Redirecting 404s to the Homepage? Martin Splitt Says It’s a Mistake
The Problem with Redirecting 404s to the Homepage
Redirecting every 404 page to the homepage will mislead users and search engine crawlers alike. When a user finds a missing or broken page, a 404 error is an unmistakable signal that content has gone missing. A redirect to the homepage offers no such signaling and can thus result in a disappointing experience for the user.
Splitt was unequivocal in his reply when questioned regarding whether sending all 404 pages with 301 redirects would adversely affect rankings or site performance. His reply was straightforward:
“Yes, and also it annoys me as a user.”
Why 404 Pages Are Necessary
404 error pages are used to fulfill an important role, which is that they communicate when a URL has been broken or is no longer in use. This informs both users and search engines what’s going wrong as opposed to pointing them astray with a redirect.
Splitt continued:
“A 404 is a really nice signal that this link is incorrect and busted or this URL is no longer accessible because possibly the product no longer exists or there’s some other change.”
If not handled properly with 404s, users will have a hard time using the site, and search engines can’t index the site properly.
How Redirecting 404s Impacts Search Crawlers
Redirecting all missing pages to the homepage can interfere with search engine crawlers’ ability to process a website effectively. When crawlers are faced with a valid 404, they understand that the content is missing and proceed. But redirecting them to the homepage causes unnecessary confusion.
Splitt elaborated:
“For a crawler, they visit like a homepage and click through or essentially crawl through your site, discovering content, and sometimes they may come across a URL that does not exist.
But if you redirect, they’re essentially like being redirected, and then it all commences once more.”
It can consume crawl budgets and have adverse effects on the indexing of a website.
Best Practices for Managing 404 Errors
Splitt described the correct method for handling missing pages properly:
- Use redirects sparingly – If content has relocated, redirect to the new, applicable URL rather than the homepage.
- Keep the 404 status code when content is lost – This informs users and search engines that the page is no longer present.
- Avoid redirecting to the homepage – A homepage redirect does not serve as a meaningful replacement for a missing page.
Splitt emphasized:
“If it moved somewhere else, use a redirect. If it’s gone, don’t redirect me to the homepage.”
Martin Splitt has also emphasized retaining proper HTTP status codes so that search engines and users will understand a website’s structure properly. By keeping this in mind, website owners avoid unnecessary confusion and enhance both usability and search performance.
Conclusion
Redirecting 404s to the homepage might seem like an easy solution, but it will cause more issues than it prevents. Users will be frustrated, search engine crawlers will get confused, and website indexing can be penalized. Rather, Martin Splitt suggests proper 404 status codes or targeted redirects where needed. With these best practices, websites will remain user-friendly and SEO-friendly.