During my audit of the website using ahref, I encountered numerous 403 errors on almost all pages, with the exception of orphan pages and image file sizes. When attempting to open broken redirects, I also encountered 403 errors. I am unsure if this issue is due to a problem with the ahref bot or my server. Even the homepage is displaying a 403 error, and important pages are showing 404 errors. Although the homepage and other pages are indexed and accessible, ahref is still displaying 404 errors, causing frustration. How can I resolve this issue?
It’s likely that your server is blocking Ahrefs’ bot, causing the 403 errors. This could be due to a few reasons:
- Server Configuration: Your server might be configured to block certain user agents, including those associated with crawling tools like Ahrefs.
- Security Measures: Your website might have implemented security measures that restrict access to certain pages or resources, mistakenly identifying Ahrefs as a threat.
- Rate Limiting: Your server could be rate limiting Ahrefs’ requests, preventing it from accessing your pages successfully.
To resolve the issue, you can:
- Check Your Server Configuration: Review your server’s settings and ensure that Ahrefs’ user agent is not blocked. You might need to whitelist the Ahrefs bot in your server’s configuration files.
- Review Security Settings: Examine your website’s security measures and ensure that Ahrefs is not being mistakenly flagged as a threat. You may need to adjust your security settings or create exceptions for Ahrefs.
- Contact Your Hosting Provider: If you’re unsure about configuring your server or security settings, it’s best to contact your hosting provider. They can help you troubleshoot the issue and adjust your server settings accordingly.
- Verify Ahrefs’ User Agent: Make sure you’re using the correct Ahrefs user agent in your server configuration. You can find the official Ahrefs user agent on their website or support pages.
Once you’ve addressed these issues, Ahrefs should be able to crawl your website properly, and you should see the 403 errors disappear.