A New Challenge for Website Owners: Fake URLs Generated by AI
Website owners and SEO professionals are facing a new problem. AI content generation tools are creating fake URLs when referencing real websites. This issue was discussed in a recent social media conversation between industry professionals.
The Issue of Hallucinated Links
On Bluesky, agency owner Dan Thornton pointed out a pattern of 404 errors from non-existent URLs generated by AI systems. His question: Should these links be redirected to existing pages? Thornton states: “Investigated a number of 404s recorded on a client website. And a significant amount were generated by an AI service, which appears to have just made up articles, and URLs, in citations. It isn’t even using the right URL structure. Debating the value of redirects and any potential impact.”
Thornton’s Concerns
Thornton adds: “On one hand, mistakes by more obscure AI bots might not seem worth correcting for the sake of adding more redirects. On the other, if it’s a relatively small client with a high value for conversions, even a couple of lost sales due to the damage to the brand will be noticeable.” This highlights the need for website owners to consider the potential impact of hallucinated links on their business.
Google’s Perspective on Hallucinated Links
Predicting an increase in hallucinated links, Google Search Advocate John Mueller offers guidance that can help navigate this issue. First, he recommends having a good 404 page in place, stating: “A good 404 page could help explain the value of the site, and where to go for more information. You could also use the URL as a site-search query & show the results on the 404 page, to get people closer.”
Mueller’s Advice
Before investing in solutions, Mueller recommends collecting data. He states: “I wonder if this is going to be a more common thing? It’s tempting to extrapolate from one off [incidents], but perhaps it makes sense to collect some more data before spending too much on it.” In a follow-up comment, Mueller predicted: “My tea leaves say that for the next 6-12 months we’ll see a slight uptick of these hallucinated links being clicked, and then they’ll disappear as the consumer services adjust to better grounding on actual URLs.”
A Broader Perspective
Mueller provided a broader perspective, advising SEO professionals to avoid focusing on minor metrics. He adds: “I know some SEOs like to over-focus on tiny metrics, but I think sites will be better off focusing on a more stable state, rather than hoping for accidental by-clicks. Build more things that bring real value to the web, that attract & keep users coming back on their own.” This advice encourages website owners to prioritize creating high-quality content and user experiences.
Potential Solutions
As AI adoption grows, publishers may need to develop new strategies for mitigating hallucinations. Ammon Johns, recognized as a pioneer in the SEO industry, offers a potential solution to consider. In response to Thornton, he suggests: “I think any new custom 404 page should include a note to anyone that arrived there from an AI prompt to explain hallucinations and how AI makes so many of them you’ve even updated your site to warn people. Always make your market smarter – education is the ultimate branding.”
Conclusion
It’s too early to recommend a specific strategy at this time. Mueller advises monitoring these errors and their impact before making major changes. As the use of AI content generation tools continues to grow, website owners and SEO professionals will need to stay vigilant and adapt to the evolving landscape of hallucinated links. By prioritizing high-quality content, user experiences, and education, website owners can mitigate the effects of fake URLs and build a stronger online presence.