Why Google’s Martin Splitt Says 404 Redirects to Homepage Are Harmful
Are all 404 error pages from your website being sent to the homepage? Many website owners do this believing it will keep users on their site longer. Lately, Google’s developer advocate Martin Splitt has given some direct advice on the subject: it’s a terrible practice. A recent “SEO Office Hours Shorts” video addressed whether this popular tactic lowers Splitt-issued search rankings. His answer was straightforward: “Yes, and also it annoys me as a user.” We wish to correct this error since we at Boston Web Marketing have witnessed it negatively impact the search engine optimization of several websites.
The Valuable Purpose of 404 Error Pages
Despite what many people think, 404 error pages have a practical function and are not your adversary. A 404 page makes it obvious what occurred when a user clicks on a link to no longer available material. According to Splitt, “A 404 is an apparent signal this link is wrong and broken or this URL no longer exists.” Users will arrive at an unexpected location without explanation if you omit this step and direct them to your site. If you click on a link for “red sneakers” and are taken to a webpage selling various shoes, you could become confused and leave the website. According to our experience, trustworthy 404 pages increase user and search engine confidence.
How Homepage Redirects Confuse Search Crawlers
Sending all missing pages to your homepage causes serious issues with search rankings. Clear indications regarding the structure of your website are essential for search engines like Google. Their crawlers track links and catalog pages and notice when material is missing. When you use blanket redirects to your homepage, these crawlers become trapped in perplexing loops. According to Splitt, a crawler will go to the homepage and then navigate through, or essentially explore, your website to discover information. Eventually, they may encounter a URL that isn’t there. However, if you reroute them, they are essentially diverted, and then the process begins over. Many clients have had this problem resolved by our SEO team, and they frequently experience immediate increases in search engine ranks.
Common Redirect Mistakes That Hurt Rankings
Beyond sending 404s to your homepage, we’ve seen several other redirect mistakes that can damage your search visibility:
- Redirect chains: When page A redirects to page B, which redirects to page C, creating a slow and confusing path
- Temporary redirects for permanent changes: Using 302 redirects when content has permanently moved
- Redirecting to irrelevant content: Sending users to pages that don’t match what they were looking for
- Too many redirects: Having hundreds of redirects can slow down your site and waste crawl budget
Each error irritates consumers and gives search engines ambiguous signals. Boston Web Marketing’s technical SEO audits frequently uncover these problems lurking beneath the surface of poorly performing websites.
The Right Way to Handle Different Types of Missing Content
What happened to the original page determines whether the method is appropriate. When content has moved, employ a 301 redirect that takes users to the new page. Leave the 404 status code in place if the material is gone, but make your 404 page helpful. Include a search box, links to well-liked articles, and easy-to-use navigation. Visitors may still discover what they need with this method while maintaining appropriate technical signals. Do not forget Splitt’s simple advice: “If it moved somewhere else, use a redirect. If it’s gone, don’t redirect me to the homepage.”
Creating Helpful Custom 404 Pages
An effective 404 page may transform a possible point of departure into a helpful section of your website. Effective 404 pages should:
- Clearly state that the page could not be found.
- Keep your brand’s appearance consistent.
- Add a search function to assist people in finding what they’re looking for.
- Provide simple access to the primary areas of your website with feature links to your most popular content.
- Instead of using technical jargon, speak in an approachable and valuable manner.
At Boston Web Marketing, we create unique 404 pages that organically direct visitors to the desired content, lowering bounce rates while preserving the appropriate technical SEO signals.
How Redirecting Problems Affects the Crawl Budget
Every website receives a certain amount of time and resources from Google (called the “crawl budget“). Poor redirection techniques waste this vital resource. Your site’s overall exposure suffers when Google spends effort pursuing pointless redirect loops rather than finding your valuable content. It becomes even more critical to manage redirects properly for larger websites with thousands of pages. Our team has observed instances where resolving redirect problems resulted in notable improvements in the number of pages indexed and enhanced search engine exposure.
Tools to Identify Problematic Redirects on Your Site
Several tools can help you spot redirect problems before they hurt your rankings:
- Google Search Console: Check the Coverage report for redirect errors
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider: Scans your site for redirect chains and loops
- Ahrefs Site Audit: Identifies redirect issues and suggests fixes
- Semrush Site Audit: Highlights technical SEO problems, including redirects
At Boston Web Marketing, we use these professional tools to analyze client websites thoroughly and find hidden issues that basic scans might miss.
Fix Your Website Redirects Today
Are your website’s poor redirects driving users and search engines in circles? Boston Web Marketing can assist in resolving the issue. Our staff will check your website for technical SEO problems, such as incorrect redirects, and apply repairs following Google’s most recent recommendations. In addition to ranking higher, a well-structured website attracts happier users who can find what they’re looking for. Don’t let this typical error prevent you from succeeding online. For a free website assessment, contact us today. Without the need for deceptive redirects, we’ll assist your company get discovered by the appropriate individuals at the proper moment!