Hereโs a simplified guide to the most common Google Search Console errors and how to fix them:
1. 404 Error (Not Found)
This happens when a page canโt be found.
Fix: Use 301 redirects to send users to a working page or remove the broken links.
2. Submitted URL Blocked by robots.txt
A URL in your sitemap is blocked by the robots.txt file.
Fix: Update the robots.txt file to allow crawling or remove the blocked URL from the sitemap.
3. Mobile Usability Issues
Problems like small text or buttons being too close together on mobile devices.
Fix: Make your site mobile-friendly by adjusting the layout, font sizes, and spacing.
4. Server Errors (5xx Errors)
Google canโt access your site due to server problems.
Fix: Check your server logs, contact your hosting provider, and consider upgrading your server if necessary.
5. Soft 404 Errors
A page says it exists (200 status), but acts like it’s missing.
Fix: Either return a 404 status for missing pages or improve the content.
6. Redirect Errors
Issues with redirect loops or incorrect redirects (e.g., 302 instead of 301).
Fix: Fix any loops or chains and use 301 redirects for permanent changes.
7. Indexed, but Blocked by robots.txt
A page is indexed but blocked from being crawled by Google.
Fix: Either unblock the page in robots.txt or add a noindex tag to remove it from search results.
8. Crawl Anomalies
Unexpected errors stop Google from crawling a page.
Fix: Check the page for issues and use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console to find and fix problems.
9. Sitemap Errors
Problems with incorrect URLs or sitemap formatting.
Fix: Ensure all URLs in your sitemap are valid and resubmit it in Google Search Console.
10. AMP Errors
AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) errors occur when AMP pages have invalid code.
Fix: Use the AMP Test Tool or AMP Validator to fix errors and meet AMP HTML standards.
11. Missing Alt Text
Some images donโt have alt text, which affects accessibility and SEO.
Fix: Add descriptive alt text to all images, including relevant keywords.
12. Slow Page Speed
Slow loading times can hurt your rankings and user experience.
Fix: Optimize images, enable caching, minimize code, and use a CDN to improve speed.