If you’re seeing a “Blocked due to access forbidden (403)” error in Google Search Console (GSC), it indicates that Googlebot tried to access a page but was denied permission. Understanding and resolving this issue can be crucial for maintaining the health and visibility of your website. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to tackle this problem.
Understanding the 403 Forbidden Error
A 403 Forbidden error occurs when a web server recognizes the request made by a client (e.g., Googlebot) but refuses to authorize it. This can happen for several reasons, and it’s important to distinguish between different scenarios to apply the appropriate fix.
How To Fix
Case 1: URLs Shouldn't Be Accessible
Scenario
Sometimes, the URLs reported with a 403 error should not be accessible to users or Googlebot. These URLs might be generated dynamically by JavaScript code or included in form action attributes or the URLs like authorization are intentionally returning 403 status code.
Action Plan
- Verify the URLs: Confirm that the reported URLs are indeed meant to be inaccessible.
- Fixes Required: If these URLs are not supposed to be accessed, there’s no need to fix the 403 error. However, you must ensure these URLs don’t have internal links. To check that, you can use Ahrefs or SEMrush real-time site auditing tools.
Also you can disallow these type of URLs for Google-bot to improve crawl budget.
Case 2: Accessible Pages with Helpful Content
Scenario
If the pages with 403 errors contain valuable content that should be accessible to users and indexed by Google, the issue lies within the website’s configuration.
Action Plan
- Check Configuration Files: Review your .htaccess, httpd.conf, or other server configuration files for incorrect directives.
- DNS Records: Ensure that DNS records are correctly configured and pointing to the right server.
- Malware Scan: Conduct a malware scan using online tools to ensure that the issue is not caused by malicious software.
Steps to Fix Configuration Issues:
- .htaccess Example: Ensure that your .htaccess file does not contain rules blocking access.
<Files "blocked-page.html">
Order Allow,Deny
Allow from all
</Files>
- HTTPD Config Example: Check your server configuration for incorrect permissions.
<Directory "/path-to-directory">
Require all granted
</Directory>
Case 3: Paywalled Pages
Scenario
Paywalled content that requires users to sign in might return a 403 status code. However, Google recommends using structured data to inform them about paywalled content rather than blocking it.
Action Plan
- Use Paywalled Schema: Implement the appropriate schema to inform Google about the paywall.
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"isAccessibleForFree": "False",
"hasPart": {
"@type": "WebPageElement",
"isAccessibleForFree": "False",
"cssSelector": ".paywall"
}
}
</script>
Conclusion
Fixing a “Blocked due to access forbidden (403)” error in Google Search Console depends on understanding why the URLs are being blocked and taking appropriate action. By following the steps outlined for each scenario, you can ensure that your website’s valuable content remains accessible and properly indexed by Google.
If you have any further questions or need detailed guidance, feel free to reach out. Properly addressing these issues can significantly improve your website’s SEO and user experience.