How to Fix Crawl Errors and Improve Indexation

Crawl errors stop Google from discovering your pages. If a page can’t be crawled, it can’t be indexed. And if it’s not indexed, it doesn’t rank. This direct relationship between crawlability and indexation means fixing errors is a core SEO task.

What Are Crawl Errors and Why Do They Matter?

Crawl errors happen when Googlebot tries to access a page on your site but fails. The failure could be temporary (server overload) or permanent (deleted page, misconfigured robots.txt). Google records these errors in Search Console and may stop crawling your site if too many occur.

Indexation relies on successful crawling. If Google can’t reach a page, it won’t add it to the index. Even worse, persistent errors can lower Google’s crawl budget—meaning your important pages get crawled less often.

Think of crawl errors like a delivery driver trying to reach an address. If the address is wrong, blocked, or the road is closed, the driver moves on. Same with Googlebot: if it hits too many dead ends, it might stop trying altogether for a while.

Types of Crawl Errors

Google Search Console categorizes crawl errors into several types. Knowing which one you’re dealing with helps you choose the right fix.

DNS Errors

Googlebot can’t resolve your domain name. This usually means a DNS configuration problem. Check with your hosting provider or use DNS lookup tools to verify A records and nameservers. A common mistake: changing hosting but forgetting to update DNS settings, causing downtime that creates these errors.

Server Errors (5xx)

Your server returns a 500, 502, 503, or similar status code. This indicates a server-side issue like overload, misconfiguration, or a plugin error. Look at server logs and ensure your hosting can handle traffic spikes. For example, a poorly optimized database query could trigger 500 errors on high-traffic pages. Caching often helps here.

Robots.txt Fetch Errors

Google can’t fetch your robots.txt file. Without it, crawlers may hit blocked resources. Ensure robots.txt is accessible and not blocked by a firewall. Also check that the file is not too large (under 500KB is safe) and returns a 200 status.

404 Not Found

The requested page doesn’t exist. This is common when content is deleted or moved without a redirect. Each 404 wastes crawl budget. But not all 404s are equal: if it’s a typo URL from a broken link, fix it. If it’s a page that truly no longer exists, let it 404, but make sure it returns a real 404 status code.

Soft 404

A page returns a 200 OK status but shows no useful content (like an empty category or a “page not found” message). Google treats it as a 404 but still wastes resources. Soft 404s are tricky because the server says everything is fine. You need to check the page content: if it says “no results” or “this page is empty,” it’s a soft 404.

How to Identify Crawl Errors in Google Search Console

Google Search Console is your primary tool for spotting crawl errors. Go to the Coverage report or the Crawl Errors report (under Crawl > Crawl Errors in the old interface).

For each error type, you see a list of affected URLs. Click on any URL to get details, including the error reason and when it was last detected.

Tips for using the report:

• Filter by error type to focus on one category.
• Export the list to a spreadsheet for tracking.
• Revalidate errors after fixing them, so Google knows to check again.
• Sort by “Last crawled” to see which errors are recent—older ones might have already been resolved.

You can also use third-party crawlers like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to find broken links on your site. They often detect errors that Search Console misses, especially on large sites.

Step-by-Step Guide to Fix Common Crawl Errors

Let’s walk through fixes for the most frequent crawl errors.

Fix 404 Errors

1. Identify the missing page from Search Console or crawling tools like Screaming Frog.
2. Check if the page has a suitable replacement. If yes, set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one.
3. If no replacement exists, either restore the page or let it remain a 404 (but ensure it’s a real 404 status).
4. Update internal links pointing to the old URL to point to the correct page.
5. Update your sitemap to exclude the deleted URL.

A common mistake: redirecting all 404s to the homepage. That confuses users and Google. Only redirect when there’s a clear replacement.

Fix Soft 404 Errors

Soft 404s happen when a page returns a 200 status but has no real content. Common causes: empty search results pages, broken e-commerce category pages, or redirected pages that show a 200. Fix by either:

• Serving a proper 404 or 410 status code for truly missing pages.
• Adding meaningful content if the page should exist.
• Using a 301 redirect if the page moved.

For e-commerce, ensure that product categories with no items don’t return 200. Show a “no products” message but return a 404 or 410, or redirect to a related category.

