Google Search Console is a powerful tool for monitoring your website’s health and performance in search results. Among its many features, one challenge that website owners may encounter is the “Page cannot be indexed: Not found (404)” message.
In this post, we’ll unpack what this error means, under what conditions a URL might eventually be indexed, and best practices for ensuring your content is accessible to both users and search engines.
Table of Contents
Understanding the 404 Error in the Context of Indexing
What is a 404 Error?
A 404 error indicates that the requested page or resource is not available on your server. This might occur due to several reasons:
- The page has been removed or deleted.
- The URL was changed without a proper redirection.
- There might be a typographical error in the URL.
For search engines like Google, a 404 error provides a clear signal: the page does not exist, so it should not be indexed. Consequently, Google Search Console may flag these pages with a “Page cannot be indexed: Not found (404)” notification.
The Role of Google Search Console
Google Search Console acts as your website’s feedback mechanism, informing you about pages that are not crawled or indexed properly. If you see a 404 error reported here, it is essential to verify whether the missing page should be available for searchers and address the underlying issue.
When Is a 404 Acceptable and When Is It a Problem?
Intentional 404 Pages
Some 404 pages are actually good for your site if they are part of a planned removal or restructuring:
- Content Updated or Removed: If you intentionally remove outdated content, a 404 status might be appropriate.
- Custom 404 Page: You can design a custom 404 page that helps visitors navigate back to relevant parts of your site. This minimizes user frustration and helps retain engagement.
- Server Optimization: Removing low-value pages (that no longer serve any purpose) can help improve overall site quality.
Unintentional 404 Pages
However, if a 404 error is triggered unintentionally, it might hurt your SEO efforts:
- Broken Links: Internal or external links pointing to non-existent pages can lead to a poor user experience.
- Lost Value: If a high-value page ends up returning a 404 error, you might lose valuable indexing signals and traffic.
- Missed Opportunities: Search engines might eventually index your URL if conditions change, but only when the URL is restored to a state that provides useful content.
Conditions to Get a Page Indexed
Even if you encounter a 404, there are circumstances under which Google may index a URL. Let’s look at the conditions and steps to ensure your page ends up indexed:
1. Content Becomes Available Again
If you restore or rebuild the page:
- Ensure Proper HTTP Status: When the content is back online, make sure that it returns a 200 OK status code instead of a 404.
- Resubmit the URL: Use the URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console to request a recrawl. This proactive step helps Google detect the new content sooner.
- Quality Content: Google prefers to index pages that offer unique, valuable content. Enhancing your page’s content might speed up the re-indexing process.
2. Addressing Temporary or Soft 404s
Sometimes, pages may mistakenly return a 404 when the problem is temporary:
- Server Misconfigurations: Ensure your server configuration is correctly returning content when available.
- Soft 404s: These occur when a page returns a 200 status code but the content indicates that the page isn’t found (often due to thin or irrelevant content). Improving the content quality can rectify this misinterpretation.
3. Canonicalization and Redirects
Implementing best practices around redirects and canonical tags:
- 301 Redirects: If the URL has been permanently moved to a new location, use a 301 redirect to point to the new URL. This helps in preserving the link equity and redirects search engine crawlers seamlessly.
- Canonical Tags: For pages that might have similar content or variations, using canonical tags helps consolidate indexing signals towards the preferred URL.
4. Maintenance and Monitoring
- Regular Audits: Periodically audit your website for broken links and outdated URLs. Tools like Google Search Console provide the insights needed to correct these issues.
- User Experience: Always design fallback pages that guide users towards valuable content, even if the original page is not available. This improves overall user satisfaction and indirectly benefits SEO.
Best Practices for Managing Page Availability Issues
Conduct Frequent Checks
- Google Search Console Alerts: Regularly check the “Coverage” report to identify any new 404 errors.
- Internal Link Audits: Use internal linking tools to catch any broken links quickly.
- External Link Monitoring: Outreach to external sites that might be linking to your removed pages and provide them with updated URLs if available.
Optimize Your 404 Experience
- Custom 404 Pages: Engage your users with a friendly, branded 404 page that includes navigation links, a search bar, or suggestions for popular content.
- Informative Messaging: Clearly inform visitors that the page is no longer available while offering alternatives to keep them engaged.
Strategize Content Removal
- Plan Ahead: When removing a page, make sure to plan your redirects and communicate changes to avoid unexpected 404s.
- Monitor Impact: Keep an eye on website traffic and search performance after making structural changes. This can help identify any unforeseen issues and provide opportunities for quick corrective action.
Conclusion
Encountering a “Page cannot be indexed: Not found (404)” error in Google Search Console is not uncommon. While 404 responses indicate that a URL is no longer available, understanding the underlying reasons and knowing the conditions under which a page can be re-indexed is crucial. Whether you’re handling temporary server errors, content removals, or planning a site redesign, following best practices—such as proper redirects, using canonical tags, and optimizing your 404 user experience—ensures that your website remains healthy and search engine–friendly.
By maintaining vigilance and using tools like Google Search Console as your guide, you can navigate the challenges of page availability issues and continue to build a robust online presence.
