Is There a New Update Happening?
I’ve noticed a significant decline in my Google traffic since October 8th, with a drop of around 30%. This type of decrease hasn’t occurred between updates before. Over the past two years, Google has already reduced my traffic substantially. It’s incredibly frustrating.
2 responses to “Is a recent update currently happening?”
I’m sorry to hear about the drop in your Google traffic. If you’re experiencing a sudden and significant decrease in traffic, it’s understandable that you might be concerned about a potential algorithm update. Here’s how you can approach this situation:
Step 1: Confirm the Update
Official Sources: Check if there is any official confirmation from Google about an algorithm update. Google may announce significant updates on their Google Search Central Blog or their official Twitter account @googlesearchc.
SEO News Sites: Visit trusted SEO news websites such as Search Engine Land, Moz, or Search Engine Journal for reports on any updates. They often have comprehensive reports and analyses of new developments.
SEO Communities: Engage with seo communities like those on Reddit (such as r/SEO) or the Google Search Central Help Community to see if others are experiencing similar issues.
Step 2: Analyze Your Traffic
Audience Segments: Evaluate if the decline is more pronounced within specific audience segments.
Google Search Console: Use the Search Console to analyze changes in search impressions, clicks, CTR, and keyword performance over time. Look for substantial changes or drops in position for key terms.
Step 3: Identify Potential Issues
Technical SEO Audit: Conduct a Technical SEO audit to ensure your site isn’t facing any crawlability or indexing issues. Use tools like Screaming Frog, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to perform a comprehensive audit.
Content Quality: Review your content to ensure it’s still aligned with Google’s E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) principles. Outdated or low-quality content can affect rankings, especially after content-focused updates.
User Experience: Analyze the user experience and site performance metrics such as page speed, mobile usability, and interactivity. Poor user experience can indirectly impact search rankings.
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It’s definitely disheartening to see such a significant decline in traffic, especially when it feels like you’re constantly trying to keep up with Google’s algorithm changes. Since you mentioned the drop in traffic coinciding with early October, it’s worth considering if there were any specific industry trends or changes in user behavior around that time that could have impacted your rankings as well.
Additionally, have you checked your site for any potential issues that could contribute to this drop? Factors like page speed, mobile-friendliness, or even increased competition in your niche might play a role. Tools like Google Search Console can provide insights into any keyword drops or crawl errors that might have coincided with the decline.
Lastly, engaging with your audience through updated content or new formats could help regain traffic and attract fresh visitors. Sometimes, a content refresh or exploring trending topics in your niche can make a difference. Hang in there—navigating these fluctuations can be tough, but they often lead to valuable insights for future strategies!