How it works
Check logs and the cause; temporary 503 unavailability differs from 404.
Example
Example: A temporarily overloaded site returns 503 rather than declaring its pages missing.
Common mistakes
Persistent errors can affect crawling and search availability.
How can you check this in practice?
Inspect server logs for the time and affected URLs. Distinguish a recurring template defect from brief overload. For temporary unavailability, return an appropriate real status rather than 200 with empty text; after a fix, check documents and dependent resources.
Distinctions and limitations
500 indicates an internal error; 503 is commonly used for temporary unavailability. Persistent 5xx responses can reduce crawling. This differs from 404 on a permanently deleted page.
Official sources
Editorial responsibility: Martin Zhelyazkov · Founder of Z-Consult
Updated: 05/11/2026
For a correction or question: office@z-consult.bg