Log File Analysis
Log analysis shows what bots actually crawl: URLs, status codes, frequency, crawl waste, and error patterns.
Definition
Log file analysis uses server access logs to understand crawler and user behavior. For SEO, it answers: did Googlebot crawl key pages, or waste time in parameter traps? Which URLs return 4xx/5xx repeatedly? Logs provide ground truth.
Why it matters
- Ground truth: see what bots actually did
- Identify crawl waste, repeated crawling, and errors
- Critical for technical SEO on large sites
How to implement
- Filter by bot user-agents and analyze status codes
- Find high-frequency, low-value URLs (params/facets)
- Fix error URLs and minimize redirect chains
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FAQ
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