Why can't I add a site to my Siteimprove subscription?

Summary

If you can’t add a site to your Siteimprove subscription, it is usually due to one of the following issues: insufficient user permissions, the site already existing on your account, URL validation problems, or access restrictions such as a 403 error.

Symptoms

• You cannot add a new site in Settings > Sites
• The Add site option is missing or unavailable
• You receive an error when submitting a URL
• You encounter a 403 (forbidden) error
• The site fails validation or cannot be crawled

Causes and Resolutions

User permissions issue

Cause:
Only Account Owners or users with the “Add site” permission can add a new site.

Resolution:

• Contact your Account Owner
• Ask them to assign a custom role with “Add site” permissions
  • This interactive tutorial shows how to create a customized user role.
• Ensure the role includes View and Allow permissions under Site settings

The site already exists

Cause:
The site may already exist in your account, or you may be trying to add a product (for example, analytics) to an existing site.

Resolution:

• Confirm whether the site is already listed in your account
• If adding a product to an existing site, contact Siteimprove Technical Support for assistance

URL could not be validated

Cause:
The URL cannot be crawled due to issues such as:

• Site is down
• Site redirects elsewhere
• No crawlable links are present
• Site is built entirely with JavaScript or frames

Resolution:

• Verify that the site is accessible and contains crawlable links
• Check for redirects or availability issues
• For JavaScript-based sites, contact Siteimprove Technical Support with details

Error Code 403 (forbidden)

Cause:
A 403 error means access to the site is restricted (for example, login-required or blocked access).

Resolution:

• Confirm whether the site requires login credentials
• Review guidance for crawling non-public or intranet sites
• If needed, ask your IT team to allowlist Siteimprove IP addresses
• Provide IT with Siteimprove IP address information

Additional Guidance

• Always verify your permissions before attempting to add a site
• Ensure the URL is accessible and publicly reachable
• Check whether the site already exists to avoid duplication