Crawl errors are one of the most misunderstood problems in SEO. Many website owners focus on content creation, backlinks, and keywords, while crawl errors quietly prevent search engines from even accessing their pages.
If a search engine cannot crawl your website properly, it cannot index your pages. And if pages are not indexed, they cannot rank—no matter how good your content is.
That’s why learning how to fix crawl errors is a critical step in technical SEO. Crawl errors don’t always cause obvious warnings, but they can silently block growth, reduce visibility, and waste all your SEO effort.
In this guide, we’ll break down crawl errors in simple language, explain why they happen, and show you how to fix crawl errors step by step—even if you’re a beginner with limited technical knowledge.
What Are Crawl Errors?
Crawl errors occur when a search engine tries to access a page on your website but fails to do so properly.
Search engines use automated programs (often called crawlers or bots) to:
- Discover pages
- Read content
- Understand structure
- Decide which pages should be indexed
When something prevents this process from working correctly, a crawl error occurs.
Crawl errors are different from ranking problems. They happen before SEO rankings even come into play.
Crawl Errors vs Indexing Errors
It’s important to understand the difference.
- Crawl error: Search engine cannot access the page properly
- Indexing error: Page is crawled but not added to the index
Fixing crawl errors is always the first priority. If crawling fails, indexing and ranking are impossible.
Why Crawl Errors Are a Serious SEO Problem
Crawl errors directly affect your website’s ability to appear in search results.
Here’s why they’re dangerous:
- Pages cannot be indexed
- Important content gets ignored
- Crawl budget is wasted
- Rankings stagnate or drop
- SEO efforts deliver poor returns
Many websites lose traffic simply because search engines cannot crawl key pages correctly.
Types of Crawl Errors You Need to Fix
Not all crawl errors are the same. Understanding the type of error helps determine how serious it is and how to fix it.
The most common crawl errors include:
- 404 (Not Found) errors
- Soft 404 errors
- Server (5xx) errors
- Redirect errors
- Robots.txt blocking issues
- DNS and connectivity errors
Let’s break these down one by one.
How to Identify Crawl Errors on a Website
Before fixing crawl errors, you need to identify them correctly.
Common Warning Signs of Crawl Errors
- Pages not appearing in search results
- Sudden drop in indexed pages
- Traffic loss without content changes
- Important pages missing from search engine coverage
Manual Checks Beginners Can Do
- Visit important URLs directly in a browser
- Click internal links to check if they load
- Check if pages return errors or blank screens
- Review site navigation for broken paths
Not every crawl error requires advanced tools to detect.
Fixing 404 Not Found Crawl Errors
404 errors occur when a page no longer exists at a specific URL.
What 404 Errors Mean
A 404 error tells search engines:
“This page does not exist.”
404s are not always bad. The problem arises when important pages return 404 errors.
When 404 Errors Are Harmful
404 errors should be fixed when:
- The page previously had traffic or backlinks
- The page is linked internally
- The page should still exist
These errors waste crawl budget and harm user experience.
How to Fix 404 Crawl Errors
Step 1: Identify the broken URL
Check which page is returning the error.
Step 2: Decide the correct action
- If the page should exist → restore it
- If the page moved → redirect it
- If the page is obsolete → ensure it’s not internally linked
Step 3: Use proper redirects
- Use a 301 redirect for permanently moved pages
- Redirect to the most relevant alternative page
Avoid redirecting everything to the homepage. That creates confusion.
When to Leave 404 Errors Alone
404s are acceptable when:
- Pages were intentionally removed
- URLs were never meant to exist
- No internal or external links point to them
Not all crawl errors need fixing—only the ones that matter.
Fixing Soft 404 Crawl Errors
Soft 404 errors occur when a page technically loads but provides no meaningful content, yet returns a “200 OK” status.
Common Causes of Soft 404 Errors
- Empty category pages
- Thin search result pages
- Placeholder content
- Pages saying “No results found”
Search engines flag these pages because they don’t satisfy users.
How to Fix Soft 404 Errors
- Add useful, relevant content
- Improve page purpose and clarity
- Redirect pages that serve no value
- Remove pages that should not exist
Soft 404s are a content and UX issue as much as a technical one.
Fixing Server (5xx) Crawl Errors
Server errors happen when the server fails to respond properly.
What 5xx Errors Indicate
These errors mean:
- Server overload
- Hosting issues
- Timeouts
- Configuration problems
Search engines cannot crawl pages reliably if servers are unstable.
Common Causes of Server Crawl Errors
- Weak hosting
- Traffic spikes
- Heavy scripts or plugins
- Poor caching
- Server misconfiguration
Beginner-Friendly Fixes
- Upgrade hosting if necessary
- Reduce unnecessary plugins or scripts
- Enable caching
- Monitor uptime regularly
If server errors persist, contacting your hosting provider is essential.
