How to Fix Crawl Errors in Google Search Console

Crawl errors can hinder your website’s performance and visibility in search engine results. Google Search Console is an essential tool for identifying and fixing these errors to ensure that search engines can effectively crawl and index your site. This guide will walk you through the steps to identify and fix crawl errors using Google Search Console.

Understanding Crawl Errors

What Are Crawl Errors?

Crawl errors occur when search engines like Google encounter issues while trying to access and crawl your website’s pages. These errors can prevent your pages from being indexed correctly, impacting your site’s search engine rankings and visibility.

Types of Crawl Errors

1. Site Errors: These errors affect your entire site and prevent Google from accessing it.
   • DNS Errors: Issues with your domain name system (DNS) configuration.
   • Server Errors: Problems with your server, such as a timeout or refusal to connect.
   • Robots.txt Fetch Failures: Issues with accessing your robots.txt file.
2. URL Errors: These errors occur on specific pages within your site.
   • 404 Errors: Page not found.
   • 403 Errors: Access forbidden.
   • 500 Errors: Internal server errors.

Using Google Search Console to Identify Crawl Errors

Accessing Crawl Errors

1. Sign in to Google Search Console: Go to Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account.
2. Select Your Property: Choose the website property you want to check for crawl errors.
3. Navigate to the Coverage Report: In the left-hand menu, click on Coverage under the Index section.

Understanding the Coverage Report

The Coverage report provides insights into the indexing status of your site. It categorizes URLs into the following sections:

• Error: Pages that couldn’t be indexed due to errors.
• Valid with Warnings: Pages that are indexed but have issues.
• Valid: Pages that are successfully indexed.
• Excluded: Pages that are intentionally or unintentionally not indexed.

Identifying Specific Errors

Click on the Error tab to see a detailed list of pages with crawl errors. Each error type will have its own section, such as:

• Submitted URL not found (404)
• Server error (5xx)
• Redirect error
• Blocked by robots.txt

Fixing Crawl Errors

Fixing Site Errors

DNS Errors

1. Check DNS Configuration: Ensure that your domain’s DNS settings are correctly configured. Use tools like DNS Checker to verify your DNS records.
2. Contact Your Hosting Provider: If you’re unable to resolve DNS issues, contact your hosting provider for assistance.

Server Errors

1. Check Server Logs: Review your server logs to identify the cause of the error. Look for any patterns or recurring issues.
2. Increase Server Resources: If your server is under heavy load, consider upgrading your hosting plan or optimizing your server configuration.
3. Fix Coding Issues: Ensure there are no coding errors or issues causing server crashes or timeouts.

Robots.txt Fetch Failures

1. Verify robots.txt File: Ensure that your robots.txt file is correctly configured and accessible. You can check this by navigating to yourdomain.com/robots.txt.
2. Correct Syntax Errors: Ensure there are no syntax errors in your robots.txt file. Use the robots.txt Tester in Google Search Console to validate your file.

Fixing URL Errors

404 Errors (Page Not Found)

1. Redirect Broken Links: Set up 301 redirects from the broken URL to the correct page. This can be done through your website’s .htaccess file or using a plugin if you are on a CMS like WordPress.
2. Update Internal Links: Ensure that all internal links point to the correct URLs. Use tools like Screaming Frog to crawl your site and identify broken links.
3. Restore Deleted Pages: If a page was removed unintentionally, consider restoring it.

403 Errors (Access Forbidden)

1. Check File Permissions: Ensure that the file permissions are correctly set for your web pages. Typically, directories should have permissions set to 755 and files to 644.
2. Review .htaccess File: Check your .htaccess file for any rules that might be blocking access to the page. Ensure that no IP blocking or access restrictions are mistakenly applied.

500 Errors (Internal Server Errors)

1. Debug Server Issues: Review your server logs to identify the root cause of the internal server error. Look for specific error messages that can guide you to the problem.
2. Fix Coding Errors: Ensure there are no syntax errors or issues in your server-side scripts (e.g., PHP, ASP).
3. Increase PHP Memory Limit: If you are running a WordPress site, increasing the PHP memory limit can sometimes resolve 500 errors. This can be done by adding define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’); to your wp-config.php file.

Submitting Fixed URLs for Recrawling

Once you have fixed the crawl errors, it’s important to notify Google to recrawl the affected pages.

1. Open the URL Inspection Tool: In Google Search Console, go to the URL Inspection tool.
2. Enter the Fixed URL: Enter the URL of the page you have fixed and press Enter.
3. Request Indexing: Click on Request Indexing to ask Google to recrawl and index the page.

Monitoring and Maintenance

1. Regularly Check Google Search Console: Regularly monitor the Coverage report and other sections of Google Search Console to quickly identify and fix any new crawl errors.
2. Use Alerts: Set up email alerts in Google Search Console to be notified of any significant issues.
3. Keep Your Sitemap Updated: Ensure that your XML sitemap is always up to date and resubmit it to Google Search Console whenever there are significant changes to your site structure.

Advanced Techniques for Fixing Crawl Errors

Monitoring Server Performance

Regularly monitor your server’s performance and uptime using tools like Pingdom or Uptime Robot. These tools can alert you to server issues before they cause significant problems and help you maintain a high-performing website.

Analyzing Traffic Patterns

Use Google Analytics to analyze traffic patterns and identify any sudden drops in traffic that might indicate crawl errors. Correlate these drops with the errors reported in Google Search Console to pinpoint issues quickly.

Optimizing for Mobile

With mobile-first indexing, ensuring that your site is optimized for mobile is crucial. Use the Mobile-Friendly Test tool in Google Search Console to check your site’s mobile usability and fix any issues that might affect crawling and indexing.

Structured Data and Rich Results

Implement structured data to help Google understand the content and structure of your site better. Use the Rich Results Test tool to validate your structured data and ensure it’s implemented correctly.

Managing Duplicate Content

Duplicate content can confuse search engines and cause indexing issues. Use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of a page, and ensure that duplicate content is minimized across your site.

Improving Site Architecture

A well-organized site architecture helps search engines crawl your site more efficiently. Ensure that your site has a clear hierarchy, with important pages easily accessible within a few clicks from the homepage.

Regular SEO Audits

Conduct regular SEO audits using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Screaming Frog to identify and fix technical issues that might affect crawlability. These audits can help you stay on top of potential problems and ensure your site remains in good health.

Fixing crawl errors in Google Search Console is essential for maintaining a healthy and visible website. By regularly monitoring crawl errors, understanding their causes, and taking corrective actions, you can ensure that search engines can effectively crawl and index your site. Implementing both basic and advanced strategies will help improve your site’s SEO performance, leading to better rankings and increased organic traffic. Regular maintenance and proactive measures will keep your website running smoothly and ensure long-term success in the competitive digital landscape.