• the best online marketing professionals and experts - WHO WE ARE

Louise Marie

Louise Marie shares a passion for creative writing, and enjoys being detail-oriented in her work. Working as an SEO specialist and copy editor has increased her ability to meet new challenges with an open mind. A degree in Industrial Technology (Major in Computer Technology) also made Louise “tech savvy,” and she prides herself on her ability to recognize the latest trends and technologies in the digital industry. She hopes to someday visit many of the best dessert places across the globe. She’s also a proud “parent” to six beautiful cats.

Google ranking
 Tips

What to Do When Your Google Rankings Drop

A sudden and dramatic drop in your search engine rankings is the ultimate SEO horror story that no business owner wants to hear. Your website may have plummeted into the second page or worse, outside the top 100. 

The drastic fall in your Google ranking position may be triggered by various factors, including changes in content, an update of the algorithm, technical problems, improvements made by your competitors on the website, changes in the SERP layout, and a Google penalty. 

How to Resolve the Issue

Fluctuations in search engines are inevitable as Google makes daily updates. However, you should be concerned when you find your search ranking position starting to trend in the wrong direction. 

If you noticed your position in Google rankings has plunged dramatically, do not panic.

Proactive, attentive troubleshooting can help fix the issue and get you moving back in the right direction. 

Here are some helpful tips on what you can do to fix and recover your Google rankings:

  • Confirm that your ranking has dropped

In some cases, a glitch or temporary change in the ranking tracker tool may have caused your search engine rankings to drop. However, the problem will naturally resolve relatively quickly. It is important to verify that the drop in your rankings is true so you can immediately take action to fix the issue. 

Here are several steps to take to help you verify the dropped:

1. Check several tools: Check your rankings data and your organic traffic data using tools, such as Google Search Console and Google Analytics. If only one tool shows that your ranking has dropped, it is likely just a problem with the tool. Continue to monitor your rankings over the next few weeks. If your rankings have truly dropped, take the necessary action to remedy the problem.

2. Assess the severity of the change: Check how much your ranking has changed and how long it has been lower than usual to help you know that it is an actual drop and not just a temporary change. Compare and analyze the change to the usual daily and weekly fluctuations. 

3. Consider external factors: Take into consideration the possible external factors, such as a holiday weekend, that may have triggered the drop. 

  • Determine the cause

Knowing the reason why your website rankings dropped helps you fix the issue. The cause of the drop in rankings may fall into 1 of 3 categories:

Changes you made: Examine any recent changes to your website, including potential errors and intentional changes. 

Changes Google made: Google may have made recent changes in its algorithm. Make sure to check if your website may have received manual penalties from Google.

Changes your competitors made: Check if your competitor may have made improvements on their website that may have significantly increased their SEO rankings.

  • Spy on Your Competitor’s Content

Google has always aimed to provide the best experience for their users—that is why web pages with quality content always end up on top. Take a look at your competitor that is ranking for your keywords and check the difference between their content and yours. 

Are they using better keywords? Is their content more in-depth? Do they have unique keywords and ideas? Have you checked their meta-tags?

Use this information as a guide in implementing all necessary changes to help you create better content than your competitors. 

  • Correct the issues

Once you have a clear idea of the factors that may have caused your Google rankings to drop, take some time to work on fixing the issue. If the problem is due to the changes you made to your website, simply revert the change and recover your rankings. If it is caused by a recent change in the algorithm, make necessary adjustments to your SEO strategy to meet Google’s latest standards. However, if the drop was due to the changes made by your competitor, you need to improve your website page to outrank them again. 

  • Adjust Your Keywords and Meta Tags 

After making all the necessary improvements to your content, you do not simply hope for Google crawlers to discover the changes you have made. Continue to take action and submit the URL of your web page to Google Search Console for indexing. 

After that, turn your attention to other important aspects of your business. Within a week to a month, your ranking in Google should start increasing. Keep in mind that adjusting your keywords and meta-tags can help you effectively create better content that results in better rankings. 

Image by Diggity Marketing from Pixabay
  • Keep Checking and Updating Your Content

Ranking your website in search engines is never a one-off process. SEO is an ever-changing landscape and a constant battlefield. Everyone wants to be at the top of the ranking, putting their game face on to reach the spotlight. Monitor your rankings regularly, identify potential problems, know who is dominating in Google, and make improvements—keep repeating this process even after you reach the top. Keep in mind that Google appreciates fresh, relevant content, so make sure to always update your content on a regular basis if you want to keep good rankings. 

  • Monitor your rankings for improvements

After taking all the necessary action to resolve the issue, continue to monitor your rankings to check for improvements in your website ranking over the next several weeks. If there are no improvements in your rankings, reexamine all the potential causes of the problem. Even if your website’s ranking has improved, continue to keep an eye on its ranking. This will help you catch future problems that may affect your search engine rankings again. 

The Best Defense Against a Google Ranking Drop is a Good Offense

The process of determining and evaluating the cause of a Google ranking drop is often complex and time-consuming. The best approach you can take when your rankings start to drop is to do everything you can to avoid them.

  • Get familiar with Google’s Webmaster Quality Guidelines
  • Learn about Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines
  • Understand the potential problems that can lead to manual action and avoid them
  • Stay current with Google Webmaster Central blog
  • Join #AskGoogleWebmasters and watch the latest videos on the YouTube channel.
0 222
Trending

COVID-19 Facts to Help Set You Straight

By now, everyone is feeling the COVID-19 pandemic, and as the situation evolves, new information comes out that can help you protect yourself. But with all the information swirling around, it can be difficult to separate fact from myth. It’s important to arm yourself with the right information to make it easier to protect yourself and your family until things get better. Here are a few facts about the virus that can give you some extra protection and help you stay safe.

