Title: Optimizing SEO Data causes 404 Error
Last modified: November 17, 2021

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# Optimizing SEO Data causes 404 Error

 *  Resolved [homefrontfreedom](https://wordpress.org/support/users/homefrontfreedom/)
 * (@homefrontfreedom)
 * [4 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/optimizing-seo-data-causes-404-error/)
 * This error has been occuring for some time now. When I click the button to optimize
   SEO Data, I get the followimg details from the oops, something went wrong widget:
 *     ```
       Error details
   
       Request URL
       https://homefrontfreedom.com/wp-json/yoast/v1/indexing/prepare
   
       Request method
       POST
   
       Status code
       404
   
       Error message
       No route was found matching the URL and request method.
       ```
   
 * Im using Yoast SEO 17.6 on WordPress 5.8.2.
    I also have the Yoast Test Helper
   installed. I searched but could not find the answer. Can you please help?

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  Plugin Support [Maybellyne](https://wordpress.org/support/users/maybellyne/)
 * (@maybellyne)
 * [4 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/optimizing-seo-data-causes-404-error/#post-15076317)
 * Hello Homefrontfreedom,
 * We are sorry that you are unable to complete the SEO data optimization on your
   site.
 * The Yoast plugin uses the WordPress REST API for several features, including 
   SEO data optimization. Therefore, the pathway `wp-json/yoast/v1/indexing/prepare/`
   is a request that our plugin makes to the REST API for scanning posts and indexing
   them in the website database. If you’re still getting 404, it looks like something
   on your site/server setups blocks them. Therefore, SEO data optimization cannot
   be performed.
 * Because we don’t know your server setup, we cannot determine exactly why the 
   server returns a 404 for the REST API requests made by Yoast. Based on similar
   issues we receive from other users, this typically occurs due to a security or
   server setting.
 * Would you please check the ‘mod_security’ settings that prevent our plugin from
   accessing the REST API? If there are no ‘mod_security’ settings preventing access
   at the server, you may have a custom `.htaccess` rule or security plugin limiting
   access to the WordPress REST API. Please review any security restrictions and
   whitelist the Yoast plugin for accessing the feature.
 * If you have a Web Application Firewall (WAF), like Comodo, please verify that
   it is not set up to strip the parameter from the Yoast REST API requests. Some
   users have reported that some WAF setups are too strict to prevent Blind SQL 
   injection attacks. Your hosting provider can easily check and help you to resolve
   this.
 * Do let us know how it goes.
 *  [devnihil](https://wordpress.org/support/users/devnihil/)
 * (@devnihil)
 * [4 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/optimizing-seo-data-causes-404-error/#post-15097519)
 * We are going ahead and marking this issue as resolved due to inactivity. If you
   require any further assistance please create a new issue.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘Optimizing SEO Data causes 404 Error’ is closed to new replies.

 * ![](https://ps.w.org/wordpress-seo/assets/icon-256x256.gif?rev=3419908)
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 * 2 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [devnihil](https://wordpress.org/support/users/devnihil/)
 * Last activity: [4 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/optimizing-seo-data-causes-404-error/#post-15097519)
 * Status: resolved