What to test

Test the exact public URLs users and crawlers can request: http, https, www, non-www, slash, no-slash, and old .html paths.

  • The preferred version should return 200.
  • Alternate versions should redirect cleanly to the preferred URL.

How to interpret results

A 200 means the request succeeded, but you still need to confirm that it returned the intended page rather than a soft 404. A 301 or 308 is a permanent redirect, a 302 or 307 is temporary, a 404 means not found, and a 500-level status indicates a server error.

  • Redirect chains add delay and confusion.
  • A final 404 after redirects is still a failed path.

Why repeated tests matter

Some problems are intermittent. A route that returns 200 once and 404 later should be treated as unstable even if a single check passes.

  • Use browser-like GET requests when investigating problems that only appear in Lighthouse or browsers.

Build a small route matrix

Start with one important page and list every public variant that a visitor, old backlink, or crawler could request. Include HTTP and HTTPS, www and apex, slash and no-slash, mixed-case paths where relevant, and the old .html URL on a flat-file site. Record the status, Location header, final URL, and final status for each request.

  • The canonical URL should return 200 without a public redirect.
  • Each supported alternate should use one permanent redirect to the canonical URL.
  • Unknown URLs should return a real 404 rather than redirecting to the homepage.

Compare HEAD and browser-like GET requests

A quick HEAD request is useful for headers, but it does not prove that a full navigation returns the intended HTML. Repeat critical tests with GET, follow redirects explicitly, and inspect enough of the body to distinguish the real page from a soft 404 or generic server response.

  • Use a fresh browser profile when old redirects may be cached.
  • Capture the request time so the matching server-log entry can be found.
  • If IPv4, IPv6, a CDN, or a WAF is involved, confirm that each path reaches the same origin configuration.

FAQ

Is a 301 bad for SEO?

No. A clean 301 from an alternate URL to the canonical URL is normal. Chains and loops are the problem.

Should every page return 200?

Every canonical indexable page should return 200. Alternate paths can redirect, and missing pages should return a true 404.

Keep the Next Step Small

Use the related guides to confirm what the page needs. Ask for support only when the change reaches code, templates, or server settings you do not want to guess at.

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