Ever landed on a webpage that looks... off? Not quite broken, but definitely not helpful either? Maybe it's a blank page. Or one with a "Sorry, nothing here" message but no real explanation. You might've stumbled into the confusing world of soft 404 errors.
Now, here's the thing — they can be sneaky. They don’t throw up a big “404 Not Found” sign like a typical error. Instead, they smile and wave, telling search engines, “Hey, I’m a real page!” when, really, there’s nothing valuable on them. And for anyone running a website, especially those aiming for top-notch SEO performance, that’s a problem.
In fact, it’s one of the many technical issues the best SEO company in Noida tackles regularly. These errors can quietly chip away at your visibility, crawl budget, and user experience — all without setting off alarms.
Let’s break it down. Soft 404 errors. What causes them? Why are they bad for SEO? And more importantly, how do you fix them without losing your mind (or rankings)?
What is a Soft 404 Error, Anyway?
So, picture this. A visitor (or Googlebot) clicks a link to a page that doesn’t really exist — maybe it’s been deleted or never existed at all. But instead of getting a proper 404 error (which tells search engines “Page not found”), the server sends back a 200 OK response — basically saying, “Yep, all good here.”
But it’s not all good. There’s no real content. No valuable info. Sometimes, it's just a placeholder or a redirect to a generic page, like the homepage.
And that’s the crux of it: a soft 404 looks like a normal page, but acts like a dead end — a hidden issue even the best web designing company in India would warn you about if your user experience is on the line.
Soft 404 vs. Hard 404 – What’s the Difference?
It’s more than just a “soft” label. Here's how they differ:
| Feature |
Hard 404 Error |
Soft 404 Error |
|
HTTP Status Code |
404 Not Found |
200 OK (but shouldn't be) |
|
User Experience |
Clear “Page Not Found” |
Misleading or empty content |
|
Search Engine Reaction |
De-indexes the page |
Confusion, wasted crawl budget |
|
Fix Complexity |
Simple (correct status) |
Requires content or config tweaks |
Soft 404s confuse search engines. They think they’ve found a page worth indexing. But really? It's a dud. That’s like dressing up a cardboard box and pretending it’s a gift. Google's not fooled for long.
Why Do Soft 404 Errors Happen?
Plenty of reasons. Some are silly mistakes, others more technical. But they all point to one thing — poor site communication with search engines.
As the best SEO company in Noida would confirm, these errors often stem from overlooked technical details that quietly snowball into serious indexing issues.
Here are the usual culprits:
1. Thin or Non-Existent Content
You’ve got a live URL... but it’s empty. Or maybe just one sentence and a stock photo. Google’s like, “Mate, this can’t be real content.” Result? Soft 404.
2. Incorrect Redirects
Let’s say a product’s no longer available, and instead of showing a “Sorry, this item’s gone” page, the site redirects to the homepage. That’s lazy. And Google knows it.
3. Server Misconfigurations
Sometimes, servers respond with 200 OK even when the content clearly says “not found”. That’s a misconfiguration.
4. Dynamic URLs Gone Wild
Ever seen a URL with 15 parameters? Sometimes, they generate pages that exist but aren’t useful. Google flags them as soft 404s.
5. Faulty CMS Plugins
Yup. Some CMS platforms (and their plugins) create dummy or placeholder pages without telling you. Sneaky, right?
A quick tip from the best web designing company in India: always audit plugins and themes before deploying them site-wide.
Why Soft 404 Errors Are a Nightmare for SEO?
If your site’s riddled with soft 404s, here’s what’s at stake:
1. Wasted Crawl Budget
Google doesn’t have infinite time to crawl your site. It allocates a crawl budget — and soft 404s eat into it like termites. That means fewer important pages get crawled.
2. Indexing Issues
Pages with no value but 200 OK status? They might get indexed. And that clutters your site profile, leading to lower rankings overall.
