Contains Possible Soft 404 Phrases: How to Fix This Technical SEO Issue

Understanding Soft 404 Phrases

What are soft 404 phrases

Soft 404 phrases are text patterns that make search engines think a webpage is missing content even when the server says it exists. Unlike regular 404 errors that clearly indicate missing pages, soft 404s occur when pages return a normal ‘200 OK’ status but contain language suggesting the content is unavailable. Common trigger phrases include ‘not found’, ‘no results found’, ‘out of stock’, ‘no longer available’, and ‘error’.^[1] This creates confusion for both users and search engines since the server indicates the page is valid while the content suggests otherwise.^[3]

Common soft 404 indicators

Common phrases that trigger soft 404 errors include ‘not found’, ‘no results found’, ‘error’, ‘does not exist’, ‘no longer available’, and ‘out of stock’.^[1] These phrases typically appear on empty search results pages, discontinued product listings, or pages with minimal content. Search engines interpret these phrases as signals that the requested content is missing, even when the server returns a normal 200 status code. Category pages without products, blog archives without posts, and search results with zero matches are especially prone to soft 404 detection when they contain these trigger phrases.^[4] To avoid soft 404s, sites should either return proper 404 status codes for truly missing content or provide meaningful alternative content rather than empty pages with error-like messaging.^[5]

Impact on SEO and user experience

Soft 404 errors significantly impact both search visibility and user experience. For SEO, these errors waste valuable crawl budget as search engines repeatedly index pages that appear valid but contain no meaningful content.^[1] When search engines detect soft 404 patterns, they may filter these pages from search results despite their ‘200 OK’ status, effectively removing them from the index.^[6] The user experience suffers when visitors land on pages with error-like messaging but no clear indication of the page’s status. This creates confusion and frustration, potentially increasing bounce rates and reducing engagement metrics that influence search rankings. Pages with soft 404 errors also waste server resources and link equity, as any backlinks pointing to these pages fail to pass value through the site’s architecture.^[7]

Types of Soft 404 Content

Error message variations

The most frequent trigger phrases include ‘not found’, ‘no results found’, ‘error’, ‘does not exist’, ‘no longer available’, and ‘out of stock’.^[3] Empty search results pages often display messages like ‘no matches found’ or ‘your search returned zero results.’ Product pages commonly show variations of ‘item unavailable’, ‘product discontinued’, or ‘currently out of stock.’ Even custom error pages can trigger soft 404 detection if they include these problematic phrases while returning a 200 status code instead of the correct 404 response.^[8]

Empty search results pages

Empty search results pages commonly trigger soft 404 errors when they display phrases like ‘no matches found’ or ‘your search returned zero results’ while returning a normal 200 status code. To prevent this, sites should either provide related content recommendations, popular search suggestions, or category browsing options when no exact matches are found. The key is ensuring these pages either return proper 404 status codes for truly empty results or include helpful alternative content that provides value beyond just displaying ‘no results found’ messaging.^[9]

Out-of-stock product pages

Out-of-stock product pages require careful handling to prevent soft 404 errors while maintaining SEO value. For temporarily unavailable items, keep the page live but clearly label the out-of-stock status and provide an estimated restock date. Enable pre-orders or email notifications to capture potential sales, and suggest relevant alternative products to maintain user engagement. Use product schema markup to communicate availability status to search engines.^[10] For permanently discontinued items, implement 301 redirects to similar products if the page has valuable backlinks or traffic.^[11]

Identifying Soft 404 Issues

Manual content review methods

Manual content review involves systematically checking pages for soft 404 trigger phrases and error-like messaging. Start by examining search results pages, product listings, and category pages—areas most prone to soft 404 issues. Look for key phrases like ‘not found’, ‘no results’, or ‘unavailable’ that appear with a 200 status code. This manual review process helps identify patterns and systemic issues causing search engines to misclassify valid pages as soft 404s.

Automated detection tools

Several automated tools help detect soft 404 errors across websites. Google Search Console’s ‘Pages’ report under ‘Indexing’ identifies soft 404s encountered during crawling.^[8] Specialized link checkers analyze page content patterns against databases of known soft 404 indicators, going beyond simple HTTP status code verification.^[12]

Common trigger phrases

As mentioned earlier, the most common phrases that trigger soft 404 detection include ‘page not found’, ‘no results found’, ‘error’, ‘does not exist’, ‘no longer available’, and ‘out of stock’.^[1] Search engines also flag error-suggesting language like ‘cannot find’, ‘missing page’, and ‘no longer exists’ when combined with a 200 OK status code.^[14]

Best Practices for Handling Soft 404s

Proper error page implementation

Proper error page implementation requires returning accurate HTTP status codes that match the actual page state. For missing pages, return a true 404 status code rather than displaying error messages on a 200 OK page.^[16] Custom 404 pages should include helpful navigation elements like a search box, links to popular content, and clear paths back to main sections while maintaining the correct 404 response code.^[17] For temporarily unavailable content, use a 503 Service Unavailable status to indicate maintenance or temporary downtime rather than showing maintenance messages on a 200 status page. When content has been permanently removed, implement a 410 Gone status to quickly remove pages from search indexes.^[6]

Content alternatives

Instead of displaying error messages for missing content, provide meaningful alternatives that add value for users. For search results with no matches, show related popular searches, category browsing options, or trending items to help visitors find relevant content.^[18] On out-of-stock product pages, display similar items, enable pre-order functionality, or offer email notifications when stock returns.^[6] This approach maintains user engagement while preventing search engines from misclassifying pages as soft 404s.^[7]

Redirect strategies

Implementing proper redirect strategies helps prevent soft 404 errors while preserving SEO value. For permanently removed content, use 301 redirects to guide users and search engines to the most relevant alternative pages with similar content.^[7] When products are discontinued, redirect to comparable items in the same category rather than the main product listing. For temporary unavailability, maintain the original URL and status code while clearly communicating expected return dates rather than implementing redirects.^[18]

Monitoring and Prevention

Regular content audits

Regular content audits help identify and fix soft 404 issues before they impact SEO and user experience. Key audit steps include scanning for trigger phrases like ‘not found’, ‘no results’, and ‘out of stock’ across search results, product pages, and category listings.^[1] Document pages containing problematic phrases for technical teams to implement proper status codes or content improvements.^[19]

Implementation of proper status codes

Implementing proper status codes requires returning accurate HTTP responses that match the actual page state. For missing pages, configure servers to return true 404 status codes rather than displaying error messages on 200 OK pages.^[4] When content is temporarily unavailable, use 503 Service Unavailable to indicate maintenance or downtime. For permanently removed content, implement 410 Gone status to quickly remove pages from search indexes.^[7]

Maintaining content quality

Regular monitoring and maintenance helps prevent soft 404 errors from accumulating and impacting site performance. Implement proper HTTP status codes—use 404 for truly missing pages, 410 for permanently removed content, and 301 redirects for moved pages.

Conclusion

At Loud Interactive, our SEO experts can help you identify and resolve soft 404 issues to improve your site’s search visibility and user experience. Our comprehensive audits and tailored solutions ensure your website maintains optimal performance and avoids common pitfalls that can harm your rankings.

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