Hello,
We apologize for the issue you are facing with the 410 status codes not working as expected. It sounds like there may be a configuration issue with the redirection settings.
To ensure that your pages containing /tag/ are set to return a 410 status code, please follow these steps:
-
Enable the Redirection Module: Make sure that the Redirection module is enabled in Rank Math. You can do this by navigating to Rank Math SEO → Dashboard and enabling the Redirection module if it’s not already active.
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Access Redirections: Go to the Redirections section under the Rank Math SEO menu and click on Add New to create a new redirection rule.
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Configure the Redirection: In the Redirections page, enter the source URLs that contain /tag/ in the Source URLs field. Make sure to select the 410 Content Deleted option in the Maintenance Code section. This will ensure that those pages return a 410 status code instead of a 404.
-
Save Changes: After configuring everything, click on the Add Redirection button to save your changes.
If you have followed these steps and are still experiencing issues, it may be beneficial to check for any caching plugins or server-level caching that might be affecting how the status codes are displayed on the front end. Clearing your cache could resolve this issue.
If you continue to have problems, please reply to this ticket, and a human agent from our support team will assist you further. Thank you for raising this concern!
Sources:
How to Set 410 Status Code in Bulk for WordPress » Rank Math
I followed these instructions and that’s how I had it set before (how do I attach a screenshot to show you?)
Yet the /tag/ pages are still returning 404s and not 410s. See here: https://tattoos.ai/tag/american-traditional-master-sword-tattoo/
I also, cleared the cache in WP. What’s the issue? I need this resolved asap. Thanks!
Any updates? We need these 410s in place as soon as possible. I don’t see an option to upload an image file here to show you a screenshot of our settings.
Hello,
Thank you for contacting us. We apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused.
You can share screenshots with us using the following tool: https://imgur.com/upload
Here is a guide on common issues that can affect your Rank Math redirect rules and solutions: https://rankmath.com/kb/solving-redirection-issues-using-rank-math-seo/
We look forward to helping you.
Thank you.
Here’s the screenshot link: https://imgur.com/a/lN1C2BW
With these settings in place why is it returning 404s and not 410s for /tag/ pages?
Hello,
Please update the redirect to this Regex instead of Starts with:
Source: tag/(.*)
Type: Regex
Destination: 410 Maintenance
Once done, clear your website’s cache and check those tag pages again.
Looking forward to helping you.
Thanks I just implemented the Regex changes you recommended. It looks like those pages are now showing 410. Can you check and confirm? Here are a few examples of those /tag/ pages we want to be gone with a 410.
https://tattoos.ai/tag/moulin-rougue-elephant-tattoo-ideas/
https://tattoos.ai/tag/ladybug-tattoo-black-and-gray-spiral/
https://tattoos.ai/tag/birth-to-death-tattoo/
Also, why did it not work with ‘starts with’ but with your Regex approach? I mean those URLS I wanted gone did start with /tag/. Thanks!
Also, I have a similiar issue with URLs that end with _php7. In RankMath I set it to:
Source: _php7
Type: End With
Maintenance Code: 410
However, these URLs still exist:
https://tattoos.ai/?t41028_php7
https://tattoos.ai/?t66569_php7
https://tattoos.ai/?t31653_php7
Why is that not working and how do I fix it?
Any updates on the 410s not working for _php7 urls as described above?
Hello,
We apologize for the delay in getting back to you.
Redirections for parameterized URLs are only available for Rank Math PRO subscribers.
You might need to create these redirections in the .htaccess file.
Don’t hesitate to let us know if you need our assistance with anything else.
I never created those parameterized URLs. Not sure where they came from. So there’s no way to do this without using the RankMath Pro version? It’s only a few URLS with that issue.
Hello,
Yes, redirecting URLs with query parameters requires Rank Math PRO. However, you can manually handle this via your .htaccess file or a custom PHP function.
You can use the following filter to redirect the URLs with the _php7 parameter:
function custom_redirect_query_params() {
if (isset($_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']) && strpos($_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'], '_php7') !== false) {
status_header(410);
exit;
}
}
add_action('template_redirect', 'custom_redirect_query_params');
Here is how to add a filter to your site: https://rankmath.com/kb/wordpress-hooks-actions-filters/
Hope that helps and please do not hesitate to let us know if you need our assistance with anything else.
Hello,
Since we did not hear back from you for 15 days, we are assuming that you found the solution. We are closing this support ticket.
If you still need assistance or any other help, please feel free to open a new support ticket, and we will be more than happy to assist.
Thank you.
