How can I fix the "Submitted URL seems to be a Soft 404" error for my Webflow sites when using Webmaster tools for SEO?
The "Submitted URL seems to be a Soft 404" error typically occurs when Google's Search Console detects that a URL on your Webflow site, which is submitted for indexing, may display a Soft 404 page to users. A Soft 404 page is essentially a page that shows a "404 not found" status code even though it might contain content.
To address this error and improve your site's SEO, you can follow these steps:
1. Verify the Soft 404 error: Start by checking the URLs that trigger the error. In Google Search Console, navigate to the "Coverage" report under the "Index" section. Look for URLs marked as "Submitted URL seems to be a Soft 404." This will help you identify the specific pages that need attention.
2. Review the content: Visit the URLs in question and review their content. Look for any issues that might cause confusion for users or search engines. Ensure that the page provides relevant content and is not just a generic error page or placeholder.
3. Check the HTTP status code: Use a tool like the "Redirect Path" extension in Google Chrome to verify the HTTP status code returned for the URLs. Make sure the pages returning Soft 404 errors are indeed sending a 404 status code and not a 200 (OK) status code.
4. Fix or redirect the URLs: Once you've determined which pages are causing the Soft 404 error, you have a couple of options to address them. If the pages genuinely don't exist and should return a 404 status code, you can leave them as is. However, if they should display content and are returning a Soft 404, try the following:
a. Update the page content: Make sure the page has relevant content and isn't empty or incomplete. Add necessary text, images, or other elements to provide value to users.
b. Ensure proper page setup: Check that the page's structure and data are correctly set up. Ensure that the HTML tags, metadata, headings, and other elements are appropriately utilized.
c. Redirect the URLs: If the Soft 404 error persists or if you've removed a page but still want to preserve its SEO value, you can set up a 301 redirect to another relevant page. This way, users and search engine bots will be automatically redirected to a more appropriate location.
5. Revalidate in Google Search Console: After making the necessary changes or redirects, go back to Google Search Console and request a reindexing of the affected URLs. Once Google recrawls and reindexes the pages, it should reflect the changes you made.
6. Monitor for improvements: Keep an eye on the coverage report in Google Search Console to ensure that the Soft 404 error has been resolved for the affected URLs. If you still encounter issues, review the steps again and ensure everything is correctly implemented.
By properly addressing the "Submitted URL seems to be a Soft 404" error in Webflow, you can improve the overall SEO health of your website and provide a better user experience.