As AI tools like ChatGPT become more widely used, they sometimes generate and cite links to your website that don’t actually exist. These incorrect URLs can lead to 404 (Page Not Found) errors, resulting in a poor user experience and missed SEO opportunities.
In this knowledgebase article, you’ll learn how to track and fix 404 traffic from AI tools like ChatGPT. Whether you choose to redirect the broken links or create new content, this guide will help you turn lost traffic into valuable visits.
1 Understand the Problem with AI-Cited URLs
AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini often cite URLs based on what they assume exists on your site.
For example, they may generate links like /best-free-seo-tools or /best-seo-checklist—even if those pages were never published. When users click these hallucinated links, they land on a 404 page.
This is becoming increasingly common as AI-generated search results begin driving real traffic. So, these broken links aren’t just technical errors—they’re real opportunities you can reclaim.
You can handle these URLs in three powerful ways:
- Redirect them to the most relevant existing page
- Create new content based on the topic the AI inferred
- Analyze patterns to strengthen your content strategy and internal linking
In the following sections, you’ll learn how to identify these URLs and take meaningful action.
2 Track Your Website’s 404 Errors
When an AI tool cites your site as a source but makes up a URL, users may unknowingly land on a 404 page. To fix this, the first step is identifying those broken links.
2.1 Track 404 Errors Using Rank Math’s 404 Monitor
To begin, ensure you have Rank Math installed and fully set up. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Rank Math SEO → Dashboard, and activate the 404 Monitor and Redirections modules, as shown below.
Next, go to Rank Math SEO → General Settings → 404 Monitor, and change the error log mode from Simple to Advanced, as shown below. Don’t forget to save your changes.
Using Advanced mode gives you more detailed logs, including the Referrer URL, which helps identify which AI tool or site is sending traffic to your broken links.
Finally, head over to Rank Math SEO → 404 Monitor. This is where you’ll see all 404 hits on your site. If the advanced mode is already enabled, the Referrer column will display the source of the traffic.
For example, in this case, the referrer is ChatGPT, as highlighted below.
2.2 Monitor 404 Traffic with Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers another way to track visits to 404 pages—and in some cases, it can help you identify where the traffic came from, including AI tools like ChatGPT.
First, ensure your site is properly connected to GA4. Then, in your GA4 dashboard, go to Reports → Engagement → Pages and Screens.
To locate your 404 pages, click the dropdown on the chart row and select Page title and screen class. This will show you the titles of pages that received traffic.
If your 404 page is titled something like Page Not Found, you’ll see it listed here, along with metrics like views, engagement time, and more. Your 404 title may vary depending on your theme or setup.
To identify the source of the traffic (such as ChatGPT), click the “+” icon next to the relevant dimension row.
In the popup, go to Traffic Source → Cross-channel → Session source/medium.
GA4 will now display both the 404 page titles and the source of the traffic. If ChatGPT was the referral source, you may see chatgpt.com in the report.
If your site has a large amount of data, you can use the search bar to filter it quickly. If no AI-related sources appear, it likely means you haven’t received AI-driven 404 traffic yet.
3 Redirect or Create Content for Those URLs
Once you’ve identified the broken URLs, it’s time to take action—either by redirecting them to an existing page or creating a new article around that topic.
3.1 Redirect to an Existing Relevant Page
If you already have a page on your site that covers a similar topic to the 404 URL, it’s best to redirect the broken link to that existing content. This ensures users still land on something helpful instead of bouncing away.
If you already have a page on your site that covers a similar topic, redirecting the broken URL is a great way to retain traffic and improve the user experience.
If the URL was logged in Rank Math’s 404 Monitor, hover over it and click Redirect. This takes you directly to the Redirections setup screen.
If you found the 404 URL using Google Analytics, copy the path and navigate to Rank Math SEO → Redirections. Then, click Add New.
In the Redirection setup:
- Paste the broken URL in the Source URL field.
- Enter the most relevant existing page in the Destination URL field.
- Set the redirection type to 301 Permanent Move.
- Click Update Redirection when you’re done.
This ensures that future traffic to the broken URL is routed to helpful, existing content.
3.2 Create a New Article Using Content AI
If there’s no similar content on your site and the 404 URL points to a valuable topic, consider creating a new article instead. This not only captures missed traffic but also strengthens your SEO footprint.
You can do this manually, but to save time and generate a fully optimized article, use Content AI. First, ensure you have an active Content AI plan and enable its module. If your credits are exhausted, you can subscribe to a plan that suits your needs.
Now, you’ll be using the Blog Post Wizard tool in Content AI to create the article. But before that, use RankBot to generate the required input.
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Rank Math SEO → Content AI → Chat, and enter this prompt:
“Provide me with the best details to write a blog article on this topic: [404 URL] — including title, focus keyword, audience, main points, tone, style, and meta description”.
Replace [404 URL] with the actual broken link you found.
RankBot will return everything you need: the title, keyword, outline, and more.
Next, go to the AI Tools tab and open the Blog Post Wizard.
In the first phase, you’ll be prompted to enter blog details. You can skip it and proceed to the next phase.
The next phase will involve requesting the blog post details in order to create its outline. Provide the output from RankBot.
Once done, click Generate to create the complete outline.
If you’re satisfied, click Write Post, and the AI will generate the full article based on your inputs.
When the content is ready, copy it and create a new WordPress post. Be sure to use the original 404 slug (e.g., /best-seo-checklist) as the URL. This way, any future traffic sent to that hallucinated link will now land on a real, valuable article.
Feel free to edit the post, add media, and optimize it further; then, publish it.
Now you’ve successfully turned a broken link into an opportunity. Whether you choose to redirect it or create new content, these steps help you reclaim lost traffic, improve user experience, and grow your visibility in the AI-powered search landscape.
If you need help or encounter any issues, our support team is always ready to assist you. They’re available 24/7, 365 days a year.