A crawl error is an issue that occurs when a search engine attempts to crawl a website but fails. There are several crawl errors, but the most common is the “404 not found” error. This occurs when a search engine tries to crawl a page that does not exist. Common crawl errors include “500 internal server error” and “403 forbidden.”
How to fix a crawl error?
Crawl errors can be frustrating and can cause your website to lose traffic. However, there are some things you can do to fix them.
1. Check your GSC account for any messages about crawl errors.
2. If you see any crawl errors, try to identify the source of the problem.
3. Once you’ve identified the source of the problem, try to fix it.
4. If the problem is a broken link, update the link to point to a valid page.
5. If the problem is an incorrect URL structure, adjust it to conform to best practices.
6. Check your website for duplicate content and eliminate any redundant content causing issues.
7. Make sure all your pages are accessible and can be indexed by search engine bots.
8. Use 301 redirects when appropriate, so search engines know where to send users to find what they’re looking for on your website.
9. Finally, submit a new sitemap to search engines to ensure they’re aware of any recent changes you’ve made.
What are the reasons for a crawl error?
There are several reasons that a crawl error may occur.
- The first reason is that the website may be down or experiencing technical difficulties. This can cause the search engine to crawl the website less frequently, leading to a build-up of errors over time.
- Another reason for crawl errors is that the website may have been changed or updated recently, and the search engine has not yet had a chance to re-crawl it. This can result in old pages being indexed instead of new ones or incorrectly indexed.
- Finally, a website with poor site architecture or internal linking can also lead to crawl errors.
Conclusion
It is essential to regularly monitor and fix crawl errors to ensure your website remains indexed by search engines. Crawl errors can be caused by many things, such as broken links, incorrect use of redirects, or improperly set up robots.txt files. Fortunately, most common crawl error issues are relatively easy to resolve with patience and knowledge. With the right tools and expertise, you can effectively manage any crawl error-related problems that may arise on your website and keep it running smoothly for all visitors.
Read more: What Is Crawlability?
