How to Fix Common Crawl Errors #

Crawl errors can negatively impact your website’s performance and SEO rankings. They occur when search engine bots, like Googlebot, cannot access certain pages on your site. Fixing these errors is crucial for ensuring that search engines index your website properly and that users can access your content without issues.

In this article, we will discuss common crawl errors and actionable steps you can take to fix them.

What Are Crawl Errors? #

Crawl errors happen when search engine bots encounter issues while trying to crawl your website. These issues prevent bots from fully indexing your site, which can harm your visibility in search results.

Common Crawl Errors Include: #

• 404 Not Found: The page requested is missing.
• 403 Forbidden: The bot doesn’t have permission to access the page.
• 500 Internal Server Error: The server is experiencing an issue, preventing access.
• Redirect Errors: Issues with broken or incorrect redirects.
• DNS Errors: The domain name cannot be resolved to an IP address.

How to Fix Crawl Errors #

Fixing crawl errors requires understanding the error type and applying the appropriate solution. Here are some common fixes:

1. Fixing 404 Errors #

A 404 error occurs when a page is no longer available or moved without proper redirection. To resolve this:

• Redirect the Page: Set up a 301 redirect to a relevant page if the content has moved.
• Restore the Page: If the page was accidentally deleted, restore it from backups.
• Update Internal Links: Ensure that all internal links point to valid URLs.

2. Fixing 403 Forbidden Errors #

A 403 error happens when search engine bots are denied access to a page. To fix this:

• Check Permissions: Verify that the server is configured to allow bots to crawl the page. You can adjust this in the .htaccess file or the server settings.
• Check Robots.txt: Ensure that your robots.txt file isn’t blocking important pages from search engines.

3. Fixing 500 Internal Server Errors #

A 500 error indicates a server issue. To resolve this:

• Check Server Logs: Examine server logs for any errors or issues that could be causing the problem.
• Clear Cache: Clear any cache or optimize caching settings to resolve potential conflicts.
• Increase Server Resources: If your site receives high traffic, consider upgrading server resources to avoid overload.

4. Fixing Redirect Errors #

Redirect errors often occur due to incorrect or broken redirects. To fix this:

• Check Redirect Chains: Ensure that redirects don’t lead to further redirects, which can create loops or slow down crawling.
• Update Redirects: Fix or update any outdated or wrong redirects. Use a 301 redirect to permanently send traffic from one URL to another.

5. Fixing DNS Errors #

A DNS error happens when the domain name cannot be resolved. To fix this:

• Verify Domain Name Settings: Check if your domain name and DNS settings are correct.
• Ensure Server Uptime: Make sure your hosting provider is reliable and that your server is up and running.

Use Google Search Console to Identify Crawl Errors #

Google Search Console (GSC) is a powerful tool that helps identify crawl errors. Here’s how to use it effectively:

• Go to the Coverage Report: In GSC, navigate to the “Coverage” section under “Index” to see crawl errors.
• Fix Errors: GSC provides detailed information about which pages are causing issues. Fix them as described above.
• Request Reindexing: Once you’ve fixed the errors, request reindexing in GSC to update your website’s status in Google’s index.

Regularly Monitor Crawl Errors #

Crawl errors can appear at any time, so it’s essential to monitor your site regularly. You can:

• Set Up Alerts: Set up email alerts in Google Search Console to stay informed about any new crawl errors.
• Run Regular Audits: Use tools like Screaming Frog or SEMrush to regularly audit your site and identify any potential issues.

Conclusion #

Crawl errors can significantly impact your website’s SEO performance, but they are fixable with the right approach. Regular monitoring and quick action can help keep your site in good standing with search engines.

If you’re experiencing persistent crawl issues or need help fixing errors, contact Ikonik Digital at [email protected]. Our team can guide you through resolving crawl errors and improving your site’s SEO performance.

Mario Frith

Mario Frith is the Technical Director and Co-Founder of Ikonik Digital. With over a decade of experience in web development, API integrations, and scalable backend systems, Mario leads the technical strategy behind the digital solutions that power our clients’ success. Whether he’s engineering custom platforms or optimizing infrastructure for performance and security, Mario brings precision, innovation, and clean code to every project.

When he’s not building the web behind the scenes, he’s exploring the latest in cloud architecture, automation, and emerging dev stacks.