What the 200 OK Status Code Means
The 200 OK status code indicates that a request was successfully received, understood, and processed by the server. In simple terms, it means the requested resource or document exists and was delivered as expected. For both users and search engines, a 200 OK response signals that a page is accessible.
When the 200 OK Status Code Is Returned
A server will return a 200 OK status code when a URL resolves correctly and the server can deliver the requested content without errors or redirection. This code usually applies to standard web pages, properly configured documents, and other resources that are intended to be viewed or indexed by search engines. Any page on your website you want users or search engines to access normally should always return a 200 OK response. If you want to learn more about the technical side of SEO, head over to our fully comprehensive guide on the topic.
Why the 200 OK Status Code Matters For SEO
Any page you want to rank needs to return the 200 OK status code. The 200 OK status code is the foundation of indexation and ranking. Search engines expect indexable pages to return a 200 OK response. The 200 OK response alone does not guarantee rankings, but it is required for visibility, crawlability, and indexation. If your pages fail to return 200 OK, search engines may not crawl them efficiently, or they may not even index them to begin with, meaning they may not even end up in search results at all unless they have a 200 OK response.
Common SEO Issues Associated With the 200 OK Status Code
One of the most common issues is soft 404 errors, where pages return a 200 OK status but provide little or no meaningful content. Search engines may flag these pages as low quality or exclude them from the index despite the successful response. Another issue occurs when outdated, duplicate, or thin pages continue to return 200 OK instead of being redirected or removed, which can dilute topical focus and waste your crawl budget.
Best Practices for Using the 200 OK Status Code
Only pages that are valid, intentional, and valuable should return a 200 OK status code. Pages that no longer serve a purpose should either be redirected or removed using the appropriate status codes. Ensuring that internal links resolve to URLs returning 200 OK helps maintain clean crawl paths and clear signals. Regular technical audits can help confirm that 200 OK responses align with page intent and SEO goals.
Related HTTP Status Codes
The 200 OK status code is closely related to other well-known and commonly used status codes like the 301 Moved Permanently, 302 Found, 404 Not Found, and 410 Gone. Understanding how and where these status codes differ, as well as where and when to use each one, is essential for maintaining proper site structure, conserving your crawl budget, and ensuring long-term search performance.
Needing Help With Your Technical SEO?
If you’re investing in your website’s content but aren’t seeing the traction you expect, technical issues are often the silent bottleneck. Crawl inefficiencies, misaligned page intent, indexation problems, and structural signals can hold your site back even when the content and links are strong. A focused technical SEO approach helps ensure your website is easy for search engines to understand and trust, which allows your efforts to compound. If dialing in your technical SEO is a priority, check out our services to remove the bottleneck and let your rankings improve.