Understanding the “Couldn’t fetch” Issue in Google Search Console: Troubleshooting Sitemap Crawl Problems
In the realm of website management and SEO, ensuring that search engines can efficiently crawl and index your content is paramount. Recently, a client’s website presented a peculiar challenge: despite having a correctly configured sitemap, Google Search Console (GSC) reported that the sitemap had not been fetched since September 22, 2020. This issue persisted even when attempting to resubmit or update the sitemap, which remained stuck in the “Couldn’t fetch” queue.
Analyzing the Problem
The first step was to confirm that the sitemap itself was free of technical problems. A thorough review indicated no errors or issues with its structure. Interestingly, manual crawl tests using Google’s tools showed that Google still managed to visit some URLs from the sitemap, albeit very slowly, indicating partial crawling activity rather than a complete blockade.
Implications for Multilingual Sites
This site features 24 language versions, with only the English content being crawled and indexed efficiently. The non-English pages are crawling at a sluggish pace and, crucially, remain largely undiscovered by Google. Despite this, the pages that Google does crawl tend to rank well, underscoring their relevance and quality, but the limited crawl frequency hampers broader visibility.
Cross-Search Engine Compatibility
A noteworthy observation is that the same sitemap is being successfully crawled by other search engines like Yandex and Bing. They process the sitemap without issues, suggesting that the problem is isolated to Google’s indexing process.
Key Takeaways and Recommendations
- Persistent “Couldn’t fetch” errors in Google Search Console for sitemaps can sometimes occur even when the sitemap is technically sound and functions correctly with other search engines.
- Slow or partial crawling by Google may be related to crawl budget, site structure, server responsiveness, or other technical factors unique to Google’s indexing process.
- For multilingual sites, ensure hreflang tags are correctly implemented, and consider submitting language-specific sitemaps to aid Google in understanding and prioritizing content.
- Monitoring server logs can help identify if Googlebot encounters any access issues or errors when attempting to crawl the sitemap or individual URLs.
- Regularly reviewing Google Search Console’s coverage and crawl reports can provide insights into crawling issues and help tailor remediation strategies.
Final Thoughts
Experiencing a “Couldn’t fetch” status for your sitemap in Google Search Console can be frustrating, especially when other search engines handle