Glossary/SEO & Content/Soft 404
SEO & Content
Soft 404
A page that tells users it doesn't exist or has no content but returns a normal 200 status code instead of an error.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
A soft 404 is a page that tells users it does not exist or has no content but returns a normal 200 status code instead of an error. Search engines may flag these pages because the status code and content contradict each other. Returning a proper 404 or 410 status, or redirecting appropriately, resolves the issue.