Every time you visit a website, your browser receives a status code from the server. These HTTP status codes reveal whether a page loaded successfully, redirected, or failed with an error. In this guide, we’ll break down the most common codes from 200 to 500, explain what they mean, and show you how they affect SEO and website performance.

 

Introduction: The Language of the Web

 
When you click on a link or type a URL, your browser sends a request to the website’s server. The server responds with an HTTP status code—a short three-digit number that tells you what happened.
 

• Was the page found? (200 )
• Did it redirect? (301 or 302 )
• Is it missing? (404 )
• Or did the server crash? (500 )

These codes aren’t just for developers—they directly impact user experience, SEO rankings, and website trust.
 
 

 Categories of HTTP Status Codes

 
HTTP status codes are grouped into five categories:
 

1. 1xx – Informational (Request received, still processing)
2. 2xx – Success (The request worked)
3. 3xx – Redirection (The page moved)
4. 4xx – Client Errors (The problem is on the user side)
5. 5xx – Server Errors (The problem is on the server side)

Let’s break them down.
 
 

 2xx: Success Codes

 

• 200 OK → The request was successful. Most common.
• 201 Created → A new resource was created (e.g., after submitting a form).
• 204 No Content → The request worked, but nothing is returned.

 For SEO, 200 OK is essential. It tells search engines your page is healthy.
 
 

3xx: Redirection Codes

 

• 301 Moved Permanently → Best for SEO when a page changes URL. Passes ranking power.
• 302 Found → Temporary redirect. Doesn’t pass full SEO value.
• 304 Not Modified → Page hasn’t changed since the last visit; browser uses the cached version.

 Misusing redirects (302 instead of 301) is a common SEO mistake.
 
  4xx: Client Error Codes

 

• 400 Bad Request → Invalid request from the browser.
• 401 Unauthorized → Login required.
• 403 Forbidden → Access denied.
• 404 Not Found → Page missing (most common error).
• 410 Gone → Page was deleted permanently.

 Too many 404 errors harm SEO by wasting crawl budget.
 
 

 5xx: Server Error Codes

 

• 500 Internal Server Error → General server failure.
• 502 Bad Gateway → Server received an invalid response.
• 503 Service Unavailable → Server overloaded or under maintenance.
• 504 Gateway Timeout → Server didn’t respond in time.

 Repeated 5xx errors can cause search engines to deindex your site.
 
  Why HTTP Status Codes Matter for SEO

 

1. 200 codes keep pages indexable.
2. 301 redirects preserve SEO juice.
3. 302 redirects can confuse search engines.
4. 404 errors reduce user trust + SEO efficiency.
5. 500 errors kill rankings if not fixed quickly.

Google bots pay close attention to these codes when crawling websites.
 
 

 How to Check HTTP Status Codes

 

Method 1: Online Tools (Beginner Friendly )

 
Use the Recipeace Website Status Checker :
 

1. Enter your URL.
2. Instantly see if the website is up or down.

Or try the Redirect Checker to confirm 301 vs 302 status.
 

Method 2: Browser Developer Tools

 

• Open Chrome → Right click → Inspect → Network tab.
• Reload page → Status code appears in the column.

Method 3: Command Line (Advanced)

 

curl -I https://example.com

 

 Best Practices for Managing Status Codes

 

• Always use 301 for permanent changes.
• Fix broken links that cause 404 errors.
• Use custom 404 pages to help users.
• Monitor uptime to avoid 500 errors.
• Audit your redirects regularly.

 

FAQs

 
Q: Do 404 errors hurt SEO?
A: Yes, if excessive. A few are fine, but hundreds waste crawl budget.

Q: Should I use 302 for temporary promotions?
A: Yes, but replace with 301 if permanent.

Q: Can 5xx errors cause Google to drop my site?
A: Yes, persistent server errors may lead to deindexing.
 
 

Conclusion

 
HTTP status codes are the hidden language of the internet. They tell search engines and browsers whether your website is healthy, redirecting, or broken.
 
 Don’t ignore them. Regularly check your site with the free Recipeace Website Status Checker
and Redirect Checker to keep your SEO strong.