Crawl errors and broken links can severely affect your SEO performance. They confuse search engines, create dead ends for users, and reduce page authority.
Types of Crawl Errors #
- DNS Errors
Site unavailable to Googlebot.
Fix: Check hosting/server reliability.
- Server Errors (5xx)
Server doesn’t respond properly.
Fix: Contact your host or optimize scripts.
- 404 Not Found
Page removed or renamed without redirect.
Fix: Use 301 redirects or restore the page.
- Soft 404s
Page returns a “success” code but has no content.
Fix: Add real content or use proper 404 status.
- Blocked Resources
JavaScript, CSS, or images are blocked.
Fix: Allow access via robots.txt.
How OneClickSEO Identifies Errors #
During audits, OneClickSEO lists:
- All broken links (internal and external)
- Pages returning 4xx/5xx status
- Blocked or missing resources
- Redirect chains or loops
Fixing Broken Links #
Manual Fixes:
- Update the link to the correct destination
- Remove the link if the content no longer exists
- Add a redirect to guide users to a relevant page
Automated Fixes:
Use tools like Screaming Frog or install redirection plugins.
Fixing Crawl Errors #
- Unblock files in robots.txt
- Check that your sitemap is valid
- Eliminate redirect chains
- Use rel=canonical to point to preferred URLs
OneClickSEO highlights these issues with severity levels so you know what to prioritize.
