Experiencing a sudden drop in your site’s organic search rankings can be both frustrating and alarming. It can impact your traffic, leads, and overall online visibility. However, the first step toward recovery is understanding the reasons behind the drop. Below, we explore seven key questions to ask and tools to use for assessing and addressing organic ranking declines.
1. Has There Been a Recent Google Algorithm Update?
Google frequently updates its algorithms to improve search quality. A core update or a specific algorithm change, such as adjustments to E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), can impact your rankings.
What to Do:
- Check platforms like Google Search Central or follow SEO news websites like Search Engine Journal for updates.
- Use tools like Moz’s Google Algorithm Update History or SEMrush Sensor to track significant changes.
2. Are Your Backlinks Still Intact?
Backlinks are a cornerstone of SEO. If you’ve lost high-quality backlinks due to broken links, domain changes, or disavowal, your rankings might take a hit.
Tools to Use:
- Ahrefs: Identify lost or broken backlinks and reach out to recover them.
- Majestic: Analyze the quality of your backlink profile.
Actionable Tip:
Regularly audit your backlinks and ensure that anchor texts remain relevant to your target keywords.
3. Is Your Content Aligned with Current User Intent?
Search intent evolves over time. If your content no longer matches what users are looking for, search engines may prioritize other pages.
Questions to Ask:
- Is your content addressing informational, navigational, or transactional intent?
- Are your headings, keywords, and CTAs still relevant?
Tools to Use:
- Google Search Console: Analyze queries driving traffic to identify shifts in intent.
- Surfer SEO: Compare your content’s relevancy with top-ranking competitors.
4. Are There Technical SEO Issues on Your Site?
Technical problems like broken links, slow page speeds, or poorly implemented schema markup can severely impact your rankings.
What to Check:
- Are all important pages indexed?
- Are there crawl errors or duplicate content issues?
Tools to Use:
- Screaming Frog: Conduct a comprehensive technical SEO audit.
- PageSpeed Insights: Evaluate and improve your site’s loading speed.
Pro Tip:
Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, as mobile usability significantly impacts rankings.
5. Have Your Competitors Gained an Edge?
Your competitors may be outranking you due to improved content, stronger backlinks, or better user experience.
Steps to Take:
- Conduct a competitor analysis to understand their strengths.
- Identify the keywords they’re targeting and assess their strategies.
Tools to Use:
- SEMrush: Compare keyword rankings and traffic estimates.
- SpyFu: Analyze competitor ad and keyword strategies.
6. Are You Suffering from Keyword Cannibalization?
Keyword cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on your website compete for the same keywords, confusing search engines about which page to rank.
How to Identify It:
- Check if multiple pages are ranking for the same keyword.
- Look for dips in traffic for individual pages targeting the same topic.
Tools to Use:
- Ahrefs: Use the Site Explorer tool to identify competing pages.
- SEMrush: Monitor keyword rankings and filter by URLs.
7. Is There a Decline in User Experience Metrics?
Google prioritizes user experience as a ranking factor, including metrics like bounce rate, time on site, and Core Web Vitals.
Questions to Ask:
- Are visitors leaving your site quickly?
- Are pages loading fast enough?
- Is the site easy to navigate?
Tools to Use:
- Hotjar: Visualize user behavior with heatmaps.
- Google Analytics: Monitor session duration and bounce rates.
