By Shad Super in Questions —

How Does a 410 Gone Response Differ From a 404, and What Are Its SEO Implications?

Summary

The 410 Gone response code indicates that the requested resource has been permanently removed, unlike the 404 Not Found response which signifies that the requested resource could not be found but may be available in the future. Both response codes have different implications for SEO, particularly regarding how search engines handle these errors and their impact on page ranking.

HTTP Status Codes Overview

HTTP 404 Not Found

The 404 Not Found error indicates that the server could not find the requested resource. This does not confirm whether the resource is permanently missing or temporarily unavailable. Browsers display a standardized "Not Found" page when encountering a 404 status code.

HTTP 410 Gone

The 410 Gone status code explicitly states that the requested resource is no longer available and has been permanently removed. This informs clients, including browsers and search engines, that the resource should be removed from their indices and caches.

SEO Implications

Impact of 404 Errors on SEO

When search engines encounter a 404 error, they may continue to crawl the URL for a period, assuming the resource may return. Frequent 404 errors can negatively impact user experience and crawl efficiency as search engines waste resources on non-existent pages. However, occasional 404s do not significantly harm overall SEO. They merely indicate temporary unavailability. For more details, see Google's documentation on handling HTTP status codes.

Impact of 410 Errors on SEO

A 410 Gone error tells search engines that the resource is permanently gone, prompting them to stop crawling and indexing the URL. This ensures that outdated or removed pages are not repeatedly crawled, improving crawl efficiency. Consequently, a 410 status code can result in quicker removal of the page from search engine indices. This can be beneficial if you want to promptly remove content that is no longer relevant or exists. More on this can be found in Google's Webmaster Guidelines.

Examples and Best Practices

When to Use 404 vs. 410

Use a 404 status code for temporary unavailability or when you want to leave the possibility of the page returning. Common use cases include content re-structuring or temporary outages. On the other hand, use the 410 status code when you want search engines to quickly recognize the permanent removal of a page, such as when deleting outdated content or discontinuing a product.

Practical Example

  • 404 Not Found: A blog post temporarily taken down for an update.
  • 410 Gone: A product page for a discontinued item that will never return to the catalog.

Handling Redirects

Instead of serving these error codes directly, you might consider setting up a 301 redirect from the old URL to a new, relevant resource. This approach can help preserve link equity and improve user experience by guiding visitors to similar content. Read more about SEO best practices for redirection.

Conclusion

Choosing between a 404 and a 410 status code depends on whether the resource is temporarily unavailable or permanently removed. Both have distinct SEO ramifications, and their appropriate use can contribute to a more efficient and user-friendly website.

References