Crawlability has become a critical challenge as the number of web crawlers and their requirements grow exponentially. When you fall behind on keeping up with these evolving demands, your brand and website can disappear from major platforms, such as Google, Bing and ChatGPT.
In this article, I’m exploring the most essential aspects of crawlability that every website must implement to stay visible in search engines and AI tools.
Mobile-First Crawling Strategy
Today, Google and numerous other crawlers use smartphones to evaluate websites, including yours. This shift makes responsive design absolutely critical and no longer optional for any business.
Google applies a strict rule of only indexing visible content, which means you cannot hide important information behind collapsible elements. Many websites still make the mistake of using accordions, tabs, and similar UI elements that conceal valuable content from crawlers.
Here’s something crucial to understand: most AI crawlers currently don’t render JavaScript. If your site relies heavily on JavaScript for content and links, you’re creating a significant problem for your visibility. I always recommend ensuring that your core content and navigation links exist natively in HTML rather than being generated through JavaScript.
Building Proper Site Architecture
Every website needs a valid robots.txt file that doesn’t restrict crawling of important content. I follow a golden rule here: keep this file as simple as possible. Complex robots.txt configurations often lead to expensive mistakes that can hurt your website rankings.
Your website must also include an XML sitemap that helps search engines discover every page on your site. Don’t forget to submit this sitemap to tools like Google Search Console. This step can dramatically improve your indexed page count, especially if your internal linking structure isn’t sufficient.
Most websites still struggle with creating a logical hierarchy. I recommend keeping your website structure as simple as possible: homepage, category pages, then individual posts or products. Websites rarely need more than three levels of depth. This straightforward approach makes navigation intuitive for both users and crawlers.
Within this proper setup, focus on reducing redirects across your website. Each redirect drains your crawl budget and takes visitors’ valuable time. When visitors don’t have to wait through multiple redirects, they typically stay engaged longer with your content.
Mastering Internal Linking
Internal linking is the most powerful strategy for improving crawlability. When you set up internal linking correctly, crawlers and visitors can navigate your website significantly faster and more efficiently.
One effective method involves cross-linking content through related article elements. I use semantic similarity to connect relevant content pieces. Several excellent tools can automate this process, and recently, even Screaming Frog SEO Spider has added features to help with semantic linking.
The second method involves linking content through strategic keyword placement. For example, I automatically link every mention of “core web vitals” on my website to my comprehensive article about that topic. Focus on long-tail keywords of 3-4 words or more first, then work your way down to 1-2 word keywords. Long-tail keywords always perform better for internal linking.
Before implementing any linking strategy, identify your most important pages and prioritize links to them. However, avoid overcrowding your content with links, as this damages user experience and discourages real visitors from engaging with your content.
Performance and Crawl Efficiency
Web performance directly impacts crawling effectiveness as Google and other crawlers allocate limited time to each website.
However, the primary reason to focus on performance and Core Web Vitals should be your visitors’ positive experience.
When your site loads slowly or lacks proper caching, Googlebot can crawl fewer pages in the same timeframe compared to a fast-loading website. This limitation directly affects how much of your content gets discovered and indexed.
Essential Tools for Success
Google Search Console should be every website owner’s primary tool. I also recommend adding Bing Webmaster Tools to your toolkit. These platforms provide valuable insights about crawlability and indexability problems affecting your site.
I typically monitor websites for my clients on a daily or weekly basis. This consistent monitoring prevents issues that could significantly impact crawlability before they become serious problems. I continuously work with clients to improve both performance and crawlability as an ongoing process.
You can handle essential monitoring independently, using tools like Ahrefs and DebugBear. While many other tools exist, these are my personal preferences based on years of experience.
Conclusion
Improving your website’s crawlability isn’t just about technical optimization, it’s about ensuring your business stays visible in an increasingly competitive market. By implementing mobile-first design, building proper site architecture, mastering internal linking, optimizing performance, and using the right monitoring tools, you create a foundation that serves both search engines and your visitors effectively.
The key to long-term success is in treating crawlability as an ongoing process rather than a one-time setup. Regular monitoring and continuous improvement will keep your website ahead of the evolving requirements of modern web crawlers and ensure your business maintains its digital presence across all major platforms.