What Are Common Google Search Console Errors?
Google Search Console (GSC) is one of the most powerful tools for monitoring your website’s health. It shows how Google views your site, whether your pages are indexed and which issues may be holding back your rankings.
But for many website owners, the “Errors” section can feel overwhelming, full of technical terms, warnings and confusing messages.
Why Google Search Console Errors Matter
Search Console errors directly affect:
- How your pages are crawled
- Whether your pages get indexed
- How you appear on Google
- Your organic traffic
- Your SEO performance
Ignoring these errors can cause pages to disappear from search results or rank lower than expected.
Understanding these issues helps you maintain a website that Google can read, trust and rank.
A clear overview of the most common Google Search Console errors and how they impact website performance.
Most Common Google Search Console Errors
Below are the errors most website owners see inside Search Console, along with clear descriptions.
1. Page Indexed But Blocked by robots.txt
This means Google managed to index your page, but it also sees a rule in robots.txt telling it not to crawl that page.
This usually happens when:
- A developer accidentally blocked a folder
- Robots.txt wasn’t updated properly
- Important pages were unintentionally restricted
Google gets mixed signals when this happens.
2. Submitted URL Marked ‘Noindex’
This error means you told Google to index a page through your sitemap, but the page itself has a noindex tag.
Common causes:
- SEO plugins are adding no index by mistake
- Developers are adding no index during staging
- Manual settings are being forgotten
If a page should rank, it must not contain noindex.
At DigiPix, our marketing strategies are shaped by real insights and clear objectives. We use performance data and user behavior to build smarter campaigns that increase visibility, attract the right audience and support consistent business growth without guesswork or wasted effort.
3. Crawled — Currently Not Indexed
This is one of the most common messages in GSC.
It means:
- Google found your page
- Google crawled your page
- But Google decided not to index it (yet)
Reasons may include:
- Thin or low-quality content
- Duplicate content
- Weak internal linking
- Slow page performance
- Content with low value or unclear intent
Google may index it later or never depending on quality.
Understanding Google Search Console errors helps you fix indexing and coverage issues before rankings drop.
4. Discovered — Currently Not Indexed
This means Google knows the page exists but hasn’t crawled it yet.
Common causes:
- Large websites with many pages
- New websites with low authority
- Pages buried deep inside the structure
- Limited crawl budget
Internal links and strong content signals usually help.
5. Soft 404 Error
This happens when a page returns a normal status code (200 OK) but Google thinks the page doesn’t actually exist.
For example:
- A page with almost no content
- A page that says “Not Found” but looks normal
- Pages that appear broken or empty
It means the page provides no real value to users.
6. 404 Page Not Found
This is a standard “page missing” error.
It appears when:
- A URL changes
- A page is deleted
- Internal links point to old URLs
- Users or bots visit invalid links
Google treats 404s as normal, but too many can hurt your site structure.
7. Server Errors
These errors appear when your server is slow, down or unable to respond.
Possible causes:
- Hosting issues
- Overloaded servers
- Misconfigured plugins
- Heavy scripts or themes
If Google sees repeated server errors, it may slow down crawling.
At DigiPix, we design SEO strategies that align with how people actually search and how websites perform behind the scenes. By improving technical health, site structure and content clarity, we help businesses build lasting visibility, attract the right audience and remain competitive as search engines continue to evolve.
8. Redirect Errors
These happen when redirects are:
- Looping
- Broken
- Too long
- Pointing to non-existent pages
Redirect chains confuse Google and hurt crawl efficiency.
9. Duplicate Without User-Selected Canonical
This means Google sees multiple versions of similar pages and doesn’t know which one is the primary version.
Common issues:
- HTTP vs HTTPS
- www vs non-www
- Duplicate category pages
- Similar content on different URLs
Canonical tags help clarify the “main” version.
A simple breakdown of Google Search Console warnings every website owner should know about.
10. Video Indexing Errors
If your content contains videos, Google may show errors like:
- Video not found
- Unsupported format
- Video too small
- Video outside viewport
Google needs videos to be properly structured to index them.
11. Mobile Usability Errors
Search Console may report issues like:
- Text too small to read
- Buttons too close together
- Content wider than the screen
These errors affect mobile ranking and user experience.
12. “Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag”
This is not actually an error, but many people mistake it for one.
It simply means:
- Google found duplicate versions of your page
- Google selected the correct canonical version
- Your site is working properly
If you didn’t expect duplicates, this message is a helpful clue.
13. Sitemap Errors
These occur when:
- The sitemap is outdated
- Removed pages are still listed
- The sitemap URL is blocked
- The sitemap uses the wrong format
Clean, updated sitemaps improve crawling efficiency.
14. AMP Errors (If Enabled)
AMP issues may include:
- Invalid AMP structure
- Missing required tags
- Disallowed attributes
If you don’t use AMP, these errors shouldn’t appear. At DigiPixInc., we help businesses solve indexing issues, improve crawl health and optimize their websites for long-term SEO growth.
If you want a cleaner site structure, faster ranking and error-free performance. Partner with DigiPixInc. and enhance your SEO strategy today.
At DigiPix, we create websites that are easy to navigate, fast to load and built to work seamlessly across all devices. Every layout is designed to guide users naturally through your content, reduce friction and encourage action while delivering stable, dependable performance.
FAQs
1. Are GSC errors bad for my website?
Not always are they informational, but persistent errors can impact crawling, indexing and ranking.
2. Why does “Crawled Not Indexed” happen?
Usually, because the content isn’t strong enough yet or doesn’t match user intent.
3. Do I need to fix every error immediately?
Focus on errors that affect indexing and crawling first. Metric-based warnings can wait.
4. Can indexing errors stop my pages from ranking?
Yes, if Google can’t index your page, it will never appear in search results.
5. Does deleting 404 pages help?
Only if they still receive traffic or have important links. Otherwise, Google treats harmless 404s as normal.
Conclusion
Google Search Console is more than a reporting tool it’s your direct line of communication with Google. The errors you see inside GSC give you insight into how Google crawls, reads and indexes your website.
By understanding these messages, you can fix issues early, improve your site structure and create a stronger SEO foundation.
Whether it’s indexing problems, crawling limits or duplicate content, staying on top of Search Console helps your website perform better and stay visible in search results.
Request A Meeting
Written By: Khurram Qureshi
Founder & consultant of DigiPix Inc.
Call or text: 416-900-5825
Email: info@digipixinc.com
About The Author
In 2006, Khurram Qureshi started DigiPix Inc. which started off as a design agency offering video editing to professional photography, video production & post production, website designs and 3D Animations and has now expanded towards online marketing and business consultancy. Khurram Qureshi also is a motivational figure and participates in local and international platforms. He also play a role in the local community development, helping local young minds get ready to enter the job market.