Have you ever checked your website and found that some pages don’t open or show an error message? It can be frustrating when users can’t reach your pages, and even worse when search engines stop showing them in results. URL problems often cause these issues, affecting both your site traffic and visibility.
Many websites face common URL errors without realizing how much they hurt SEO. Broken links, missing pages, or incorrect redirects can stop your site from ranking and confuse search engines. In this guide, you’ll learn about the three most common URL problems and how to fix them fast so your site stays healthy and search-friendly. If you want to understand how fixing technical issues improves rankings, check out our guide on What Is SEO in Digital Marketing?
Invalid or Bad URLs
A common issue many site owners face is invalid or bad URLs. Search engines can’t process such URLs, which means they won’t appear in search results. Identifying and fixing these errors early helps maintain your site’s crawlability and ensures a proper URL structure for SEO.
What Does an Invalid or Bad URL Mean?
An invalid or bad URL includes spaces, wrong symbols, or incomplete paths that make the link unreadable. These errors often look minor but can lead to major indexing problems. Examples include backslashes, special characters, or relative paths that don’t point to the full web address.
How to Identify Problematic URLs
You can use tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog to find invalid URLs on your site. They flag links that fail to load or include formatting mistakes. Monitoring your website regularly helps you prevent URL-related SEO issues before they affect rankings.
How to Fix Invalid URLs Fast
Here are some simple ways to fix bad URLs:
- Replace spaces with %20 or better yet, remove them entirely.
- Use forward slashes / instead of backslashes \.
- Use full URLs that include “https://” instead of relative paths.
- Keep URLs short, readable, and keyword-focused for better optimization.
For a checklist of on-page elements that improve SEO, explore our On-Page SEO Checklist 2025. You’ll find how a clean URL structure helps search engines understand your content better.
Missing Pages
Another common URL problem is missing pages. These usually appear as 404 errors or soft 404 errors, which signal that a page no longer exists or contains little content. If users frequently land on broken pages, your website can lose trust and ranking power.
What Causes 404 Errors?
A 404 error occurs when a page can’t be found. It often happens after deleting old pages, changing slugs, or moving content without updating links. For instance, if you remove a service page but forget to redirect it, visitors will see a “Page Not Found” message.
How to Fix 404 and Soft 404 Errors
To resolve these problems:
- Add a 301 redirect to a related or updated page.
- Create a custom 404 page with navigation links to keep users engaged.
- Use internal linking to guide visitors toward relevant pages.
- Check your sitemap for outdated URLs or typos.
Soft 404s occur when a page technically exists but lacks meaningful content. You can fix this by adding quality information, merging thin pages, or marking low-value URLs as “noindex.”
If you want to see how broken links affect authority, read our Off-Page SEO Guide. It explains how healthy link signals support your site’s SEO growth.
Crawl Errors
Search engines rely on crawling to discover and index your site. Crawl errors block that process and can prevent important pages from appearing in search results. They include access denied errors, broken redirects, and redirect loops.
What Causes Crawl Errors in SEO?
Crawl errors often happen when your site structure changes, permissions are set incorrectly, or your robots.txt file blocks access. Sometimes, redirect chains confuse search bots, wasting crawl budget and delaying indexation.
How to Fix Broken Redirects and Redirect Loops
To fix crawl-related problems:
- Check redirects and make sure they lead to valid, live pages.
- Avoid redirect chains that send crawlers in circles.
- Review your .htaccess file to find and repair faulty paths.
- Test all redirects after updates or migrations.
How to Handle Access Denied or Blocked URLs
If crawlers can’t access a page, verify that it isn’t behind a login wall or restricted by the robots.txt file. Allow Googlebot access to all pages you want indexed. For a full technical check, explore our guide on What Is an SEO Audit Service?.
You can also learn more about solving crawl issues directly from Google’s official guide or review Ahrefs’ SEO-friendly URL guide to strengthen your technical SEO foundation.
How to Audit and Monitor URLs for Ongoing Health
Healthy URLs are essential for long-term SEO success. Regular audits help prevent broken links, redirects, and missing pages from hurting your rankings.
Best Tools to Track URL Issues
Use Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or Ahrefs Site Audit to detect errors. These tools scan every page and report missing or invalid links.
How to Set Up Regular Crawl Checks
Run a crawl every month to keep track of changes and fix issues quickly. Keep an updated sitemap to help search engines discover new content.
How to Maintain a Clean URL Structure Over Time
Stick to short, descriptive, keyword-rich URLs. Avoid random parameters, uppercase letters, or unnecessary folders. A clear URL path improves crawlability and user experience.
If you’re focusing on improving rankings through ongoing technical work, check out our Improve SEO Strategies guide for long-term results.
Final Takeaway — Keep Your URLs Healthy and Search-Ready
URL problems might seem minor, but they can harm SEO performance and user experience. Invalid links, 404 errors, or crawl issues block search engines from accessing your pages. Regular audits and fixes keep your website optimized, fast, and reliable. If you need help keeping your WordPress or custom site error-free, visit our Improve SEO Strategies page and learn how ongoing optimization ensures stable rankings and stronger traffic.
