Many website owners and SEOs have experienced a sudden drop in organic traffic. A variety of reasons, including a recent Google algorithm change, could be at play here. Thus, having a backup plan in place is essential during such unexpected challenges.
When organic traffic loss is seen, it’s time to seek answers. Here are the first things you must check when your organic traffic drops suddenly.
Check the Google Search Console
The first item on our list is your Google Search Console account, and this is for one simple reason: it contains a wealth of information about your SEO analytics, including organic traffic. As a result, while examining the traffic to your website, you should begin with Search Console.
Search Console provides a variety of information, including the following:
Google Messages
A list of internal and external links on your website
Errors in Googlebot crawl rate and access data
Keyword searches on the SERPs of your website
This data should allow for a rudimentary diagnostic. Here, you may figure out the root of the problem, if it came in tandem with previous site updates, if you need to use more critical keywords, if indexing a problem, and so on.
Check the Your Tracking Code
Incorrect statistics can lead to a drop in site views. A common issue is the tracking code on your website. Tracking code difficulties can arise because of changes to your website’s code or even analytics plug-ins.
As a result, before proceeding, double-check the tracking code on your website.
If you experience a mistake or need help integrating the tracking code, please refer to Google Analytics Help or contact the administrator/developer of your site.
Check for Any Google Algorithm Update
Google adjusts its algorithms numerous times every day and upgrades its systems; on average 600 times every year. While many of the Google updates are minor tweaks, large updates can have a huge impact on your website traffic and search rankings.
That is why it is vital to stay up-to-date on SEO news to anticipate algorithm changes and plan accordingly. We recommend checking for SEO news on Search Engine Land and Search Engine Roundtable.
Check for Connection Breakdowns
The loss of internal links may result in a decline in traffic as well, swell as multiple broken links from a URL change etc. While you may lose direct referral traffic, there may be unintended consequences.
Loss of inbound links can indicate to Google that your site is no longer authoritative, resulting in lower search rankings and less traffic (fewer people will find your site if it is not as prominently mentioned).
If you suspect a link failure, you can double-check. Using a link counter, check to see whether you’ve lost any links.
Check for Design and Migration issues
When it comes to business, SEO is usually not the first focus. If you recently renovated or relocated your website and saw a decrease in traffic, it’s conceivable that you broke or de-optimised something on your site by accident.
Page speed, for example, has become increasingly crucial. Google verified that page speed affects mobile rankings (and remember that Google is thinking mobile-first). As a result, it’s not unexpected that page speed affects rankings and traffic.
Recent site redesigns or migrations can cause issues, especially on mobile devices. Even if it is more expensive, reducing your site’s load time boosts your visits and rankings.
Check the Quality of Your Content
The quality (or lack thereof) of the content you post on your site can slow down traffic. To counteract low-quality website content, Google has already adopted adjustments to remove potentially harmful content from search results.
Perhaps it’s not just all about the look of your website, the products you offer, or your customer service. In today’s digital world, you want to be at the forefront of a search engine by updating your website when it comes to updates and algorithms. Simply don’t wait for your traffic to slow down–check on these six components regularly to stay on top of your game!
So when your organic traffic suddenly drops next time, you know what to do!
Market Jar is here to provide you with professional SEO services and aid in your brand’s success. Work with us today!
