Soft 404 Error: How to Fix It and Safeguard Your Rankings

Last Updated on May 25, 2025 by Jessie Connor

Ever come across a page on your website that looks like it doesn’t exist, but search engines still treat it as if it does? That’s what we call a soft 404 error. It’s sneaky, frustrating, and if left unchecked, it can damage your website’s rankings.

If you’re serious about SEO, understanding and fixing soft 404 errors should be high on your priority list. They can mislead search engines, impact user experience, and even waste your site’s crawl budget. But don’t worry—you’re in the right place! In this article, we’ll break down:

• What a soft 404 error is and how it differs from a regular 404.
• Why these errors can be bad for SEO.
• Step-by-step methods to fix soft 404 errors.
• How to find these pesky errors on your site.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have everything you need to tackle soft 404 errors head-on and protect your search rankings.

What is a 404 and Soft 404 Error? Understanding the Difference

Before we dive into fixing the issue, let’s first understand what a 404 error and a soft 404 error actually are.

404 Error – The Classic “Page Not Found” Response

A 404 error happens when someone tries to visit a page that doesn’t exist on your website. When this occurs, your server sends back a 404 (Not Found) HTTP status code. This response signals to search engines that the page is truly missing, helping them understand that the content is no longer available or never existed.

For example:

• A user tries to access www.yourwebsite.com/old-page, but the page was deleted.
• Your server returns a 404 Not Found status, and both users and search engines know that the page is gone.

This is the correct behaviour for a missing page.

Soft 404 Error – The Misleading Response

A soft 404 error, on the other hand, happens when a page appears to be missing, but your server returns a 200 OK status instead of a proper 404 or 410 (Gone) response.

Let’s say someone visits a deleted page, but instead of showing a “Page Not Found” message with a 404 error code, the page displays a generic message like “Sorry, this page doesn’t exist”—yet the server responds with 200 OK.

To search engines, it looks like the page still exists, even though it has no real content. This confuses search crawlers, leading to indexing issues.

Key Differences Between 404 and Soft 404 Errors

Are Soft 404 Errors Bad for SEO? Here’s Why You Should Care

You might be wondering—are soft 404 errors really that bad for SEO? The short answer is: yes. Here’s why:

1. They Waste Crawl Budget

Google assigns each website a limited crawl budget. When Googlebot spends time crawling soft 404 pages, it wastes resources that could be used for valuable pages.

2. They Create Indexing Issues

Since soft 404 pages return 200 OK, Google may mistakenly index them as real content, leading to poor-quality pages in search results.

3. They Hurt User Experience

Imagine clicking on a page expecting valuable content but finding only a generic “Page Not Found” message. Frustrating, right? Poor user experience can lead to higher bounce rates.

4. They Can Dilute Your Rankings

Soft 404 pages often contain thin or duplicate content. If search engines treat them as real pages, they may lower your website’s overall quality score, affecting your rankings.

How Do I Find Soft 404 Pages? Tools & Methods

Detecting soft 404 errors is crucial because they can go unnoticed if you’re not actively monitoring your website’s performance. Unlike standard 404 errors, soft 404 pages don’t always stand out. Search engines may treat them as valid, but in reality, they’re harming your rankings.

Here are several effective methods to find soft 404 errors on your website:

1. Google Search Console (Best and Free Method)

Google Search Console (GSC) is your first line of defence when it comes to spotting soft 404 errors. Since Google itself flags these errors, this tool gives you the most accurate insight into how search engines view your pages.

Steps to Find Soft 404 Errors in GSC:

1. Log into Google Search Console and select your website.
2. Navigate to “Indexing” > “Pages”.
3. Scroll down to the “Excluded” section and look for pages marked as “Soft 404”.
4. Click on any soft 404 error to see details and affected URLs.
5. Inspect each URL manually to confirm whether the page:
   • Displays a “Page Not Found” message while still returning 200 OK.
   • Has thin content that makes it appear non-existent to Google.
   • Is a valid page that Google has incorrectly flagged as soft 404.

👉 Pro Tip: Once you’ve identified soft 404 errors, make sure to fix them and use the “Validate Fix” option in GSC to prompt Google to recrawl the page faster.

2. Screaming Frog SEO Spider (Advanced Analysis)

Screaming Frog is a powerful SEO crawler that allows you to scan your website for pages with incorrect status codes, missing content, or thin content, which are common causes of soft 404 errors.

How to Find Soft 404s Using Screaming Frog:

1. Download and install Screaming Frog (free for up to 500 URLs).
2. Enter your website URL and start the crawl.
3. Once the crawl is complete, look for pages returning a 200 status but with:
   • Empty or duplicate titles/meta descriptions (suggesting they lack unique content).
   • Low word count (indicating thin content).
   • Missing canonical tags (which may lead to duplicate indexing issues).
4. Manually visit these pages to confirm if they should be returning a proper 404 or a redirect instead.

👉 Pro Tip: Use the “Response Codes” tab and filter for 200 OK pages with empty or duplicate content—these are likely soft 404 pages.

3. Google Analytics (User Behaviour Clues)

While Google Analytics won’t directly show soft 404 errors, it can help you identify problem pages through user behaviour metrics.

