Crawl errors are one of the most common SEO issues that prevent websites from ranking higher on Google. If search engines cannot properly crawl or index your website, your content will never reach its full ranking potential—no matter how good it is.

In this guide, we’ll explain what crawl errors are, why they matter for SEO, and most importantly, how you can identify and fix them.

What Is a Crawl Error in SEO?

A crawl error happens when a search engine (like Google) tries to access a page on your site but fails. This means the search engine bots can’t “read” or index your content, reducing visibility in search results.

There are two main categories of crawl errors:

1. Site-Level Errors – Affect the entire website (e.g., server issues).
   
2. URL-Level Errors – Affect specific pages (e.g., broken links, 404 errors).
   

Common Types of Crawl Errors

Here are the most frequent crawl errors website owners face:

1. 404 Not Found
   
   • Happens when a page no longer exists or the URL is typed incorrectly.
     
   • Example: Deleting a product page without setting up a redirect.
     
2. Soft 404 Errors
   
   • Page loads but shows little or no content. Google sees it as “empty.”
     
3. 500 Internal Server Errors
   
   • Indicates the server failed to process a request. Usually caused by hosting/server issues.
     
4. DNS Errors
   
   • Google can’t communicate with your domain due to DNS (Domain Name System) failures.
     
5. Redirect Errors
   
   • Issues caused by broken, looping, or incorrect redirects (e.g., 301 or 302).
     
6. Blocked by Robots.txt
   
   • A robots.txt file prevents crawlers from accessing certain pages.
     
7. Mobile Crawl Errors
   
   • Occurs when mobile versions of a site fail to load properly for Googlebot.
     

Why Crawl Errors Hurt Your SEO

Crawl errors prevent your content from being indexed correctly. Here’s why that’s a problem:

• Lower Rankings – If Google can’t access a page, it won’t rank.
  
• Traffic Loss – Visitors can’t find your content.
  
• Wasted Crawl Budget – Google has a limit on how many pages it crawls per site. Errors waste this budget.
  
• Poor User Experience – Broken pages damage trust and conversions.
  

How to Identify Crawl Errors

To detect crawl issues, you’ll need the right tools:

• Google Search Console (Coverage Report) – Shows crawl errors, blocked pages, and indexing problems.
  
• Screaming Frog SEO Spider – Scans your entire site for broken links, redirects, and server issues.
  
• Ahrefs Site Audit – Detects crawlability issues and provides optimization suggestions.
  
• SEMrush Site Audit – Monitors technical SEO issues, including crawl depth and errors.
  

How to Fix Crawl Errors (Step-by-Step)

1. Fix 404 Errors

• Set up 301 redirects to relevant pages.
  
• Update internal and external links pointing to the broken URL.
  

2. Resolve Soft 404s

• Add valuable content to thin pages.
  
• Use redirects if the page doesn’t need to exist.
  

3. Correct Server Errors (500)

• Check server logs for issues.
  
• Contact hosting provider if errors persist.
  

4. Address DNS Errors

• Verify DNS configuration with your hosting provider.
  
• Use tools like DNSstuff or IntoDNS for testing.
  

5. Fix Redirect Loops

• Keep redirects under 3 hops maximum.
  
• Use 301 (permanent) instead of 302 (temporary) unless necessary.
  

6. Update Robots.txt

• Make sure important pages are not blocked.
  
• Test your robots.txt with Google Search Console.
  

7. Optimize Mobile Crawlability

• Use mobile-friendly design (responsive).
  
• Test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool.
  

Best Practices to Prevent Future Crawl Errors

• Regularly audit your site with tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs.
  
• Keep your XML sitemap updated.
  
• Avoid unnecessary URL parameters and duplicate content.
  
• Use HTTPS and ensure your SSL certificate is valid.
  
• Monitor your website performance and server uptime.
  

Conclusion

Crawl errors in SEO are like roadblocks preventing Google from indexing your website properly. By identifying and fixing issues like 404s, server errors, and robots.txt blocks, you can ensure that your site is fully crawlable and optimized for search engines.

At Zbs Digital, we specialize in fixing crawl errors, improving indexing, and boosting rankings for businesses.

Want to make sure Google can crawl and index every page of your website?
Contact ZBS Digital today and let’s optimize your site for maximum visibility!