What Are HTTP Status Codes in SEO?
Status codes tell crawlers what happened with each page. Here is a reference to 200, 301, 302, 404, 410, 500 and soft 404 codes, what they mean for SEO, and how to find and fix 404 errors.
HTTP status codes are three-digit server responses telling browsers and crawlers what happened. A 301 is a permanent redirect, a 302 is temporary. A 404 means not found, a 410 means gone permanently. A soft 404 returns success but shows no real content; a 500 is a server error. Find 404s with Search Console and crawling tools, then restore, redirect, or let them return a clean 404 or 410.
What status codes are, and a reference table
HTTP status codes are three-digit responses a server returns for each request, telling browsers and crawlers what happened, such as success, redirect or error. They guide how pages are treated; because they affect crawling and indexing, understanding common codes like 200, 301, 404 and 500 is essential technical SEO knowledge. Here is a quick reference to the codes that matter most for SEO.
| Code | Meaning | What it means for SEO |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | OK, success | The page loaded correctly and can be crawled and indexed normally. |
| 301 | Permanent redirect | Passes signals to the new URL; use for permanent moves. |
| 302 | Temporary redirect | For short-term moves; not for permanent changes. |
| 404 | Not found | Page missing; fine for genuinely gone pages, but fix broken links. |
| 410 | Gone permanently | Stronger removal signal for deliberately deleted content. |
| 500 | Server error | Request could not be completed; investigate promptly. |
| Soft 404 | Success but empty | Returns 200 with no real content; should return a proper code. |
Redirects, error codes, and finding and fixing 404s
A 301 is a permanent redirect that passes signals to the new URL, while a 302 is a temporary redirect meant for short-term moves. The distinction matters for SEO; because a permanent move should use a 301 to consolidate signals, using the right redirect type ensures value is handled correctly, which is central to any site migration. A 404 means a page was not found, which may be temporary, while a 410 means the page is gone permanently, and both indicate missing content. Because a 410 is a stronger removal signal, it can be used when you deliberately delete content, though a 404 is fine for most missing pages. A soft 404 is when a page returns a success code but shows no real content, confusing search engines, while a 500 error is a server error meaning the request could not be completed. Both cause problems; because they waste crawling and hide issues, soft 404s should return proper codes and 500 errors should be investigated promptly. You find 404s using Google Search Console and crawling tools, then fix them by restoring the page, redirecting it to a relevant URL, or letting it return a clean 404 or 410 if it should be gone. Regular checks help; because broken links harm users and waste crawling, handling 404s sensibly keeps a site healthy, and it is a routine part of a technical audit.
Clean codes,
no broken links.
We keep an eye on your status codes, using the right redirects, fixing broken links and clearing up soft 404s and server errors. Healthy technical foundations, monitored as part of your plan.
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