If you manage a website, you’ve likely encountered the issue of orphaned pages. These pages exist on your site but must be linked because no other page links to them. This issue creates challenges for both users and search engines. If users can’t easily navigate these pages, search engines may not crawl or index them, so your valuable content will not add value to the website.
In this article, we’ll help you fix the orphaned pages in the sitemap.
What Are Orphaned Pages?
Orphaned pages are web pages with no internal links pointing to them. This lack of connection means visitors can’t easily find these pages, and search engines might skip crawling them. As a result, these pages need better indexing and higher search rankings. Imagine creating a page not linked anywhere on your site—not in the menu, footer, or other pages. That page becomes an orphan, hidden from view and inaccessible to your audience.
Why Orphaned Pages Hurt Your Website
Orphaned pages create several issues for your website. First, they need a better user experience. If users can’t find what they’re looking for, they may leave your site. It increases the bounce rate.
Second, orphaned pages waste your resources. You invest time and effort into creating content, but these pages get ignored because they never crawl.
Finally, orphaned pages can drag down your SEO. Search engines rely on links to discover and rank content. Without links pointing to a page, search engines might not index it, leaving it out of search results. Even if the content is valuable, it won’t contribute to your site’s SEO if hidden.
How to Identify Orphaned Pages
Identifying orphaned pages on your site doesn’t have to be complex. Several tools can help you spot these pages and take corrective action.
- Use Website Analytics Tools: Google Analytics is powerful for identifying pages with little or no traffic. These pages might be orphaned.
- Check Your Sitemap: If a page appears in your sitemap but has no links, it’s an orphaned page.
- Use Crawling Tools: Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush can crawl your entire website and identify orphaned pages. Using these tools ensures that every page on your site gets the visibility it deserves.
- Google Search Console: Use it to check for issues with pages that might be orphaned. The Search Console can show you which pages Google is—or isn’t—indexing, helping you identify pages that might be lost in the shuffle.
Steps to Fix Orphaned Pages
Fixing orphaned pages requires a systematic approach. By following these steps, you can ensure that every page on your site is linked and accessible to users and search engines.
- Update Your Sitemap:
Start by ensuring that your sitemap includes all necessary pages. Use Google Search Console to submit your updated sitemap and verify that all necessary pages are listed. - Create Internal Links:
Once you’ve identified orphaned pages, create internal links to them from other relevant pages. Internal links are crucial because they help users and search engines navigate your site. - Revise Navigation Menus:
Don’t overlook the power of your navigation menus. Including links to key orphaned pages in your main or footer navigation menus makes them accessible from anywhere on your site. - Utilize Blog Posts and Articles:
Another effective strategy is to write new blog posts or articles that reference and link to the orphaned pages. - Conduct Regular Audits:
Audit your website regularly to ensure no new orphaned pages appear. Set a schedule for these audits—quarterly or bi-annually—to stay on top of your site’s structure.
Conclusion
Fixing orphaned pages is crucial for improving your website’s SEO. By updating your sitemap, creating internal links, and conducting regular audits, you ensure all your content is accessible and valuable to users and search engines.
