Google has released a new episode in its “SEO Office Hours Shorts” video series, in which Developer Advocate Martin Splitt addresses a question many website owners face: Should all 404 error pages be redirected to the homepage?
The Clear Answer: Don’t Do It
In the latest installment of the condensed Q&A format, Splitt responds to a question from a user named Chris about whether “redirecting all 404 pages to the homepage with 301 redirects can have a negative impact on rankings or overall website performance in search.”
Splitt’s response was unambiguous: “Yes, and also it annoys me as a user.”
Why 404s Serve A Purpose
404 error pages signal to users and search engine crawlers that a URL is broken or nonexistent. This transparency helps people understand what they’re dealing with rather than being unexpectedly redirected to an unrelated page.
Splitt explained:
“A 404 is a very clear signal this link is wrong and broken or this URL no longer exists because maybe the product doesn’t exist or something has changed.”
Impact on Search Crawlers
Splitt says blanket redirects to the homepage can disrupt search engine crawlers’ efficiency.
When crawlers encounter a legitimate 404, they recognize that the content no longer exists and can move on to other URLs. However, redirecting them to the homepage creates a confusing loop.
Splitt noted:
“For a crawler, they go like homepage and then click through or basically crawl through your website, finding content, and eventually they might run into a URL that doesn’t exist.
But if you redirect, they’re kind of like being redirected, and then it all starts over again.”
Best Practices for Handling Missing Content
Splitt offered clear guidance on proper redirects:
- If content has moved to a new location, use a redirect to that specific new URL
- If content is truly gone, maintain the 404 status code
- Don’t redirect to the homepage or what you think is the “closest” match
Splitt emphasized:
“If it moved somewhere else, use a redirect. If it’s gone, don’t redirect me to the homepage.”
This latest guidance aligns with Google’s longstanding recommendation to maintain accurate HTTP status codes to help users and search engines understand your site structure.
New Format
The SEO Office Hours Shorts format is a new approach from Google’s Search Relations team.
The original format was a live show where anyone could call in and get their questions answered in real time.
This format then transitioned to recorded sessions where Google personnel responded to a selection of pre-approved questions.
Now, SEO Office Hours is presented as short videos. If you prefer one of the previous formats, Splitt encourages feedback in the comments section of the video below:
Featured Image: Screenshot from YouTube.com/GoogleSearchCentral, March 2025.
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/googles-martin-splitt-warns-against-redirecting-404s-to-homepage/541549/