Google’s Gary Illyes mentioned on the most recent Search Off The File podcast that tender 404s, pages Google thinks are 404s however return a 200 server standing code, do waste crawl finances. Nonetheless, 404s or 410s don’t waste crawl finances, Gary added.

This got here up on the 26:10 mark within the video the place Gary mentioned, “404/410, they do not waste crawl finances.” He added, “neither do robotted URLs as a result of we did not get again something, only a standing code.”

However in relation to tender 404s, he mentioned “if you happen to do with, then again, a tender 404, that is a great job. You are not placing something within the index and wasted crawl finances.”

Hat tip to Glenn Gabe for this:

Extra from @methode: As Gary explains, “With tender 404s, you are not including something to the index AND you are losing crawl finances.”

Me: Once more, 404s are usually not an indication of low high quality & may be good. Do not blindly redirect 404s elsewhere except it is smart: https://t.co/2bPVSE9HLT pic.twitter.com/Ugy6UGJSk4

— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) August 26, 2022

Discussion board dialogue at Twitter.