The number of requests for AI crawlers for search purposes has increased several times within a year, so which columns of the site crawling log should be checked first?
The AI crawler requests for search purposes have increased several times in one year: A Q3 2026 statistics shows that this type of crawling accounts for 8.26% of AI crawler requests, up from 4.05% in the previous quarter and only 1.32% last year, with Googlebot leading with a share of 23.80%. When checking the crawling logs, prioritize three columns - requestor identifier, frequency per unit of time, and return status code, which respectively answer 'who came', 'how urgent it was', and 'what was obtained'.
The change in proportion reveals the intention of migration.
The behavior difference between retrieval crawling and training crawling is significant. Training type is low-frequency large-area scanning, take and go; Retrieval type requires immediate content, frequent, targeting fresh pages and specific issues, because its output will be directly assembled into the answer.
The proportion has increased from a little over one percent to a point below eighty percent (8.26%), indicating that the part of the automated traffic that requires ready answers is expanding. There are two aspects of the impact on the site: one is that such requests may bring higher-quality references and access opportunities; on the other hand, it is more sensitive to server pressure, frequent visits will occupy the crawling budget, and it is also more likely to be mixed with batch collection behavior, which needs to be treated differently.
What do the three fields in the log answer?
| field | The questions answered | Abnormal signal |
|---|---|---|
| Requester identifier | Is it a search engine, a retrieval AI, or a collection program? | The identifier does not match the request behavior, or a common fake identifier is used |
| Frequency per unit time | How often is a request made from the same source, and which paths are concentrated | High-density repeated requests to the same batch of pages within a short period |
| Return status code | Is the content received complete, an error, or a blank page from the other party | A large number of abnormal status codes, or concentrated hits on non-existent addresses |
The three columns should be considered together. Looking only at the identifier may miss disguise; looking only at frequency may treat normal searches as attacks; looking only at status codes cannot tell who is causing the pressure.
The frequency item is especially worth emphasizing: the total amount itself does not explain the problem. The high-frequency segment of a certain source during an abnormal period can better explain what it is doing. It is recommended to aggregate by 'source × hour' instead of just looking at the daily total.
Identify how to dispose of batch collection after recognition
First, classify the nature. Lawful search and seizure will bring visibility, and the disposal method should be to control the pace rather than to refuse; batch transportation is different, it takes away content without bringing any backflow.
For content搬运, the available means within the site include robots.txt configuration as the first gateway to express intentions——it should be noted that this is just an agreement, whether it is observed is decided by the crawling party; for accessible content, AnQiCMS has built-in anti-crawling interference codes to protect content from being batch collected, the target of which is precisely the behavior of copying the entire content as is, which has a limited impact on normal reading when added to the text output, but destroys usability when extracted in bulk by machines. When stronger control is needed, speed limits or intercepts are set based on source and frequency at the access layer.
The recommended handling order is conservative: first record and confirm the nature, then limit the speed, and finally intercept completely, to avoid blocking together the search sources that bring traffic.
Common questions
Question: Can fields with many tags in the log be fully trusted?Answer: No. Tags are self-reported in the request header and are easy to forge. Before judgment, check the access path and behavior characteristics first, and if necessary, investigate whether the source address segment is consistent with the claimed crawling party.
Question: How often should the crawling log be checked?Answer: Daily, aggregate by week to see the trend. When encountering traffic anomalies, collection fluctuations, or when new blocking rules are launched, change to daily viewing, and focus on comparing the frequency changes of the same source before and after the changes.
Ask: Should the amount of AI retrieval be counted separately?Answer: It is recommended to list them separately. They require timely content, related to the timeliness of crawling new pages, and mixed in with the total visit volume, it is not easy to see the real opportunities for content to be cited after publication.