Assessing the Viability of a Skiing Niche Website: Insights on Traffic Declines
As an aspiring website owner, I recently explored an intriguing opportunity to acquire a skiing niche website. The seller claims that the site’s traffic predominantly originates from Bing. However, a closer examination of the analytics tools Semrush and Ahrefs revealed a concerning trend.
In 2022, the domain showcased impressive growth, starting from zero visitors in January and peaking at approximately 6,000 visits by November. Unfortunately, following that peak, the traffic trajectory took a drastic downturn. February 2023 saw a drop to 4,500 visitors, which further plummeted to 2,000 in March and then to just 300 in April. Remarkably, by January 2024, the traffic had dwindled to zero and has remained stagnant since then.
While I am confident in my ability to rejuvenate the website, given its solid structure and my proficiency with WordPress, the significant traffic drop raises some concerns. It begs the question: Could this decline be attributed to a penalty from Google? Is a recovery possible without resorting to a new domain? And importantly, how can I identify the root cause of this sudden drop in traffic?
In summary, while the potential for growth is evident, understanding the underlying issues contributing to the traffic crash is crucial. Ensuring that the website complies with SEO best practices and investigating any possible penalties will be key steps in my decision-making process moving forward.
