In the vast realm of search engine optimization (SEO), understanding the impact of HTTP status codes on your website’s performance is crucial. These codes, delivered by web servers, provide information to browsers and search engines about the status of a requested webpage. By interpreting these codes correctly, you can optimize your website for better visibility, user experience, and overall SEO performance.
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What Are HTTP Status Codes?
HTTP, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol, is the foundation of communication on the World Wide Web. When a user makes a request to access a webpage, the web server responds with an HTTP status code to indicate the outcome of the request. These codes are three-digit numbers that fall into different categories, each representing a particular status.
There are dozens of status codes included in the official W3C specs, many of which you’re unlikely to encounter. HTTPstatuses.com has a helpful overview of status codes, including their code references.
The Importance of HTTP Status Codes for SEO
HTTP status codes play a vital role in SEO. They provide search engines with valuable information about the accessibility and functionality of your website. When search engine crawlers encounter these codes, they can understand how to index your pages and determine their relevance to user queries. Additionally, these codes can affect how search engines crawl and rank your website, ultimately influencing its visibility in search results.
Understand how a browser gets a Web Page
To completely comprehend these codes, you must first grasp how a browser obtains a web page. Every website visit begins with the entry of a URL or a search query into a search engine. For the associated web page, the browser asks the IP address of the site. The server responds with a status code included in the HTTP header, informing the browser of the request’s outcome. When everything is in order, an HTTP 200 header code is returned to the browser along with the website’s content.
However, it is also conceivable that something is wrong with the requested content or server. These HTTP status codes are a useful tool for assessing the health of the site and its server. If a website sends incorrect HTTP header codes to a search engine indexing its contents on a frequent basis, it may cause issues that harm its rankings.
Different Ranges of HTTP Status Codes
There are five HTTP status code ranges that define different components of the client-server transaction process. The five ranges and their major objective are listed below:
- 1xx – Informative
- 2xx – Successful
- 3xx – Redirection
- 4xx – Error by the client
- 5xx – Error on the server
Common HTTP Status Codes and Their Meanings
To fully comprehend the impact of HTTP status codes on SEO, let’s delve into some of the most common codes and their meanings:
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200 OK
This is the most desirable HTTP status code as it signifies that the requested webpage was successfully retrieved and delivered to the user’s browser. It indicates that the server found the page, and everything is functioning as expected. Search engines prefer encountering this code as it indicates a positive user experience.
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301 Moved Permanently
When you move or redirect a webpage to a new URL, you should use a 301 redirect. This code informs both users and search engines that the requested page has permanently moved to a new location. It is essential for SEO as it helps preserve the page’s ranking power, inbound links, and other SEO attributes.
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403: Prohibited
A 403 indicates to the browser that the requested content is not permitted for the user. If they do not have the proper login credentials, this content remains restricted for that user.
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404 Not Found
The 404 status code indicates that the requested webpage could not be found on the server. This commonly occurs when a page is deleted or its URL is changed without proper redirection. Having numerous 404 errors can harm your website’s SEO as search engines may interpret them as poor user experience. It is crucial to regularly monitor and fix these errors to maintain a healthy website.
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The HTTP status code 451 indicates that the requested material was removed for legal reasons. If you received a takedown request or a judge ordered you to remove specific content, use this code to inform search engines about what happened to the page.
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500 Internal Server Error
The 500 status code signifies an internal server error, indicating that something went wrong on the server’s end while processing the request. It is important to promptly address these errors, as they can negatively impact user experience and search engine visibility. Regular server maintenance and debugging can help mitigate such issues.
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The 503 status code indicates that the server is temporarily unable to handle the request due to overload or maintenance. While this code is appropriate for short periods of downtime, it is crucial to minimize its occurrence to avoid negative SEO effects. Implementing proper caching mechanisms and optimizing server resources can help prevent this issue.
Conclusion
That’s all there is to it, guys.
Make a note of these codes because you’ll see them frequently. Knowing which redirects to utilize is a crucial skill that you’ll need to rely on frequently when optimizing your site. Remember, HTTP status codes are important not only for search engines but also for your website visitors. Providing a seamless browsing experience and addressing any issues promptly will help build trust and credibility with your audience. So, pay attention to your website’s HTTP status codes, optimize them for better SEO, and reap the rewards of improved visibility and organic traffic.