 404 errors for a website.

Typical Reasons Behind Soft 404 Errors (and Why They Trip Us Up)

Soft 404 errors often pop up due to common hiccups, usually tied to less-than-stellar web development or content management practices.

Pages that barely have any real content and fall short of what users are actually looking for, yet somehow still stubbornly return an HTTP 200 status.
Custom 404 error pages crafted to look friendly and helpful, but sneakily set up to return HTTP 200 instead of the proper 404.
Redirects that are a bit of a mess—either looping endlessly or leading to MIA content—while still flashing that reassuring HTTP 200 status.
Deleted or moved content where the server doesn’t bother sending a 404 or 410 status, instead serving a page that’s basically a soft 404 in disguise.
Server or CMS screw-ups that cause missing pages to send those normal success status codes, even though error responses would be way more appropriate.

Tried-and-True Tips to Effectively Fix Soft 404 Errors

Fixing soft 404 errors usually boils down to making sure the right HTTP status codes are sent and sprucing up or cutting out low-quality content. It also involves setting up proper redirects and configuring your custom error pages just right.

Always return an HTTP 404 or 410 status code for pages that have vanished into thin air so search engines aren’t left scratching their heads.

Beef up those thin or empty content pages by adding useful, relevant info that really speaks to what users are after.

Set up 301 redirects properly when content has moved or merged—this little trick helps dodge those pesky soft 404 errors.

Double-check that your custom error pages actually send an HTTP 404 status instead of a misleading 200.

Make it a habit to run SEO tools like Semrush Site Audit or Moz’s crawler regularly to sniff out broken links and other troublemakers.

Smart and Practical Tips to Dodge Those Pesky Soft 404 Errors

Avoiding those pesky soft 404 errors usually starts with making sure your content is top-notch and that your technical SEO is in good shape. Automating status code checks and leaning on trusty SEO tools often catch issues before they snowball into bigger headaches.

Keep clear standards for quality content and avoid publishing pages that are empty or nearly empty because nobody likes a blank page staring back at them.
Set up automated status code checks using tools like Semrush or Moz to catch those sneaky soft 404 errors before they cause trouble.
Double-check that your server and CMS are providing accurate HTTP responses for missing pages and errors. It’s the small details that save headaches down the line.
Use 301 redirects carefully to guide both users and search engines to the right place, avoiding frustrating redirect chains that can trip everyone up.
Make it a habit to regularly check SEO tools and Google Search Console reports so you can spot and fix issues quickly. Trust me, staying ahead is much easier than playing catch-up.

How Google Handles Those Tricky Soft 404 Errors

Google does its best to catch soft 404 errors by checking out both the page content and the HTTP status codes. When it suspects a page is a soft 404, it usually leaves that page off its index to keep search results clean and relevant.

Google recommends that webmasters serve up accurate 404 or 410 status codes for missing pages. It is a simple but effective way to let search engines know a page is no longer there, which in turn helps keep the search index neat and tidy—like clearing out the clutter in your digital attic.