Disposable Masks Don’t Work the Way You Think

We know the virus is spread from infected body fluids (usually discharge from infected coughs and sneezes), so some people take the precaution of wearing disposable face masks to filter germs as they breathe. However, face masks don’t work that way; they really work by keeping your droplets from spilling out and releasing germs, not by keeping them out of your respiratory system. Ideally, most people should stop buying masks and save them for people who need them most (i.e. healthcare workers taking care of patients).

Younger Patients Are Also at Risk

In a pandemic, it’s usually the elderly or those with preexisting health conditions considered to be most at risk. That is true (those demographics will be hit hardest if they get sick), but people of any age can contract coronavirus. According to the New York Times, nearly 40% of hospitalized patients in North America are below the age of 54. It’s important everyone in your family, regardless of age, stay at home and minimize the risk of infection.

You Might Still Be Contagious, Even Without Symptoms

Not showing any symptoms is definitely a good thing, but it’s vital you stay vigilant all the same. Up to 70 or 80% of people may show mild or even no symptoms, but might still be infectious. To avoid putting yourself or others at risk, minimize going out, and maintain social distancing when you have to. It’s also important to wash your hands regularly to keep yourself clean and help stay safe.

Warmer Weather Won’t Do Much

Some people are hoping that once the weather shifts, the pandemic might slow down. Unfortunately, warmer temperatures won’t do much to kill off the virus. The spread may slow down once it gets a little warmer, but that’s mainly due to there less coughing and sneezing in the warmer months. With that in mind, be mindful of social distancing even as the seasons change to give yourself more protection when you have to leave the house for errands.

Over-the-Counter Meds Don’t Hurt

There are some rumours going around that OTC medicines (for example ibuprofen) can make the virus worse. The truth is that there’s no evidence to back up that claim, and over-the-counter medication can be one way of dealing with any symptoms that pop up. Use whatever medicine works to help relieve symptoms. For example, ibuprofen can help deal with aches and pains, while acetaminophen helps with fevers.

Avoid Home Remedies

You may also have heard that certain home remedies (like gargling hot tea) can have a hand in fighting off the virus. At best, these remedies soothe some of the symptoms, like sore throats, but don’t actually do anything to fight the virus. Another home remedy you may have heard is spraying yourself with disinfectants like alcohol or chlorine to kill the germs. These substances are useful as surface disinfectants, making them an instant no-no as a remedy.

The most important thing is not to panic. Use these insights to help take care of yourself while COVID-19 remains a threat. Eventually, the pandemic will run its course and life will resume; knowing these facts can be a great way to protect yourself until then.

1 8607
Trending

How COVID-19 Has Affected Digital Marketing and What to Do

The coronavirus is now officially a pandemic, and while the effects it has on public health have been the major focus, it’s also affecting other sectors, including digital marketing for businesses. As the pandemic affects the global economy, different industries have had to make many adjustments.

In the case of digital marketing, there are some unique challenges the outbreak brings that can change how we approach it. Read more

1 1151
Real Estate

10 Real Estate Social Media Tips to Step Up Your Marketing Game in 2020

Social media marketing is a big part of what makes the estate business go round. As a realtor, it’s vital you build trust in your client base to help you close sales and give your clients what they need. Used correctly, social media can be a major lead generator for many businesses. Here are some strategies to help you maximize your efficiency and get better results: Read more

0 975
Legal/Lawyer

Effective Client Testimonials for Lawyer Marketing

Businesses need to prove to their clients how competent and reputable they are to gain new business and emerge strong in the competition. The same holds true for law firms. Along with building a well-designed, informative, and functional website, publishing legitimate client testimonials is a vital strategy in driving site traffic. Read more

0 1015
Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Plumbing Business
 Plumber

The Importance of Plumbing Business Marketing in 2020

Like any other business venture, the profitability of a plumbing business depends on a steady flow of work orders coming through their phones. Integral to the success of plumbing businesses is developing strategies to draw in new customers. However, in today’s marketplace, what are effective practices plumbing professionals can take to earn new business? Read more

0 1221
Physiotherapy

5 Ways to Develop Your Online Physiotherapy Marketing Strategy in 2020

Marketing has come a long way since billboards, leaflets, and TV ads. These days, it’s all about using online marketing to hit a larger number of people and find more qualified leads. In the case of physiotherapy, you can find plenty of ways to market yourself and bring in more patients to your practice. Here’s a list of ways you can improve your marketing and make yourself more visible. Read more

0 210
Online Marketing Trends

Technology + Trends Changing Digital Marketing in 2020

Keeping abreast with rising technology and trends is essential for businesses to stay relevant and competitive in the online realm. In 2020, the focus of emerging advancements will be on consumers.

Businesses need to take advantage of these changes in reaching out to their customers. There’s also an urgent call for business owners to revolutionize buying experience to surpass consumer expectations and demands.

To be successful in this endeavour, brands need to understand certain strategies that will put them ahead of the competition and provide an effective way to establish relationships with their customers.

In this post, we give you a glimpse of the trends that will shape the digital marketing landscape in 2020. Read more

1 1133
Chiropractor

5 Essential Chiropractic Marketing Strategies for Success

As a chiropractor, you offer patients an avenue for dealing with pain and helping them on the road to recovery. However, it’s important you be able to reach your client base before you can offer them help. That’s where marketing comes in; marketing is a key element for any business, especially when you provide essential services. Here are a few strategies to help you market yourself to more potential customers. Read more

1 1133