What is an Orphan Page?
An orphan page is a webpage that lacks any internal links from other pages on a website, making it inaccessible through navigation. However, it can still be reached via external backlinks or direct URLs.
Sometimes, pages are intentionally left orphaned. Advertising landing pages are an example of a page that may be deliberately orphaned. On the other hand, accidental orphan pages need your attention (identify and resolve these issues).
Accidental orphan pages often arise from errors during site migrations, navigation updates, redesigns, or as a result of out-of-stock products and testing.
Why Are Orphan Pages Bad for SEO?
Orphan pages can pose significant challenges for most websites. Here’s why they’re problematic:
- Potential for Non-Indexing: Orphan pages may not be indexed by search engines anymore.
- Wasted Crawl Budget: They can consume a substantial portion of your crawl budget.
- Poor Performance: Orphan pages typically don’t achieve strong performance in search results.
- Negative Impact on User Experience: They can hinder the overall user experience on your site.
Common Reasons Orphan Pages Occur
While some non-indexable orphan pages, such as those for PPC landing pages or specific campaigns aimed at a niche audience, are completely acceptable, many orphan pages arise from oversight during regular audits.
Here are some common causes:
- Incomplete Internal Linking Structure: A lack of a good internal linking strategy can lead to orphan pages.
- Poor Site Maintenance: Neglecting regular housekeeping can allow pages to become orphaned.
- Tracking Difficulties: Frequent updates and site migrations may result in losing track of pages and their associated links.
- Failure to Update: Retaining outdated campaigns or landing pages, such as those for past events, discontinued products, or limited-time sales – without relocating them to an appropriate section, like an archive page, can create orphan pages.
