Ecommerce crawl errors can quietly hold back an online store’s visibility in search. If Google cannot reach key product pages, category pages, or supporting content, those URLs may not be indexed properly, which can limit organic discovery and reduce the chances of turning search traffic into sales.
This checklist is designed for Shopify and WooCommerce store owners who want a practical way to spot crawl issues, improve technical SEO, and support stronger product page SEO, category page SEO, and overall ecommerce growth. Results will depend on site quality, competition, content, and the consistency of your optimisation work.
What crawl errors mean for ecommerce SEO
Crawl errors happen when search engines try to access a page and encounter a problem. The issue may be a broken link, a server error, a blocked resource, or a URL that no longer exists. For ecommerce sites, that can affect product pages, filtered category URLs, faceted navigation, images, and supporting content such as guides or buying advice.
On a store with hundreds or thousands of URLs, even small crawl issues can create bigger problems over time. Search engines may spend time on low-value pages instead of your best commercial pages, or they may miss updates to product availability, pricing, or internal links.
If you are reviewing crawlability in detail, Google’s SEO Starter Guide is a useful reference for understanding the basics of indexing and site structure.
Check the most common crawl errors first
Start by auditing the issues most likely to affect ecommerce stores:
- 404 pages: Removed products, outdated category links, and broken internal links.
- Soft 404s: Pages that look empty or unavailable but still return a 200 status.
- 5xx server errors: Hosting or application problems that stop crawlers from reaching pages.
- Redirect chains: Multiple redirects between old and final URLs, which slow crawling.
- Blocked resources: CSS, JavaScript, or image files that search engines need to render the page correctly.
For Shopify, check whether removed products are being redirected to the most relevant replacement category or product, rather than to the homepage by default. For WooCommerce, review how deleted products, out-of-stock items, and old category pages are handled so that important URLs are not lost unnecessarily.
Audit Shopify and WooCommerce crawl paths
Store platforms handle technical SEO differently, so your crawl checklist should reflect that. In Shopify, pagination, app-generated pages, and collection structure can create extra URLs. In WooCommerce, plugin settings, theme code, and WordPress configuration can introduce duplicate content or inefficient crawl paths.
Use a crawler such as Screaming Frog SEO Spider to review status codes, internal links, canonicals, indexability, and redirect behaviour. That kind of audit helps you spot pages that are being discovered but not properly crawled or indexed.
Pay close attention to:
- Broken internal links from menus, footer links, blogs, and product recommendations.
- Duplicate URLs created by filters, sorting options, or tracking parameters.
- Canonical tags that point to the wrong version of a product or category page.
- Pages blocked in robots.txt that should still be crawlable.
If you need a broader review of site health, a free website SEO audit can help identify technical issues that affect crawlability, internal linking, and organic product visibility.
Fix duplicate content and faceted navigation issues
Duplicate product content is common in ecommerce, especially when the same item appears in multiple categories, colour variations, or filter combinations. Search engines may struggle to decide which version to index if the signals are inconsistent.
Faceted navigation can be useful for users, but it can also create a large number of crawlable URL variants. That is not always a problem, but it becomes one if search engines spend too much time on low-value filtered pages instead of core category pages and product URLs.
Practical steps include:
- Use canonical tags on parameter-based URLs where appropriate.
- Prevent low-value filter combinations from being indexed if they do not offer unique search value.
- Write unique product descriptions rather than copying supplier copy across many pages.
- Consolidate duplicate category paths where possible.
Good ecommerce content strategy supports this work. Unique descriptions, clear category copy, and helpful buying guides give search engines more reason to crawl and understand the most important pages on the site.
Protect product pages and out-of-stock pages
Product page SEO is not only about keywords and copy. It also depends on whether the page remains useful when stock changes. Out-of-stock product SEO should be handled carefully so you do not lose visibility or send users to dead ends.
When a product is temporarily unavailable, keep the page live if the item is likely to return. You can show availability clearly, suggest alternatives, and keep the URL indexable if it still has search demand. If a product is permanently discontinued, redirect it to the closest relevant replacement or parent category rather than leaving it to fail with a 404.
Also review product schema markup, title tags, image alt text, and internal links from related products or blog posts. These elements help search engines interpret product relevance and help shoppers move through your store more easily.
Improve internal linking, speed, and mobile experience
Internal linking shapes crawl depth and helps search engines find important pages faster. Link from category pages to top-selling products, from product pages to related products, and from editorial content to commercial pages where relevant. Keep anchor text descriptive and natural.
Speed and mobile usability matter too. Core Web Vitals, image weight, scripts from third-party apps, and theme complexity can all affect how easily crawlers and users can access your content. Fast-loading pages tend to create a better user experience, which can support engagement and conversions, although results depend on traffic quality, pricing, trust signals, and checkout experience.
Test important pages in PageSpeed Insights and review where large images, render-blocking scripts, or layout shifts may be slowing down product discovery on mobile devices.
A practical crawl errors checklist for ecommerce stores
Use this checklist as a regular maintenance routine:
- Check Search Console for crawl errors, coverage issues, and excluded pages.
- Review 404s and redirect them only when there is a relevant destination.
- Remove or update broken internal links across menus, category pages, blogs, and footers.
- Audit filtered URLs, parameters, and duplicates created by faceted navigation.
- Confirm canonical tags, robots.txt rules, and noindex settings are correct.
- Make sure important category pages and product pages are linked from crawlable paths.
- Review out-of-stock and discontinued product handling.
- Test mobile usability and page speed regularly.
For ecommerce teams that want a deeper strategic review, Backlink Works also publishes practical SEO resources that can support ongoing site improvement without relying on shortcuts or spammy tactics.
Conclusion
A solid crawl error process helps Shopify and WooCommerce stores protect indexation, improve product discovery, and keep technical SEO under control as the catalogue grows. The goal is not just to fix broken pages, but to make sure search engines can reach the right pages, understand them clearly, and crawl the site efficiently.
When crawl issues are combined with strong product descriptions, clean category structure, sensible internal linking, fast mobile pages, and trustworthy content, online stores have a stronger foundation for sustainable organic traffic growth. The results will still depend on competition, site quality, and consistent optimisation, but the basics matter enormously.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a 404 and a soft 404?
A 404 means the page is genuinely missing. A soft 404 looks like an error or empty page but still returns a normal status code, which can confuse search engines.
Should out-of-stock products be deleted?
Not always. If the product returns later, keep the page live and useful. If it is permanently discontinued, redirect it to the nearest relevant alternative.
How do faceted navigation pages affect crawlability?
They can create many URL combinations, some of which add little value. If left unmanaged, they may dilute crawl efficiency and create duplicate content issues.
What should Shopify and WooCommerce stores check most often?
Review broken links, redirects, canonicals, duplicate URLs, indexability, mobile performance, and Search Console reports on a regular basis.
- Sponsored Ad -
