Mastering Keyword Ranking Recovery: How to Fix Drops and Regain Traffic

You are a brand/business owner who has spent a major chunk of time and resources developing an industry-specific SEO strategy so that your SERP rankings have only one way to go, and that is up!
But alas, we don’t live in a utopian reality where our wishes and efforts are in line. On some days and occasions when you find yourself asking out loud, “Why has my site dropped in Google?” Don’t worry, you are not alone!

We at Mavlers have successfully helped 7K+ clients worldwide achieve their SEO goals and fix their site ranking issues.

In this blog, we’ll explore the common causes behind ranking drops, how to identify them, and actionable steps to regain your lost traffic, ensuring your website stays competitive in the long run.

• Understanding keyword ranking drops
• Common causes of ranking drops
• How to identify the cause
• Steps to fix ranking drops
• Preventing future ranking drops

By the end of this piece, you will be well equipped in identifying and fixing loopholes in your SEO strategy that might have caused a drop in rankings.

Understanding keyword ranking drops

A drop in keyword rankings occurs when your website pages fall lower in Google’s search results for specific keywords. This decline can happen gradually over time or even overnight, causing a significant impact on your website’s organic traffic.

If your Google rankings drop, it could lead to a decrease in visibility, user engagement, and, ultimately, conversions. Understanding why your SEO ranking dropped is crucial for implementing the right strategies to recover your lost positions.

A variety of factors contribute to your site’s ranking drop, ranging from algorithm updates and on-page SEO issues to technical problems and competitor actions. Identifying the root cause is essential for determining the appropriate course of action to restore your rankings. 

Let’s dive deeper into the potential causes.

Common causes of ranking drops

There are several reasons why your website might experience a drop in rankings. Here are some of the most common causes:

1. Algorithm updates

• Google Core Updates: Google regularly releases algorithm updates that can significantly impact search rankings. These updates often focus on improving user experience by rewarding high-quality content and penalizing low-quality or irrelevant content. If your Google ranking suddenly drops, it might be due to one of these algorithm changes.

Example: The Google August 2023 Core Update significantly impacted search rankings, emphasizing content relevance, user intent alignment, and overall site usability. Websites that focused on providing valuable, user-centric content and optimized technical SEO aspects like page speed and mobile-friendliness experienced positive ranking shifts, while those with outdated or thin content saw declines.

2. On-page SEO issues

• Content quality: Google prioritizes content that is valuable, authoritative, and relevant to users. Thin, duplicate, or outdated content can lead to a decline in rankings. If your content does not meet Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) standards, rankings may be negatively impacted.

Example: A website that primarily relied on short, low-quality articles saw a significant drop in rankings after a Google update focused on content quality. By revising and expanding its articles to include more detailed information and expert insights, the site was able to regain its lost rankings.

3. Technical SEO problems

• Site speed: Page load speed is a crucial ranking factor. Slow loading times can frustrate users and cause them to leave your site, resulting in higher bounce rates and lower rankings.

• Mobile usability: With Google’s mobile-first indexing, a non-responsive design or poor mobile usability can lead to a ranking drop. If your site is not optimized for mobile devices, you may notice that your Google rankings have dropped on mobile search results.

Example: An e-commerce site experienced a drop in rankings due to slow page load times during peak shopping seasons. By optimizing images, enabling browser caching, and reducing server response time, the site improved its loading speed and regained its rankings.

4. Backlink issues

• Toxic backlinks: Low-quality or spammy backlinks can harm your site’s authority and lead to penalties. Google’s Penguin algorithm targets sites with unnatural link profiles, and a sudden influx of toxic backlinks can cause your SEO ranking to drop.

• Lost backlinks: A sudden loss of valuable backlinks from high-authority sites can also lead to a ranking drop. Backlinks are a key signal of a site’s credibility and authority, and losing them can weaken your site’s position in search results.

Example: A site experienced a significant drop in rankings after being hit with a negative SEO attack, resulting in many toxic backlinks. By using Google’s Disavow Tool and reaching out to trusted partners for new backlinks, the site was able to recover its rankings.

5. Competitor actions

• Improved content: If your competitors are consistently updating and improving their content, they may outrank you for targeted keywords. Search engines favor fresh, authoritative content, so staying ahead requires regular updates and improvements to your content.

• New backlinks: Competitors acquiring high-quality backlinks can push your site down in the rankings. If your link-building efforts have stagnated while your competitors continue to build authority, you may notice a drop in your own rankings.

Example: A company noticed that its primary competitor had outranked them for several high-value keywords. Upon investigation, they found that the competitor had recently published a series of in-depth guides and obtained backlinks from reputable industry websites. By producing similar high-quality content and engaging in strategic outreach, the company was able to regain its rankings.

Let’s now get down to identifying these probable causes.

How to identify the cause

Identifying the root cause of your SEO ranking drop is a critical step in reversing the decline. A thorough analysis of your website’s performance and external factors can help pinpoint the exact reasons for the drop. Here’s how you can effectively identify the cause:

1. Use Google Search Console

• Check for manual actions: Google may apply manual penalties to sites that violate its guidelines. Use Google Search Console to check if your site has been penalized. Look for any notifications about manual actions, which could explain why your Google ranking suddenly dropped.
• Inspect coverage report: The coverage report in Google Search Console can reveal any indexing or crawling issues that might be affecting your rankings. Check for errors such as pages blocked by robots.txt, 404 errors, or server issues.

