Hi mark256,
To fix the issue of incorrect URLs that are still accessible and do not return a 404 error, follow these steps:
1/ Check Your URL Structure
Ensure that your URL structure is correctly configured:
- Go to the Joomla admin panel.
- Navigate to System > Global Configuration.
- Under the Site tab, check the SEO Settings. Make sure the settings like Search Engine Friendly URLs, Use URL Rewriting and Add Suffix to URL are configured correctly.
2/ Use Redirects plugin
Set up redirects from the incorrect URLs to the correct ones using Joomla's Redirect Manager:
Install the Redirects Component
- Go to the Extensions Manager:
- Navigate to System > Manage > Extensions.
- In the Install Extensions tab, click on Manage.
- In the Manage screen, search for Redirect.
- If you find it in the list but it’s disabled, select it and click on Enable.
- If you do not see it listed, you might need to install it manually. Download the Redirect component from the Joomla official website or another trusted source and upload it using the Upload Package File option.
Enable the Redirects Plugin
- Navigate to System > Manage > Plugins.
- Search for the Redirects Plugin:
- In the search bar, type Redirect to find the System - Redirect plugin.
- If it is disabled, click the checkbox next to it and then click on Enable.
And now, Set up redirects here:
3/ Remove Incorrect URLs from Google Index
Access URL Removal Tool:
- Go to Google Search Console.
- Select your property.
- Go to Removals > New Request.
- Enter the incorrect URLs and submit.
Hope this helps!