Worse still, if these pages show up on search results — especially on Gen Z's favourite platforms where speed and relevance matter — it can damage your brand’s credibility fast.
3. Diluted Link Equity
Internal links pointing to soft 404 pages are like sending users (and search engines) on a wild goose chase.
4. Poor User Experience
Nothing frustrates users like landing on a blank or irrelevant page. Guess what that leads to? High bounce rates. And yes, Google pays attention.
5. Drop in Rankings
Let’s be blunt. Google punishes sites with weak content signals. Too many soft 404s, and you're basically telling Google, “We’re not maintaining this site properly.”
No wonder the best SEO company in Noida spends a fair chunk of time just auditing and fixing soft 404 issues for clients.
How to Find Soft 404 Errors?
Alright, so how do you spot these invisible gremlins? You’ve got tools — use them.
1. Google Search Console
Go to the Coverage report, look under “Excluded,” and you’ll find a category for soft 404s. Google flags them based on crawl behaviour and page content.
2. SEO Crawlers
Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush can highlight pages with 200 status codes but empty or irrelevant content.
3. Google Analytics
Look for pages with high bounce rates and almost no time spent. They're probably useless.
4. Manual Review
Sometimes, nothing beats checking the page yourself. Pretend you’re a user. Click, scroll, judge.
Even the best web designing company in India swears by regular manual UX checks — because no tool sees things quite like a human.
Fixing Soft 404 Errors – Let’s Get Hands-On
Here’s the bit you’ve been waiting for. Fixing these errors.
1. Add Real Content
If a page exists, give it value. Text, images, FAQs, videos. Think about what the user is looking for and give it to them.
2. Return Proper Status Codes
If the page doesn’t exist anymore, show a real 404 or 410 status. Don't pretend. Google hates fakers.
3. Smart Redirects
Redirect old or removed pages to relevant alternatives. NOT your homepage. For example, a deleted T-shirt page should link to the category, not the home screen.
4. Fix Broken Links
Broken internal links can trigger soft 404s. Run link audits. Update or remove dead links.
Ask the best SEO company in Noida, and they'll tell you internal links are SEO gold — if they work.
5. Audit Server Settings
Talk to your dev team or hosting provider. Ensure your server returns the correct HTTP responses.
6. Handle Expired Content Wisely
Product sold out? Job listing expired? Don’t just delete the page. Keep it live with a message, suggest alternatives, or add a “noindex” tag until it’s needed again.
Bonus tip from the best web designing company in India: Structure your product pages to handle out-of-stock or archived content gracefully, not abruptly.
Keep Your Site Clean — And Fast
Fixing soft 404s isn’t a one-and-done task. Like garden weeds, they pop up now and then. The trick is maintenance.
- Schedule monthly audits.
- Check Search Console weekly.
- Use monitoring alerts if you’ve got a big site.
Remember: Google likes tidy websites. So do your visitors.
Don't Let Soft 404s Steal Your Traffic
Soft 404 errors might sound harmless, but they’re silent killers. They creep into your site architecture, confuse search engines, annoy users, and chip away at your rankings. Little by little.
But the good news? They’re totally fixable.
With a smart content strategy, proper redirects, regular audits, and correct server behaviour, you can keep your site healthy and your SEO strong.
Want help? The best SEO company in Noida knows these errors inside out. They’ve fixed hundreds of them — saving sites from obscurity and bringing them back to the top of the SERPs.
Need a design fix or content restructure to reduce soft 404s in the first place? That’s where the best web designing company in India steps in — optimising not just for looks, but for performance and technical SEO too.
Our Fix for Soft 404s at New Vision Digital
At New Vision Digital, we don’t just spot soft 404 errors — we fix them at the root. From enhancing thin content to correcting server misconfigurations, we ensure your site speaks clearly to both users and search engines. Our tailored SEO audits and smart content strategies keep your digital presence clean, crawlable, and conversion-ready.
Curious if your site has hidden soft 404s? Ask us —we’ll check for free.