Example: A website owner noticed a drop in rankings and discovered through Google Search Console that several important pages were not being indexed due to a misconfigured robots.txt file. By correcting the file, the pages were re-indexed, and the site’s rankings improved.

2. Analyze traffic patterns

• Use Google Analytics: Google Analytics can provide insights into which specific pages, keywords, or traffic sources have been affected by the ranking drop. This data can help you narrow down the possible causes.

• Segmentation: Segment your traffic data by device, location, and user behavior to identify any unusual patterns. For example, if your Google rankings dropped on mobile devices but not on desktop, it could indicate a mobile usability issue.

Example: An online retailer experienced a drop in traffic and found through Google Analytics that the decline was primarily from mobile users. A deeper analysis revealed that a recent site update had caused issues with the mobile checkout process, leading to a high bounce rate. Fixing the issue resulted in a recovery of both traffic and rankings.

3. Conduct a backlink audit

• Use Ahrefs or SEMrush: Backlink analysis tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can help you examine your site’s backlink profile. Look for toxic backlinks, a sudden loss of valuable links, or any recent changes in your backlink profile that could explain the drop in rankings.

• Review anchor text: Analyze the anchor text distribution in your backlinks. Over-optimized or spammy anchor text can trigger penalties and lead to a ranking drop.

Example: A site experienced a sudden drop in rankings and discovered through a backlink audit that it had been the target of a negative SEO attack, resulting in hundreds of spammy backlinks. By disavowing these links and building new high-quality backlinks, the site was able to recover its rankings.

4. Evaluate content quality

• Content audit: Conduct a content audit to assess the quality and relevance of your content. Identify any thin, duplicate, or outdated content that may be dragging down your rankings.
• User engagement metrics: Analyze user engagement metrics like bounce rate, time on page, and conversion rate to identify underperforming content. Poor user engagement can signal to Google that your content is not meeting user expectations.

Example: A blog noticed a decline in traffic after a major Google update. Upon reviewing the site’s content, the owners found several outdated articles that were no longer relevant. By updating and expanding these articles, the blog regained its lost rankings.

Once you have identified the pain points, you know exactly what to fix. 

Steps to fix ranking drops

Once you’ve identified the cause of your ranking drop, it’s time to take action. Here’s a step-by-step guide to fixing the most common issues:

1. Address algorithm update impacts

• Stay updated: Follow industry news to stay informed about the latest Google updates. Websites like Search Engine Journal and Moz provide timely information on algorithm changes.

• Improve content quality: If an algorithm update has impacted your site, focus on improving content quality. Create in-depth, authoritative content that meets user intent.

2. Fix on-page SEO issues

• Optimize content: Ensure that your content is optimized for target keywords, follows best SEO practices, and meets user expectations. Use tools like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to guide on-page optimization.

• Update meta tags: Review and update meta titles, descriptions, and headers to align with your target keywords and content focus.

3. Resolve technical SEO problems

• Improve site speed: Optimize images, enable browser caching, and use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to reduce page load times. Google PageSpeed Insights can help identify specific areas for improvement.

• Enhance mobile usability: Ensure your site is fully responsive and provides a seamless experience on all devices. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check for any issues.

4. Clean up backlink profile

• Disavow toxic backlinks: Use Google’s Disavow Tool to remove harmful backlinks that could be negatively impacting your rankings. Regularly monitor your backlink profile to catch and address any new issues.

• Build high-quality backlinks: Focus on acquiring backlinks from reputable, authoritative sites in your industry. Guest blogging, outreach, and creating shareable content can help build a strong backlink profile.

5. Monitor competitor activities

• Competitor analysis: Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to monitor your competitors’ SEO strategies. Identify any gaps in your own strategy and look for opportunities to outperform them.

• Update content regularly: Keep your content fresh and relevant by regularly updating it with new information, insights, and data. Staying ahead of your competitors requires ongoing effort.

Preventing future ranking drops requires a proactive approach to SEO. The next section explores how to do that. 

Preventing future ranking drops

By staying vigilant and regularly monitoring your site’s performance, you can mitigate the risk of sudden drops. Here are some tips to help you stay ahead:

1. Regular SEO audits

• Conduct monthly audits: Regular SEO audits can help you identify and fix issues before they lead to a ranking drop. Tools like Screaming Frog, SEMrush, and Ahrefs can automate this process and provide comprehensive reports.

2. Monitor algorithm updates

• Stay informed: Google releases several algorithm updates throughout the year. Stay informed by following industry news, subscribing to newsletters, and participating in SEO communities. This knowledge will help you anticipate changes and adjust your strategy accordingly.

3. Focus on user experience

• Improve site usability: Google increasingly prioritizes user experience in its ranking algorithms. Ensure your site is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and provides value to users. Regularly update your content to keep it fresh and relevant.

4. Diversify traffic sources

• Reduce dependence on Google: While organic search is important, diversifying your traffic sources can help protect your site from the impact of ranking drops. Consider investing in other channels like social media, email marketing, and paid advertising.

The road ahead

You might now want to read our detailed guide on How Long Does SEO Take To Work?