When browsing the web, you may encounter the error message “Pages Don’t Have Character Encoding Declared.” This issue arises when a web page does not specify the character encoding it uses. Character encoding is crucial for browsers to correctly display text on a webpage. Without it, special characters, symbols, or even entire languages may not render properly, leading to a poor user experience.
Importance of fixing this issue: Failure to declare the character encoding can result in garbled text, making it difficult for visitors to read and understand your content. This can lead to frustration, increased bounce rates, and ultimately, a negative impact on your website’s credibility and user engagement.
How to Fix “Pages Don’t Have Character Encoding Declared” Detected by a Semrush Audit
Step 1: Identify the Affected Pages
Start by identifying which pages on your website have been flagged with the “Pages Don’t Have Character Encoding Declared” issue. You can find this information in the audit report provided by Semrush.
Step 2: Access the HTML Code
Once you’ve identified the problematic pages, access the HTML code of each page. You can usually do this by right-clicking on the web page and selecting “View Page Source” or “Inspect.”
Step 3: Locate the <head> Section
Within the HTML code, locate the <head> section of the webpage. This is where you’ll need to add the character encoding declaration.
Step 4: Add the Meta Charset Tag
Insert the following meta tag within the <head> section of your HTML code:
html
<meta charset=”UTF-8″>
This tag specifies that the character encoding for the page is UTF-8, which is widely supported and can handle most characters used on the web.
Step 5: Save Changes and Test
After adding the meta charset tag, save the changes to your HTML code. Then, upload the updated files to your web server. Once the changes are live, test the affected pages to ensure that the “Pages Don’t Have Character Encoding Declared” issue has been resolved.
Step 6: Verify with Semrush
After making the necessary adjustments, re-run the Semrush audit or request a recheck to confirm that the issue has been resolved. If done correctly, the “Pages Don’t Have Character Encoding Declared” error should no longer appear in the audit report.
Step 7: Monitor Regularly
Keep an eye on your website’s performance and conduct regular audits to ensure that the character encoding declaration remains intact and that no new issues arise.
If none of the solutions mentioned above resolve your issue, feel free to reach out to our team for personalized assistance and support.
