Why You Should Never Redirect 404 Pages to Your Homepage: SEO Best Practices Explained

Redirecting every 404 error page to your homepage might seem like a quick fix, but it’s a major SEO mistake. In this episode, we break down why it confuses both users and search engines, and what you should do instead to keep your site clear, professional, and search-friendly.

You’ll learn:

• What a 404 page means and why it’s important
• When to use a 301 redirect—and when not to
• How homepage redirects hurt crawl budgets, user experience, and rankings
• Google’s official stance on blanket redirects
• Simple ways to design helpful, branded 404 pages
• Why clear messaging and accurate status codes improve trust and SEO

If you want your website to rank better and offer a smoother experience, this episode shows you how to turn missing pages into an opportunity, not a penalty.

Blog Link: Why You Shouldn’t Redirect 404 Pages to Your Homepage

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