Googlebot Blocked By robots.txt – 5 Easy Fixes

Imagine spending hours perfecting your WordPress site, only to find it’s invisible to Google. Frustrating, right?

This often happens because of a little file called robots.txt. It guides Googlebot, a tool that crawls and indexes websites for Google. If it’s blocked by mistake, your site might not appear in search results.

You’re not alone if you struggle with this Google indexing issue. Many site owners face this issue. Googlebot blocked by robots.txt is a common hurdle, but it’s fixable.

In this guide, learn how to identify and solve the problem. We’ll walk you through the steps to ensure your site gets seen by Google. Unlock your website’s full potential and make sure it’s out there for the world to find.

TL;DR: If Googlebot is blocked by robots.txt, your site might not appear in search results. Check and edit your robots.txt file and recrawl your site through Google Search Console to fix this. Also, keep your site backed up to protect all your hard work.

1. Check Google Search Console

Check the Google Search Console before starting to fix the Googlebot blocked issue. It helps you see if your site is being indexed correctly.

First, go to your Google Search Console dashboard. Navigate to Indexing > Pages. Here, you can see various reasons why pages might not be indexed.

Look for the option labeled Blocked by robots.txt. Selecting this shows you which pages are blocked from being indexed by Googlebot.

By identifying these pages, you can confirm if robots.txt is the cause. This way, you can focus on fixing the issue and getting your site visible again.

2. Review and edit your robots.txt file

Reviewing and editing your robots.txt file is key to ensuring Googlebot can access your site. Here’s how you can do it effectively.

First, access your site using an FTP client like Filezilla. Look for the robots.txt file in your site’s root directory, often named public_html or www.

Open this file in Edit mode. Carefully check the rules listed. Make sure Googlebot isn’t blocked from important pages or resources.

For example, the following instruction disallows Googlebot:

User-agent: Googlebot
Disallow: /

If you see any such Disallow lines affecting Googlebot, change or remove them. Also ensure important directories, like /wp-content/uploads/, are allowed.

This is what that looks like:

User-agent: Googlebot
Allow: /wp-content/uploads/

Once you’ve made the changes, save the file and upload it back to your site.

3. Test your robots.txt file

Once you have made the changes, testing your robots.txt file to ensure your changes work, is the next step. You can do this easily using the Google Search Console.

Start by going to Settings, then Crawling. Click on the Open Report option next to the robots.txt field.

Next, click the vertical More button and select Request a Recrawl. This action prompts Googlebot to access and crawl your site again.

By testing your file, you confirm that Googlebot can properly navigate your site. This ensures everything is indexed correctly.

4. Force crawl individual sites

If you have a high-priority webpage, you can make sure Googlebot crawls it right away. This is helpful for pages that need immediate indexing or attention.

Start by adding the URL of your page to the Inspect tool at the top of Google Search Console. Hit Enter to process the URL.

When the results page appears, click on Request Indexing. This action lets Googlebot crawl that specific page.

If successful, your page will be indexed by Google. This ensures your important content gets seen quickly.

5. Monitor Google Search Console

Regularly monitoring Google Search Console helps keep your site healthy and visible.

Check GSC for any issues that might be affecting your site’s indexing. Pay special attention to recurring Blocked by robots.txt problems.

Promptly identifying and fixing these issues ensures your site remains accessible to both Google and your users. Keeping an eye on GSC helps your site perform at its best.

Best practices to avoid the Googlebot blocked by robots.txt issue

To avoid the Googlebot blocked by robots.txt issue, follow these best practices:

Regular audits: Regularly review and update your robots.txt file to match your current site needs and goals.

Minimal restrictions: Avoid too many Disallow rules. Only block paths that are sensitive or unnecessary.

Allow essential assets: Ensure critical resources like CSS, JavaScript, and images are allowed. The code for that looks like this:

User-agent: *
Allow: /wp-content/uploads/
Allow: /wp-includes/js/

Targeted rules: Use specific User-agent guidelines to manage access for different crawlers without blocking Googlebot.

Testing: Use Google Search Console’s robots.txt crawler to check your configurations. This helps to catch errors.

Clear syntax: Keep the syntax simple and clear. Make sure there are no conflicting rules.

Avoid wildcard overuse: Be careful with wildcards. They can accidentally block important paths.

Use noindex: Consider noindex meta tags for pages you don’t want indexed, instead of blocking them in robots.txt.

Educate team: Ensure everyone who can change site configurations understands how robots.txt works.

Monitor changes: Track changes and their effects using analytics and search console data. This helps identify issues quickly.

What is robots.txt?

The robots.txt file is a crucial tool for managing who can access parts of your website. It’s a standard way to instruct web crawlers and automated agents about which sections they can crawl.

This file is stored in a simple text format. It helps manage server load by controlling crawler traffic. By doing so, it prevents certain parts of your site from being accessed. This also saves unnecessary resources.

But, remember that robots.txt is a request, not a guarantee. Well-behaved crawlers follow these rules, but malicious bots might ignore them. So, don’t rely on robots.txt to protect sensitive data.

Final thoughts

Fixing the Googlebot blocked issue is crucial for your site’s visibility. By following the steps, you can ensure your site is properly indexed. Regular audits of your robots.txt file help prevent these problems from happening again. Keep a close eye on Google Search Console to catch any new issues early.

For added peace of mind, consider using MalCare for your site’s backup. It offers features like off-site storage and encrypted backups, which keep your data safe. If your site ever crashes, an emergency connector helps you restore everything quickly. Plus, it doesn’t overload your site resources. It’s a smart way to protect your hard work.

FAQs

How to fix blocked by robots.txt error?

To fix a blocked by robots.txt error, start by checking Google Search Console for blocked pages. Then, access your robots.txt file using an FTP client, and review it for any Disallow rules affecting important pages. Remove or adjust these rules to let Googlebot access needed areas. Use Google Search Console’s robots.txt Tester to confirm your changes. Finally, request a recrawl to ensure everything’s working right.

Is a robots.txt file bad for SEO?

A robots.txt file isn’t bad for SEO if used correctly. It helps manage which parts of your site crawlers can access. But, if you don’t set it up right, it might accidentally block important pages from being indexed. You must configure it carefully to support your SEO goals.

How do I protect a robots.txt file?

You can’t fully protect a robots.txt file because it’s publicly accessible. But, make sure it only has rules you want to show to web crawlers. Avoid listing sensitive directories. Remember, robots.txt is a guideline, not a security measure. Use other methods, like server permissions, for sensitive data protection.

How to generate a robots.txt file?

To generate a robots.txt file, you can use a text editor to create a new file called robots.txt and add your desired rules. Specify which crawlers can access certain parts of your site using User-agent and Allow or Disallow directives. Save the file and upload it to your site’s root directory. You can also use plugins or online tools to simplify the process.