Crawl errors can significantly harm your website’s performance on search engines, affecting rankings and user experience. Resolving these issues is critical for maintaining a healthy, search-engine-friendly website. In this guide, we’ll break down the types of crawl errors, how to identify them, and actionable steps to fix them.
As a Local SEO agency in Vancouver, We’ve worked with businesses across Canada to resolve crawl issues and improve their search visibility. Let’s explore how you can do the same.
What Are Crawl Errors?
Crawl errors occur when search engine bots, like Googlebot, encounter issues while trying to access or index your website’s pages. These errors can prevent certain pages from appearing in search results, potentially affecting traffic and visibility.
Why Are Crawl Errors Important?
Crawl errors can:
– Block critical pages from being indexed.
– Negatively impact your overall SEO performance.
– Create a frustrating experience for users.
Related Post for Inner Linking: [The Basics of Search Engine Indexing and Why It Matters for SEO].
Types of Crawl Errors
Crawl errors are generally classified into two categories:
1. Site-Level Errors
These errors affect your entire website and stop search engines from crawling any pages. Examples include:
– DNS Errors: Occur when search engines cannot resolve your domain.
– Server Errors (5xx): Happen when your server fails to respond correctly.
– Robots.txt Errors: Arise when the robots.txt file incorrectly blocks access to your site.
2. URL-Level Errors
These errors occur on individual pages and include:
– 404 Not Found: A page no longer exists at the given URL.
– 403 Forbidden: Search bots are denied access to the page.
– Redirect Chain Errors: Too many redirects create a loop or chain.
Related Post: How to Optimize Your Robots.txt File for SEO.
How to Identify Crawl Errors
1. Use Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is a powerful tool to identify crawl errors. Steps to follow:
1. Log in to GSC and select your website.
2. Go to “Indexing > Pages” to check the crawl status of your URLs.
3. Review the “Excluded” section to find errors like “404” or “Blocked by robots.txt.”
2. Analyze Server Logs
Server logs provide detailed data about bot activity. Use them to identify specific pages that return errors.
3. Use SEO Tools
Third-party tools like “Screaming Frog”, “Ahrefs”, and “SEMrush” can scan your website, highlighting crawl issues such as broken links and redirects.
Fixing Crawl Errors: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Resolve DNS and Server Errors
Fixing DNS Errors:
– Ensure your domain is correctly configured and resolving properly.
– Consult your hosting provider if DNS issues persist.
Fixing Server Errors (5xx):
– Upgrade your hosting plan if the server frequently becomes overloaded.
– Optimize your website to reduce server strain (e.g., compress images, enable caching).
– Review server settings to confirm proper communication with search bots.
Step 2: Update Robots.txt File
Your “robots.txt” file determines which parts of your site bots can access.
– Verify the file is not blocking important pages (e.g., your homepage or key landing pages).
– Use the robots.txt tester in Google Search Console to validate any changes.
– Ensure URLs in your robots.txt file are formatted correctly.
Related Post: What Is Conversion Rate Optimization and How It Ties to SEO?
Step 3: Fix URL-Level Errors
Fixing 404 Errors
– Redirect: Use a 301 redirect to send users and bots to a related, active page.
– Recreate Content: If the page is critical, rebuild it with updated information.
– Remove the URL: Use GSC’s “Remove URLs” tool if the page is obsolete.
Fixing 403 Errors
– Adjust your server’s permissions to allow bots access.
– Check your .htaccess file for rules blocking crawler activity.
Fixing Redirect Chains
– Replace multiple redirects with a single 301 redirect to streamline the process.
– Use Screaming Frog or similar tools to locate and correct redirect loops.
Step 4: Optimize Crawl Budget
Google allocates a crawl budget to your website, determining how many pages it will crawl. To optimize this:
– Remove low-value or duplicate pages.
– Submit a clean, updated XML sitemap via GSC.
– Improve your internal linking strategy to guide bots effectively.
Related Post for Inner Linking: [How to Create an XML Sitemap for SEO].
Preventing Crawl Errors
Regular Site Audits
Use tools like “SEMrush” or “Ahrefs” to conduct regular audits and detect potential issues early.
Monitor Google Search Console
Check GSC weekly to address any new crawl errors promptly.
Optimize Site Performance
– Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to reduce server load.
– Compress images and optimize CSS/JavaScript files.
– Ensure your site is mobile-friendly for better indexing.
Why Fixing Crawl Errors Is Crucial for Canadian Businesses
For Canadian businesses, resolving crawl errors offers distinct advantages:
– Improved Local SEO: Ensures that search engines can properly rank your site for location-specific keywords, like “Coquitlam SEO services.”
– Increased Visibility: Fixing errors ensures that more of your pages are indexed, boosting organic traffic.
– Enhanced User Experience: Visitors encounter fewer errors, increasing their likelihood of engagement.
Related Post: How Local SEO Can Help Your Canadian Business Stand Out.
Best Tools for Fixing Crawl Errors
To identify and resolve crawl issues, consider using these tools:
– Google Search Console: A free tool for monitoring crawl issues and overall site health.
– Screaming Frog: A website crawler that identifies errors, duplicate content, and redirects.
– Ahrefs: Offers in-depth site audits and actionable recommendations.
– GTmetrix: Helps optimize page speed and server performance.
Conclusion: Maintain Crawl Health for SEO Success
Crawl errors are more than just technical nuisances—they directly impact your search rankings and user satisfaction. Proactively identifying and resolving these issues ensures that search engines can effectively index your website, helping you stay competitive in today’s digital landscape.
Whether you’re running a business in Vancouver or across Canada, fixing crawl errors is an essential step toward better SEO performance and enhanced online visibility.
Need help resolving crawl issues? Contact us today and get your website back on track!
