Soft 404

A soft 404 occurs when Google determines that a page appears missing or effectively empty even though the server returns a successful response, often HTTP 200. A deleted cleaning-service page that displays a 'not found' message while still returning 200 is one possible example. Google may also classify some thin or broken pages this way. The appropriate fix depends on whether the content is gone, moved to a relevant replacement, or unexpectedly failing to load. A genuinely missing page typically needs a proper 404 or 410 response; a moved page may need a suitable redirect. A soft 404 describes Google's interpretation, not a separate HTTP status code.