Crawl Errors

What are Crawl Errors?

Crawl errors are unsuccessful attempts by search engine spiders to crawl a website. When search engines like Google try to access and index the content on your website, they may encounter issues that prevent them from doing so. These issues are classified as crawl errors. Google's Search Console divides crawl errors into two main categories: Site Errors and URL Errors.

Types of Crawl Errors

Site Errors

Site errors affect an entire website and prevent search engines from accessing any part of it. Common site errors include:

1. DNS Errors:

   • Issues with the Domain Name System (DNS) that prevent the search engine from finding your website. This could be due to misconfigured DNS settings or server issues.

2. Server Connectivity Errors:

   • Problems with the server that prevent it from responding to search engine requests. This can include server overloads, downtime, or misconfigured server settings.

3. Robots.txt Errors:

   • Issues with the robots.txt file that block search engines from crawling the website. This can occur if the file is missing, incorrectly configured, or contains directives that prevent crawling.

URL Errors

URL errors affect specific URLs on a website, preventing search engines from accessing those individual pages. Common URL errors include:

1. Soft 404 Errors:

   • Pages that return a "Page Not Found" message to users but still send a 200 (OK) status code to search engines. This confuses search engines and wastes crawl budget.

2. 404 Errors:

   • Pages that do not exist on the server and return a "404 Not Found" status code. These errors occur when a URL is mistyped, or a page is deleted or moved without proper redirection.

3. Access Denied:

   • Pages that restrict access to search engine bots, usually due to permission settings or authentication requirements.

4. Not Followed:

   • Pages that search engines cannot follow due to issues with redirects, JavaScript, or other technical factors.

Why are Crawl Errors Important?

Significant amounts of crawl errors indicate poor website health and can negatively affect both the user experience and search engine ranking. Crawl errors can lead to:

• Reduced Crawl Frequency:

  • Search engines may visit your site less frequently if they encounter numerous errors, leading to delayed indexing of new or updated content.

• Reduced Crawl Depth:

  • Search engines may not crawl all the pages on your site, potentially missing important content that you want indexed.

• Negative Impact on SEO:

  • High numbers of crawl errors can signal to search engines that your site is poorly maintained, which can negatively affect your search rankings.

How to Identify and Fix Crawl Errors

Identifying Crawl Errors

Use Google Search Console to monitor and identify crawl errors. The tool provides detailed reports on both site errors and URL errors, helping you pinpoint the specific issues affecting your site.

1. Log in to Google Search Console.
2. Navigate to the Coverage Report.
3. Review the list of detected errors.
4. Click on specific errors for more details and affected URLs.

Fixing Crawl Errors

1. DNS Errors:

   • Verify and correct your DNS settings. Contact your hosting provider for assistance if needed.

2. Server Connectivity Errors:

   • Ensure your server is properly configured and capable of handling traffic. Address any issues with server downtime or overloads.

3. Robots.txt Errors:

   • Check your robots.txt file for proper configuration. Ensure it is not blocking important parts of your site.

4. Soft 404 and 404 Errors:

   • Correct or redirect broken links. Ensure that deleted or moved pages have proper 301 redirects to relevant content.

5. Access Denied:

   • Adjust permission settings to allow search engine bots to access important pages. Ensure authentication requirements do not block essential content.

6. Not Followed:

   • Review and fix issues with redirects, JavaScript, and other factors preventing search engines from following links.

Conclusion

Crawl errors are critical to identify and fix to maintain a healthy website and ensure optimal search engine performance. Regularly monitor your site's crawl status using tools like Google Search Console and address any issues promptly to improve user experience and search engine ranking.