Recovering from a Google core update can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not familiar with the process. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to recover from a dip in traffic caused by a Google core update.
One of the first steps you should take is to identify whether the traffic loss is due to a core update or some other issue. Once you’ve identified that it’s a core update, you can start taking steps to recover.
We understand that experiencing a drop in traffic can be frustrating, but it’s important to remember that recovery is possible. By following these steps, you can improve your website’s ranking and traffic.
Understanding Google Core Update
It is important to note that a Google Core Update is a significant change to Google’s search algorithm. These updates are designed to improve the quality of search results and provide users with the most relevant content.
Google Core Updates are not just a small tweak to the algorithm; they are major changes that can have a significant impact on websites’ search rankings. It is crucial to keep in mind that these updates can affect any website, regardless of its size or industry.
To understand the impact of the Google Core Update, you should track your website traffic and monitor changes in search rankings. It is also crucial to analyze the content on the website and ensure that it is high-quality, relevant, and meets the user’s intent.
1. Don’t Panic
When a Google Core Update occurs, it’s natural to feel a sense of panic. After all, these updates can have a significant impact on your website’s traffic and rankings.
First, you should understand that a drop in rankings doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something wrong with your website. Google updates its algorithm regularly to improve the quality of search results. Sometimes, your competitors may have improved their content, or Google may have changed its ranking factors. Regardless of the cause, it’s important to stay calm and focused.
2. Identify Areas of Improvement
You can use data to identify content that needs improvement by analyzing the pages that have lost traffic and rankings after the update. You can then focus on improving the relevance and authority of these pages.
To improve the relevance of our problem pages, we can start by optimizing the content for user intent. We need to make sure that our content satisfies the search intent of the users. We can use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to analyze the search queries that led users to our website.
3. Conduct Competitor Analysis
When a Google core update hits, it’s important to analyze your competitors to see what they’re doing differently. This way, you can identify areas where you can improve your content and SEO strategy.
You can use tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to help you identify areas where your content can surpass your competitors. By analyzing their backlinks, content quality, and keywords, you can learn what they’re doing right and what you need to improve.
One important aspect of competitor analysis is identifying gaps in their content. By identifying topics they haven’t covered, you can create high-quality content that fills that gap. This can help you attract more traffic to your site and improve your search engine rankings.
4. Improve E-E-A-T
To recover from a Google core update, it is essential to improve your website’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). Google has emphasized its importance in its search quality guidelines, and websites with high E-E-A-T are more likely to rank higher in search results.
Here are some tips to improve your website’s E-E-A-T:
- Provide high-quality content: Your website should have well-written, informative, and accurate content that provides value to your users. Avoid misleading or deceptive content, as it can harm your E-E-A-T.
- Showcase your expertise: Highlight your credentials, experience, and qualifications to establish yourself as an expert in your field. You can do this by creating an “About Us” page, including author bios, and publishing blog posts that demonstrate your knowledge.
- Build trust: Make sure your website is secure, and your users’ personal information is protected. You can also build trust by displaying customer testimonials, third-party reviews, and social proof.
- Get authoritative backlinks: Backlinks from authoritative websites can boost your website’s E-E-A-T. Reach out to industry influencers and bloggers to request backlinks, or create high-quality content that naturally attracts backlinks.
5. Build High Quality Backlinks
You can also recover from a Google core update by building high quality backlinks. Backlinks are important because they signal to Google that other websites consider your content to be valuable and relevant.
However, not all backlinks are created equal. It’s important to focus on building high quality backlinks from authoritative websites in your industry. These backlinks carry more weight and can have a greater impact on your search engine rankings.
To build high quality backlinks, we recommend the following strategies:
- Guest blogging: Reach out to other websites in your industry and offer to write a guest post in exchange for a backlink to your website.
- Broken link building: Find broken links on other websites and offer to replace them with a link to your relevant content.
- Skyscraper technique: Identify popular content in your industry and create even better content on the same topic. Reach out to websites that linked to the original content and offer them your improved version.
Remember, it’s important to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to backlinks. A few high quality backlinks can have a greater impact on your search engine rankings than many low quality backlinks.
6. Publish New, High Quality Content
The last way to recover from a Google Core update is to publish new, high-quality content on your website. This can help you to offset any traffic loss that you may have experienced due to the algorithm change.
When publishing new content, it’s important to focus on quality over quantity. This means that you should take the time to create content that is well-researched, informative, and engaging for your target audience. You should also aim to publish content on a regular basis, as this can help to keep your website fresh and up-to-date.
In addition to creating new content, you should also consider updating and optimizing your existing content. This can help to improve its relevance and authority in the eyes of search engines, and may also help to attract more traffic to your website.
How Long Does Recovery Take?
When it comes to recovering from a Google Core Update, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The recovery time can vary depending on a number of factors, including the severity of the update, the quality of your content, and the amount of work you put into improving your site.
Broad core updates tend to happen every few months, and it’s important to keep in mind that recovery from a core update can take time. Content that was impacted in Search or Discover by one might not recover—assuming improvements have been made—until the next broad core update is released.
It’s important to remember that recovery from a Google Core Update is not a one-time fix. By staying up-to-date on the latest SEO best practices and making continuous improvements to your site, you can help ensure that your site is well-positioned to weather future core updates and continue to perform well in search results.
Conclusion
In conclusion, recovering from a Google core update can be a challenging task, but it’s not impossible. By following the steps outlined in this article, we can increase our chances of regaining lost traffic and improving our website’s ranking.
By regularly monitoring our website’s performance and making necessary adjustments, we can ensure that we are providing the best possible experience for your users.
Lastly, it is important to be patient and wait for the next core update to potentially reward your optimizations. By following these steps, you can help your website recover from a Google Core Update and continue to attract organic traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I assess if my website was affected by the latest Google core update?
To assess if your website was affected by the latest Google core update, you can check your website’s traffic and ranking data. You can use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor your website’s performance. If you notice a significant drop in traffic or ranking, it may be a sign that your website was impacted by the update.
What are some common reasons for a drop in website traffic after a Google core update?
There are several reasons why a website may experience a drop in traffic after a Google core update. Some common reasons include poor quality content, low-quality backlinks, technical issues, and a lack of experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
How long does it typically take to recover from a Google core update?
The time it takes to recover from a Google core update can vary depending on several factors, including the severity of the impact and the steps taken to recover. In some cases, it may take several weeks or even months to fully recover.
