Learning from a Bold SEO Experiment: How Intentional Site Deoptimization Can Lead to Long-Term Recovery
In the ever-evolving landscape of search engine optimization (SEO), strategies that defy conventional wisdom can sometimes offer surprising insights. Recently, I undertook a bold experiment involving a client whose website had been severely impacted by a Google core update. The goal was not merely to recover but to understand how deliberate deoptimization could facilitate long-term resilience and improved rankings.
The Situation: A Client in Crisis
The client approached me after experiencing a 73% drop in organic traffic—an alarming decline following a major Google core algorithm update. Their urgent request was to fix the issue quickly. Traditional SEO advice would suggest incremental improvements, but I chose a different path.
The Controversial Strategy: Intentional Site “Rebirth”
Understanding the site’s extensive history of SEO violations—riddled with keyword stuffing from 2012, a backlink profile contaminated with spam, doorway pages, and other toxic elements—I decided it was time for a complete overhaul. My unconventional approach was to expedite the process of cleaning up the site by intentionally “breaking” it purposefully, with the aim of rebuilding from a cleaner, stronger foundation.
The Actions Taken
1. Drastic Content Pruning
- Deleted approximately 2,400 pages in a single day, leaving only about 340 high-quality pages.
2. Backlink Cleanup
- Disavowed around 12,000 backlinks, focusing on removing harmful links.
3. Content Overhaul
- Removed all overly optimized content that was chasing keywords with little regard for user experience.
- Rewrote remaining content in plain, accessible language—eschewing SEO-centric copywriting.
4. Internal Linking Adjustments
- Eliminated exact-match anchor text within internal links to reduce keyword cannibalization.
The Results: A Bumpy but Educational Journey
First 30 Days:
Organic traffic plummeted an additional 41%, prompting understandable concern from the client. I urged patience and emphasized the importance of trusting the process.
Day 45:
We began to see the first signs of recovery, albeit for different keywords than before—an indication that Google was re-evaluating the site’s relevance.
Day 90:
Traffic surpassed initial levels by 34%, attracting higher-quality visitors and experiencing better conversion rates.
