A 410 Gone HTTP status code tells search engines and browsers that a resource has been permanently and intentionally removed, with no replacement URL. It is a stronger signal than a standard 404 Not Found, which is ambiguous — the resource might return. When Google receives a 410 response it de-indexes the URL more quickly and confidently than it does for a 404. For SEO, 410 is the correct response for pages you have deliberately retired: discontinued products, deleted articles, or expired promotions. If the deleted content has a natural successor, a 301 permanent redirect to the replacement page is preferable, as it transfers link equity. Returning 410 for pages that do have suitable replacements wastes potential ranking signals. Most CMS platforms require custom configuration or server rules to serve 410 responses.