What is the HTTP 410 “Gone” Status Code?
A 410 Gone is an HTTP response status code indicating that a requested resource (page, file, etc.) used to exist at this URL but has been permanently removed and is no longer available from the server.
It’s different from a 404 Not Found – a 404 means “resource not found (and we’re not saying if that’s temporary or permanent)”, whereas 410 explicitly tells the client “this resource is gone for good.
In other words, 404 is like “I can’t find it right now,” and 410 is “It’s gone and not coming back”.
For a user who sees a 410 error in their browser, it might not look much different than a 404 page – often the site will show a similar error message. But under the hood, the distinction is that a 410 is a deliberate signal of permanent removal.
404 vs 410: Differences and SEO Implications
To make the comparison clearer, here’s a quick summary table of 404 vs 410:
Both codes tell search engines the content is not available. The major practical difference is the explicit permanence of 410 which can slightly speed up deindexing. But for most SEO purposes, they’re interchangeable.
The key is that neither 404 nor 410 pages will rank or drive traffic, since Google will not index pages that consistently return these errors.
How Googlebot and Indexing Treat 410 Status
As mentioned, Google’s indexing pipeline views any 4xx (404, 410, etc.) as a signal that the page is gone. Here’s what happens when Googlebot sees a 410:
- If the URL was not indexed yet: Google will simply not index it (it sees there’s no content to index).
- If the URL was previously indexed: Google will mark it for removal. Typically, after one or a few 410 responses, the page will be removed from Google’s search indexm. A 410, being explicit, might cause removal on the first encounter or very quickly after.
- Googlebot will check back on that URL less frequently moving forward. It recognizes the URL is gone, so it doesn’t need to crawl it often. Eventually, Google may virtually stop crawling it (maybe an occasional check long in the future).
John Mueller’s advice confirms this behavior: using 410 can make Google drop the page a bit faster than a 404 would, on the order of a couple of days faster. In scenarios where fast removal is desired (like cleaning up hacked pages or spam), this speed difference is beneficial.
When (and Why) to Use a 410 Intentionally in SEO
Deciding between leaving a 404 versus returning a 410 comes down to whether you want to explicitly tell search engines a page is gone. Here are scenarios where using a 410 Gone is beneficial:
- Content Pruning/Cleanup: If you’re removing a batch of low-quality or outdated content as an SEO strategy (often called content pruning), you might choose 410 for those URLs. This clearly signals those URLs are deprecated. For example, deleting a bunch of old thin articles – you return 410 for each. Google will drop them, and you won’t risk those pages hanging around indexed.
- Product or Page Removal: When a product is discontinued or a page is permanently taken down and you have no direct replacement, a 410 is appropriate. It tells Google and users “this item is gone.” If there is a replacement or similar content, typically a 301 redirect is better (to redirect the old URL to the new relevant URL). But if there’s nothing relevant to redirect to, use 410 to let it die gracefully in search results.
- Hacked or Spam Pages Cleanup: If your site was hacked and spam pages were injected (common in phishing or Japanese keyword hacks), after cleaning the hack you want those bad URLs out of Google ASAP. Returning 410 on those URLs can help Google drop them faster from the index. John Mueller explicitly noted that after a hacking event with many spam pages, using 410 can speed up removal of those pages from Google’s index.
- Stubborn Indexed URLs: Sometimes you have a 404 page that just won’t drop from the Google index – perhaps because it had some external links or Google hasn’t recrawled it recently. If months have passed and a removed page still shows up in Google, switching it to 410 might nudge Google to purge it. Essentially, you strengthen the signal that “this page is really gone.” In many cases 404 would suffice, but 410 is like underlining the message.
- Mistaken URLs / Never-Existed Content: Actually, in this case a 404 is usually fine (e.g., typos in URLs). But if your site generated some URLs that you know will never exist again (perhaps from a bug or query parameters), you could return 410 for those specific patterns. This is an edge case; most will just let them 404.
When not to use 410
Don’t use 410 if there’s any chance you’ll want to bring that content back, or if you have a new URL to point users to (use a 301 redirect in that case). Also, if you’re unsure – a 404 is safer as a default since many CMSs handle 404s gracefully. You typically have to configure a server manually to send 410s (some platforms don’t do 410 by default), so only do it when you mean it.
A good rule of thumb from SEO experts: Use 404 for routine not-found errors or when a page might be restored, and use 410 for intentional, permanent removals where you want search engines to know it’s gone A 410 is a tool in your SEO toolbox to control what stays indexed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use a 410 instead of a 404?
Use a 410 when you’ve permanently removed a page and don’t plan to bring it back. It tells Google the page is gone for good, so it can drop it from the index faster. For temporary removals or pages that never existed, a 404 is usually better.
Does using 410 help with SEO?
Yes, in some cases. Returning 410 for low-value or outdated pages can improve your site’s overall quality by clearing out junk content. It also helps Google focus its crawl on pages that matter. Just make sure the removed page doesn’t have valuable backlinks you’d want to preserve.
Will 410 pages still get crawled by Google?
Google may crawl them a few times after the change, but it typically drops 410 pages from the index quicker than 404s. If the URL is still linked externally or listed in your sitemap, it might get visited occasionally, but over time Google will stop crawling it.
Should I redirect or 410 a page with backlinks?
If a removed page has valuable backlinks, it’s better to redirect it to a relevant alternative. A 410 means the page is gone and won’t pass any link equity. Use 410 only when you’re sure the page isn’t worth redirecting and has no significant SEO value left.
Do I need to submit a 410 removal request in Google Search Console?
No. You don’t need to submit anything manually. Once your server returns a 410 status, Google will process the removal on its own. The Removals Tool in Search Console is only for temporary hides, not permanent deletions like 410.
