Return a 404 When You're Supposed To, Or Get Dinged by Google
A friend's website's Google rankings have tanked after their redesign. And I think I know why. Have a look at the status codes their web server returns when you request a garbage URL (a page that couldn't possibly exist)...
#lwp-request -S www.randomcompany.com/dafsadf
GET http://www.randomcompany.com/dafsadf --> 301 Moved Permanently
GET http://www.randomcompany.com/search?q=dafsadf%20 --> 200 OK
A 301 followed by a 200. Oh noooes!
That REALLY should be a 404 status code instead.
Make sure that garbage URLs like www.yourcompany.com/aadsfadsfdafs return a 404 status code. Googlebot is known to request garbage URLs and to see if you respond with a 404 like you're supposed to. If you don't, your quality score goes down the tubes.
3 comments
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Genius!
Damn, you're good!
Stephan=GoodChat
Chat ManComment by SEO Chatter [Visitor]
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08/22/08 @ 22:10
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I have been wondering about this. Now, I know. WordPress takes care of 404s. However, my other non-WordPress sites need to be updated ASAP.
Comment by Robert [Visitor] · http://www.rl-digital.com/ — 08/24/08 @ 12:10
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Don't you think that this issue is more related to Google's request to hide search pages from Google-bot?
Comment by Shimon [Visitor]
· http://www.chossonandkallah.com —
08/25/08 @ 09:46
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