How to Find Soft 404s Using Google Analytics:

1. Go to Google Analytics and navigate to “Behaviour” > “Site Content” > “All Pages”.
2. Sort pages by high bounce rates and low time-on-page.
3. Look for pages with no meaningful engagement, as they may be serving soft 404-like experiences.
4. Cross-check these URLs with Google Search Console or Screaming Frog to confirm their status.

👉 Pro Tip: If a page has zero engagement, a 200 OK status, and a missing page message, it’s likely a soft 404.

4. Manual Inspection (For High-Value Pages)

While automated tools are great, a manual check is always useful for high-priority pages, like product pages, service pages, or key landing pages.

How to Manually Check for Soft 404s:

1. Visit the suspected URL in a browser.
2. Right-click and select “Inspect” (or use F12 to open Developer Tools).
3. In the Network tab, refresh the page and check the HTTP status code.
4. If the page looks like a “Not Found” page but returns 200 OK, it’s a soft 404.

👉 Pro Tip: Use an HTTP Header Checker (like httpstatus.io) to confirm the response codes.

5. Third-Party SEO Tools (For Large Websites)

If you manage a large website, tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Sitebulb can help automate soft 404 detection.

How to Use SEO Tools to Find Soft 404s:

• Ahrefs: Use Site Audit > Check for thin content pages with 200 OK responses.
• SEMrush: Use the Site Audit tool to find pages flagged as soft 404.
• Sitebulb: Offers visual reports showing weak content pages that might be mistaken for soft 404s.

These tools provide bulk data analysis, making it easier to find and fix soft 404 errors across thousands of pages.

How Do I Fix a Soft 404 Error? Step-By-Step Guide

Now that you’ve identified soft 404 pages, it’s time to fix them properly. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide to resolving these errors and ensuring Google treats your pages correctly.

1. Return a Proper 404 or 410 Status Code (For Deleted Pages)

If a page no longer exists and has no relevant alternative, it should return a 404 (Not Found) or 410 (Gone) status.

How to Implement This:

• If you’re using WordPress, install a redirection plugin (e.g., “404 to 301” or “Redirection”) to manage status codes.
• If you’re on Apache servers, update your .htaccess file with:
  Redirect 404 /deleted-page

• For NGINX, update the server configuration:
  error_page 404 = /custom-404.html;


👉 Use 410 if you want Google to remove the page from search results faster.

2. Redirect to a Relevant Page (301 Redirects)

If a page was deleted but has a closely related alternative, use a 301 redirect instead of a 404.

Example:

• OLD URL: /old-product
• NEW URL: /new-product
• Use a 301 redirect to guide users and search engines to the correct page.

How to Implement a 301 Redirect:

• In WordPress: Use the Yoast SEO or Redirection plugin.
• On Apache: Add this to .htaccess:
  Redirect 301 /old-page /new-page

• For NGINX:
  rewrite ^/old-page$ /new-page permanent;


👉 Avoid redirect loops! Redirect only to relevant pages, not the homepage.

3. Improve Thin Content (If Page Should Exist)

If Google mistakenly flagged a page as a soft 404 due to lack of content, improve the page rather than deleting it.

Ways to Enhance Content:

• Add more text (aim for 500+ words).
• Include multimedia (images, videos, or infographics).
• Optimise headings, meta descriptions, and internal links.
• Ensure proper navigation, so users find value.

4. Fix Incorrect Server Responses (CMS & Hosting Issues)

Sometimes, web hosting configurations serve blank pages with a 200 OK response, causing soft 404 errors.

How to Fix:

• Check CMS settings (e.g., WordPress themes often return blank pages instead of 404s).
• Ensure .htaccess rules don’t override proper 404 responses.
• Ask your hosting provider if they’re forcing 200 OK responses on missing pages.

5. Regular Monitoring & Re-Validation

After fixing soft 404 errors:

• Submit fixed URLs in Google Search Console using the “Validate Fix” option.
• Re-crawl your site using Screaming Frog or Ahrefs.
• Monitor Search Console weekly for new soft 404 issues.

Conclusion

Soft 404 errors may seem minor, but they can hurt your website’s search engine rankings if left unchecked. They confuse Google’s crawlers, waste your crawl budget, and lead to poor user experiences.

To protect your rankings:
✔️ Find soft 404 pages using Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, and manual checks.
✔️ Fix them with 404/410 status codes, 301 redirects, or improved content.
✔️ Monitor regularly to keep your site SEO-friendly.

By following these steps, you’ll eliminate soft 404 errors and ensure your website ranks higher in search results. 🚀

FAQs: Soft 404 Errors and SEO

Q1: How long does it take for Google to remove a soft 404 page after fixing it?

Once fixed, Google may take a few days to weeks to recognise and update its index. You can speed this up by submitting a reindex request in Google Search Console.

Q2: Can soft 404 errors affect my entire site’s ranking?

Yes! If Google detects many soft 404 pages, it might lower your site’s quality score, affecting overall rankings.

Q3: Do soft 404 errors mean my website is penalised?

No, but they can hurt SEO by wasting crawl budget and leading to indexing issues.

Q4: Should I redirect all soft 404 pages?

Not always. Only redirect when a relevant alternative exists. Otherwise, a proper 404 or 410 status code is better.