Google Says Differences Between 410 and 404 Is So Minimal

John Mueller from Google stated that the difference in processing of 404 vs 410 error status codes is so minimal that it doesn't significantly impact SEO. He mentioned that while there may be semantic or log-tracking benefits to choosing one over the other, from an SEO perspective, there's no preference.

Historically, there have been various opinions on 404 and 410 status codes:

• In 2012, John Mueller mentioned that Google treats 404s and 410s the same.
• In 2010, it was thought that 410s were faster to be recognized by Google.
• In 2009, 410s were known to be more permanent.
• In 2014, Matt Cutts indicated that 410s were immediate and 404s had a 24-hour delay.
• In 2021, John Mueller said that both are fine and that webmasters can use whichever they want. Google also considered adding 404 vs 410 reporting in Search Console.

In the Reddit thread, the original question was about whether the removal of offending content would undo an HCU penalty. However, John Mueller did not address this topic in his response. Instead, he focused on the difference between 404 and 410 error status codes, which was a side topic brought up in the discussion. The reasons for not addressing the HCU penalty question are not provided, which might leave some readers disappointed.