Fix: HTTP Status Errors & Site Reliability

Ensuring every request from a user or crawler is met with a stable, successful response.

The Reliability Gut-Check

Look, HTTP status codes are the first thing a bot sees before it even thinks about your content. If your server returns anything other than a 200 OK for your primary pages, you're telling every crawler that your site is unstable. For an AdSense reviewer, a site with broken links or server crashes is a site that isn't ready for their ads. It’s a trust-killer that usually leads to an instant rejection.

Common Codes That Kill Approval

You don't need to know all 50+ status codes, but you absolutely need to avoid these four:

  • 404 Not Found: The page is missing. This is usually due to a URL change without a redirect. It makes the site feel "Under Construction."
  • 403 Forbidden: Your server is explicitly blocking the crawler. This often happens because of "Security" plugins that are being too aggressive.
  • 500 Internal Server Error: Your server crashed. This signals that your hosting or your scripts aren't ready for traffic.
  • 503 Service Unavailable: The server is overloaded. Reviewers aren't going to wait around for your site to wake up.

Pragmatic Status Management

I’m a developer, and I know that "stuff happens," but you need to stay on top of your logs. A "Soft 404"—where a page looks broken but returns a 200 status—is just as bad because it confuses the indexer. Technical hygiene here is about ensuring every request is met with a stable, predictable answer.

Step-by-Step Resolution

  1. Audit Your Links: Use a crawler (or the TEQH Snapshot) to check every URL in your sitemap.xml. They must all return 200 OK.
  2. Implement 301s: If you move a page, don't let the old URL die. Use a 301 Permanent Redirect to point users and bots to the new location.
  3. Helpful 404s: Ensure your custom 404 page actually helps the user find their way back home. Don't just give them a dead end.
  4. Monitor Search Console: Check the "Indexing" report regularly. If you see a spike in errors, your hosting might be the bottleneck.

Reliability Checklist

  • Do all pages in your sitemap return 200 OK?
  • Have you resolved all 4xx/5xx errors in Search Console?
  • Is your custom 404 page helpful and functional?
  • Are your redirects 301 (Permanent) rather than 302 (Temporary)?

Policy reference

Google AdSense: Site Reachability & Reliability