Can preventing directory listings in WordPress upload folders cause Google ranking drops when they cause 403 errors in Webmaster Tools?
- by Kelly
I recently moved to a new host that blocks crawling to my uploads folders but (hopefully) allows the files in the folder to be crawled.
I now show many 403 errors for each folder in the uploads folder in my Webmaster Tools. For example, http://www.rewardcharts4kids.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/ shows a 403 error.
For example, I can access this file: http://www.rewardcharts4kids.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/lunch-box-notes.jpg but I cannot access the folder it is in.
My rankings went down after I moved to this host and I am wondering if:
this could be the reason.
is this how files/folders are supposed to be set up?