Google Clarifies 404 & Redirect Validation in Search Console
John Mueller explains handling 404 errors, redirects, and site migration issues during reprocessing.
3 min readHighlights
- Google’s “mark as fixed” doesn’t speed up reprocessing.
- Proper redirects and 404s are crucial for site health.
- Reprocessing site changes takes time, especially for larger sites.
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Google’s Search Advocate, John Mueller, has provided valuable insights into how Search Console handles 404 errors, redirects, and site migration issues. This clarification is crucial for website owners and SEO professionals, especially those dealing with site migrations.
Key Points from Mueller’s Response
User Experience with Website Migration
A Reddit user recently shared their frustrating experience with a client’s website migration, which resulted in a significant drop in search rankings. They outlined the steps taken to address the issues, including fixing on-site technical problems, redirecting 404 pages to the appropriate URLs, and submitting these changes for validation in Google Search Console. Despite confirming that all redirects and 404 pages were correctly set up, the changes failed to validate in Search Console.
Mueller’s Explanation
In response to the user’s concerns, Mueller explained how Google processes 404 errors and redirect validations in Search Console. He clarified that the “mark as fixed” feature doesn’t accelerate Google’s reprocessing of site changes; rather, it serves as a tool for site owners to track their progress.
Mueller noted:
“The ‘mark as fixed’ here will only track how things are being reprocessed. It won’t speed up reprocessing itself.”
He also highlighted that if a page is intentionally returning a 404 error, no further action is needed.
Mueller adds:
“If they are supposed to be 404s, then there’s nothing to do. 404s for pages that don’t exist are fine. It’s technically correct to have them return 404. These being flagged don’t mean you’re doing something wrong, if you’re doing the 404s on purpose.”
For pages that shouldn’t return a 404 error, Mueller suggests:
“If these aren’t meant to be 404 – the important part is to fix the issue though, set up the redirects, have the new content return 200, check internal links, update sitemap dates, etc. If it hasn’t been too long (days), then probably it’ll pick up again quickly. If it’s been a longer time, and if it’s a lot of pages on the new site, then (perhaps obviously) it’ll take longer to be reprocessed.”
Key Takeaways
For Redirects and Content Updates:
- Ensure redirects are correctly set up and new content returns a 200 (OK) status code.
- Update internal links to reflect new URLs.
- Refresh the sitemap with updated dates to signal changes to Google.
Reprocessing Timeline:
- Recent changes (within a few days) are likely processed quickly by Google.
- Larger websites or older issues may take more time to reprocess.
Handling 404 Pages:
- Returning a 404 error is appropriate for pages that no longer exist.
- Seeing 404s flagged in Search Console isn’t necessarily problematic if they are intentional.
Why This Matters
Website migrations can be complex and may temporarily affect search rankings if not handled correctly. Google Search Console is a useful tool for tracking changes, but it has limitations. The validation process checks if fixes are implemented correctly, not how quickly changes will be made. Practicing patience and ensuring all technical details—such as redirects, content updates, and internal linking—are adequately addressed is crucial.
By understanding Google’s validation process and following Mueller’s advice, website owners can better manage site migrations and maintain healthy site performance in search results.
