Why Do HTTP Status Codes Matter for SEO?
Capturing the attention of online customers is a big challenge, and getting the right message across can be even more difficult. Search engines have leveraged the potential of search engine optimisation to help businesses find their way to a wider audience. The topic of search engine optimisation has been extensively covered by SEO Agency Christchurch, but it's worth mentioning that one simple trick will improve your website's performance for search engines: using HTTP Status Codes correctly.
What are HTTP Status Codes, and what do they mean for SEO?
HTTP
Status Codes are response codes that are returned by a web server after
receiving and processing a request. The most common status codes are
"200 OK," "301 Moved Permanently," "302 Found," "404 Not Found," and
"500 Internal Server Error."
Status codes are an important part of SEO because they help search engines understand whether or not a page is accessible and if it contains the content that searchers are looking for. They also help identify any potential errors that may prevent a searcher from accessing a page.
While most status codes are self-explanatory, some can be confusing. For example, a "404 Not Found" error means that the server could not find the requested page, but it does not mean that the page does not exist. A "500 Internal Server Error" means that there is a problem with the server, but it does not necessarily mean that the page is unavailable.
It
is important to remember that HTTP status codes are only part of the
picture when it comes to SEO. Other factors, such as link structure and
title tags, also play a role in how well a page ranks in search engine
results pages (SERPs). However, ensuring that your pages return the
appropriate status code can help to ensure that your pages are
accessible and indexable by search engines.
The different types of HTTP Status Codes and how they impact your website's SEO are:
200 OK: This is the most common status code and indicates that the server was able to find and process the requested page.
301 Moved Permanently: This status code indicates that the page has been permanently moved to a new location. This is typically used in conjunction with a rel="canonical" tag to tell search engines that although the page has moved, the content remains unchanged.
302 Found: This status code indicates that the page has temporarily been moved to a new location. It is important to use this code sparingly, as it can cause issues with search engine indexing.
404 Not Found: This error code indicates that the server could not find the requested page. This can be due to a number of factors, such as a typo in the URL, a broken link, or a page that has been deleted.
500 Internal Server Error: This error code indicates that there is a problem with the server. This can be due to a number of factors, such as a website crash or an overloaded server.
While most status codes are self-explanatory, some can be confusing. For example, a "404 Not Found" error means that the server could not find the requested page, but it does not mean that the page does not exist. A "500 Internal Server Error" means that there is a problem with the server, but it does not necessarily mean that the page is unavailable.
It
is important to remember that HTTP status codes are only part of the
picture when it comes to SEO. Other factors, such as link structure and
title tags, also play a role in how well a page ranks in search engine
results pages (SERPs). However, ensuring that your pages return the
appropriate status codes can help to ensure that your pages are
accessible and indexable by search engines.
How to diagnose and fix common HTTP Status Code errors on your website?
If you see strange errors on your website, the first step is to check the HTTP status code to see if it can give you a clue as to what's going on. You can do this in a number of ways, but the easiest way is to use a plugin like "Status Code Checker" for Google Chrome.
Once you have the status code, you can look up what it means and start to troubleshoot the issue. For example, a "404 Not Found" error typically indicates that there is a broken link or page that has been deleted. A "500 Internal Server Error" may indicate that there is an issue with the server or a website crash.
If you're not sure how to fix the issue, you can always contact a professional SEO Agency Christchurch, for help.
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