Fixing Redirect Crawl Errors
Redirect issues confuse crawlers and waste crawl budget.
Common Redirect Crawl Errors
- Redirect chains (multiple redirects in sequence)
- Redirect loops
- Wrong redirect types (302 instead of 301)
Best Practices to Fix Redirect Errors
- Use 301 redirects for permanent moves
- Remove unnecessary redirect chains
- Ensure redirects lead to relevant content
- Avoid circular redirects
Clean redirects help search engines crawl efficiently.
Fixing Robots.txt Crawl Errors
Robots.txt controls which parts of your site search engines can crawl.
Common Robots.txt Mistakes
- Blocking important pages
- Blocking CSS or JavaScript files
- Accidentally disallowing entire directories
Blocking resources prevents proper rendering and indexing.
How to Fix Robots.txt Crawl Errors
- Review robots.txt carefully
- Allow access to essential resources
- Avoid broad disallow rules unless intentional
A single incorrect line in robots.txt can block your entire website.
Fixing DNS and Connectivity Errors
DNS errors occur when search engines cannot connect to your website at all.
Common Causes
- Domain misconfiguration
- Expired domain or DNS records
- Hosting downtime
How to Fix DNS Crawl Errors
- Verify domain DNS settings
- Ensure domain is active and renewed
- Contact hosting or DNS provider
DNS issues are serious and should be fixed immediately.
Crawl Errors Caused by Website Structure
Poor site structure creates crawling problems even if the server works fine.
Structural Issues That Cause Crawl Errors
- Broken internal links
- Orphan pages (no internal links)
- Deep page hierarchy
- Infinite URL parameters
Search engines rely heavily on internal links to crawl efficiently.
How to Fix Structural Crawl Issues
- Fix broken internal links
- Ensure important pages are linked
- Simplify navigation
- Reduce unnecessary URL variations
A clean structure improves crawl efficiency significantly.
Crawl Errors and Page Speed
Slow pages can cause crawl timeouts.
How Speed Affects Crawling
- Slow servers reduce crawl frequency
- Pages may not fully load for crawlers
- Crawl budget is wasted
Improving page speed is often an indirect but powerful crawl error fix.
Crawl Errors on Mobile vs Desktop
With mobile-first indexing, mobile crawl errors matter more.
Common Mobile Crawl Issues
- Mobile resources blocked
- Mobile pages loading incorrectly
- Hidden or truncated content
- Heavy mobile scripts
Always ensure mobile pages are crawlable and functional.
Step-by-Step Crawl Errors Fix Process
Here’s a simple, safe process you can follow:
- Identify crawl errors
- Categorise errors by type
- Fix high-impact errors first
- Repair broken links and redirects
- Improve site structure
- Review robots.txt and server stability
- Monitor crawling regularly
This approach prevents over-fixing and keeps SEO safe.
Crawl Errors Fix Checklist
Use this checklist as a reference:
- No critical crawl blocks
- Important pages accessible
- Broken links fixed
- Redirects cleaned
- Server stable
- Robots.txt reviewed
- Mobile crawling verified
This checklist helps prevent recurring crawl issues.
Common Crawl Error Fix Mistakes
Avoid these mistakes:
- Redirecting every error blindly
- Blocking pages accidentally
- Ignoring server performance
- Treating all crawl errors equally
- Overcomplicating simple fixes
Not every crawl error is urgent. Focus on impact.
How Long Does It Take to Fix Crawl Errors?
Timelines vary based on error type:
- Broken links and redirects: immediate
- Robots.txt fixes: immediate
- Server stability fixes: days to weeks
- Structural improvements: gradual
Search engines usually reflect fixes within days to weeks.
Can Beginners Fix Crawl Errors Themselves?
Yes—many crawl errors are beginner-friendly.
Beginners can safely:
- Fix broken internal links
- Clean redirects
- Improve structure
- Review robots.txt cautiously
Complex server or DNS issues may require expert or hosting support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are crawl errors bad for SEO?
Yes. They prevent indexing and rankings.
Do all crawl errors need fixing?
No. Only errors affecting important pages matter.
Can crawl errors cause de-indexing?
Yes, especially persistent or widespread errors.
How often should crawl errors be checked?
At least once every few months or after major changes.
Will fixing crawl errors improve rankings?
Yes, especially when crawlability was limiting SEO growth.
Crawl errors are silent SEO killers. They don’t look dramatic, but they block search engines from accessing your content and stop SEO progress before it even begins.
Fixing crawl errors is not about chasing perfection. It’s about ensuring that search engines can reach, understand, and index your important pages without obstacles.
If your website is struggling despite good content and optimisation, start here. Fix crawl errors first — and give your SEO a solid foundation to grow.