What Are HTTP Status Codes?
HTTP status codes are standardized three-digit numbers that a web server returns in response to every HTTP request. They are grouped into five classes: 1xx (informational), 2xx (success), 3xx (redirection), 4xx (client error), and 5xx (server error). The most common codes encountered in SEO are 200, 301, 302, 404, and 500.
Why Status Codes Matter for SEO
Status codes directly control how search engines process your pages. A 200 tells crawlers the page is valid and should be indexed. A 301 passes link equity to a new URL. A 404 signals the page no longer exists. A 500 tells crawlers your server is broken. Monitoring status code distribution in your logs reveals indexation problems, broken redirects, and server health issues that directly impact rankings.
How to Monitor Status Codes
Analyze your access logs to track status code distribution over time. Look for spikes in 4xx or 5xx codes, which indicate problems. Use LogBeast to visualize status code trends and filter by specific crawlers to see what Googlebot experiences versus regular users.
📖 Related Article: Finding and Fixing 404 Errors — Read our in-depth guide for practical examples and advanced techniques.
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