Fix Server Errors

1. Check server logs for error patterns (e.g., timeouts, resource exhaustion).
2. Increase server resources if traffic spikes cause overload.
3. Optimize your site to reduce server load: use caching, optimize images, and minimize plugins.
4. Contact your hosting provider if errors persist—they may need to adjust settings.

Use a tool like GTmetrix or WebPageTest to see if your server response time is slow. A slow server often leads to 503 errors under load.

Fix Robots.txt Blocking

Googlebot may be blocked from important pages if your robots.txt is too restrictive. Check the file using Search Console’s Robots.txt Tester. Ensure you’re not disallowing pages you want indexed. Also check for syntax errors, like missing slashes or incorrect directives. A common mistake: using “Disallow: /” for the entire site by accident.

Improving Indexation After Fixing Errors

Once crawl errors are resolved, you need to encourage Google to reprocess your pages. Here’s how:

• Submit updated sitemaps. Make sure your sitemap includes only indexable, canonical URLs. Resubmit it in Search Console.
• Use the URL Inspection tool to request indexing for critical pages after fixes.
• Improve internal linking so that important pages are linked from high-authority pages. This helps Google find them faster.
• Reduce orphan pages—pages with no internal links. Orphans are hard to crawl. Add links from relevant content.

Regular site audits can catch these issues before they snowball. For a full walkthrough, see our guide on How to Conduct a Full SEO Audit Step by Step.

Preventing Crawl Errors Going Forward

Prevention is better than cure. Adopt these practices:

• Monitor Search Console weekly for new errors. Set up email notifications.
• Use a crawler like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb periodically to find broken links before Google does.
• Plan URL changes. Before deleting or moving a page, plan redirects. Use a 301 redirect map.
• Test robots.txt and server responses after any major site update.
• Keep your sitemap updated. Any addition or removal of key pages should reflect in the sitemap.

One simple habit: whenever you publish a new page, manually check the URL in Search Console’s URL Inspection tool. That catches many issues immediately.

Using Crawl Data to Identify Indexation Opportunities

Not all crawl errors are bad—some point to opportunities. For example, if you see many 404 errors for URLs that people are trying to reach (e.g., from old backlinks), you might create new content to capture that traffic. Combine crawl data with keyword research to find topics worth targeting.

Similarly, analyzing your competitors’ crawl issues can reveal gaps. Our guide on How to Do a Competitor Analysis for SEO can help you benchmark your site health against theirs.

Common Questions About Crawl Errors and Indexation

Do crawl errors hurt rankings? Indirectly, yes. If Google can’t crawl your content, it can’t index it, and unindexed pages can’t rank. A high error rate can also reduce crawl budget for other pages.

How many crawl errors are too many? There’s no magic number. Focus on the ratio of errors to total crawled URLs. A few 404s on a large site are normal; thousands of errors on a small site signal problems.

Can too many redirects cause crawl errors? Yes, redirect chains or loops can cause Google to stop following them. Keep redirect chains short and direct.

What’s the difference between a 404 and a soft 404? A 404 tells Google the page doesn’t exist. A soft 404 says everything is fine but shows nothing useful. Google treats both similarly, but soft 404s waste more resources because the server still works.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a crawl error and an indexation issue?

A crawl error occurs when Googlebot cannot access a page, often due to server or URL problems. An indexation issue means the page was crawled but not added to the index, possibly due to quality signals or directives. Crawl errors must be fixed first before you can address indexation issues.

How often should I check for crawl errors in Google Search Console?

Check at least weekly. Frequent monitoring lets you catch and fix errors quickly before they accumulate. For larger sites with frequent updates, daily checks may be beneficial. Set up email notifications for critical errors.

Will fixing crawl errors automatically improve my rankings?

Not directly, but it removes barriers to indexing. If previously blocked pages are now indexed and their content is high quality, rankings can improve. However, fixing errors alone won’t guarantee higher rankings if other SEO factors are weak.

Can I ignore 404 errors for deleted pages?

You can ignore a few 404s if they are for old URLs with no value. However, if they appear in Search Console or have backlinks, it’s better to redirect them to relevant pages to preserve link equity and improve user experience.

How do I request re-crawling after fixing errors?

Use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console. Enter the URL, click ‘Test Live URL’, then request indexing if the test passes. For bulk re-crawls, update and resubmit your sitemap.