Google has refreshed its advice with five alterations on troubleshooting ranking declines. The updated edition encompasses an additional 400 words, catering to both minor and significant ranking drops. While some modifications may be subject to debate, the overall revised version marks an improvement over its predecessor.
Change# 1: Downplays Fixing Traffic Drops
The initial statement now carries a diminished sense of optimism regarding recovering from algorithmic traffic declines. In the updated documentation, Google consolidated two sentences into one, removing the assertion that most traffic drops can be rectified and acknowledging the non-trivial nature of pinpointing drop causes.
Here is the original two sentences:
“A drop in organic Search traffic can happen for several reasons, and most of them can be reversed. It may not be straightforward to understand what exactly happened to your site”
The revised opening now lacks any assurance of recovery for "most" traffic drops, placing greater emphasis on the complexity of discerning causes for drops. Google's updated documentation merges two sentences, highlighting the challenging nature of understanding drop occurrences.
This is the new guidance
“A drop in organic Search traffic can happen for several reasons, and it may not be straightforward to understand what exactly happened to your site.
Change #2 Security Or Spam Issues
Google has refined the traffic graph visuals to precisely correlate with the underlying causes of each type of traffic decline. In the prior iteration, the label stated:
“Technical issue at site level (Manual Action, significant algorithmic alterations)”
However, this label presented a discrepancy as manual actions and substantial algorithmic changes are not technical issues. The latest rendition rectifies this inconsistency. The updated version now indicates:
“Substantial decline due to algorithmic update, site-wide security or spam concerns”
Change #3 Technical Issues
In the prior graph rendition, the label read:
“Technical issue at the page level (algorithmic alterations, market disruption)”
The updated graph now carries the label:
“Site-wide technical concern, evolving interests”
This adjustment renders the graph and label more precise, as it encompasses a broader spectrum of changes compared to the previous iteration. "Evolving interests" encompasses market disruption scenarios where a new product supersedes or diminishes the appeal of existing ones, as well as products that become outdated or lose trendiness.
Change #4 Google Adds New Guidance For Algorithmic Changes
The most significant alteration is the introduction of a fresh segment dedicated to algorithmic modifications, which supersedes two smaller sections: one addressing policy infringements and manual interventions, and another focusing on algorithmic alterations.
The previous iteration of this single section comprised 108 words. In contrast, the updated version spans 443 words.
A particularly beneficial aspect is the division of guidance within the algorithmic update section, categorizing the impact into two distinct groups.
Two New Categories:
* Small drop in position? For example, dropping from position 2 to 4.
* Large drop in position? For example, dropping from position 4 to 29.
The two fresh classifications resonate perfectly and align precisely with my observations in search results where websites have experienced ranking declines. The factors contributing to fluctuations within the top ten differ significantly from those resulting in a complete drop out of the top ten.
However, I find myself at odds with the advice provided for substantial drops. While it's commendable to suggest scrutinizing the site for significant declines, it may not always be applicable. In some instances, despite thorough examination, there's no discernible issue with the site itself. This is where less seasoned SEO professionals often struggle, as traditional remedies such as enhancing Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T), incorporating author bios, or submitting link disavows fail to address the underlying issue when the site itself is not at fault. In such cases, the root problem lies elsewhere.
Here is the new guidance for debugging search position drops:
“Updates in Algorithmic Ranking
Google continuously enhances its content evaluation processes and adjusts its search ranking algorithms accordingly. Core updates and other smaller revisions may influence the performance of certain pages in Google Search results. Noteworthy system improvements are regularly communicated on our list of ranking updates page. It's advisable to check this page to see if any updates are relevant to your site.
If you suspect a decline in traffic is linked to an algorithmic update, it's crucial to recognize that there may not be any fundamental issues with your content. To determine if action is necessary, evaluate the ranking of your top pages in Search Console:
Minor Position Decline? For instance, slipping from position 2 to 4.
Significant Position Decline? For instance, plummeting from position 4 to 29.
It's important to remember that search result positions are fluid, reflecting the dynamic nature of the open web, which continuously evolves with new and updated content. This perpetual change can lead to both increases and decreases in organic search traffic.
Minor Position Decline
A minor position decline refers to a slight shift in position among the top results (e.g., dropping from position 2 to 4 for a specific search query). In Search Console, you may notice a decrease in traffic without a significant change in impressions.
Minor fluctuations in position can occur spontaneously, including instances of regaining position without intervention. In fact, we recommend refraining from making drastic alterations if your page is already performing satisfactorily.
Significant Position Decline
A significant position decline occurs when your site experiences a substantial drop out of the top results for various terms (e.g., dropping from the top 10 results to position 29).
In such cases, conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your entire website to ensure it remains helpful, credible, and user-centric. If you've implemented changes to your site, remember that it may take time to observe their impact: some changes may take effect within days, while others could require several months. For instance, it may take months for our systems to recognize that a site consistently delivers valuable content over the long term. Generally, it's advisable to wait a few weeks before reassessing your site in Search Console to gauge the impact of your efforts on ranking.
It's important to acknowledge that there's no guarantee that modifications to your website will yield noticeable improvements in search results. If there are more deserving pieces of content, they will continue to rank favorably in our systems.”
Change #5 Trivial Changes
The rest of the changes are relatively trivial but nonetheless makes the documentation more precise.
For example, one of the headings was changed from this:
You recently moved your site
To this new heading:
Site moves and migrations
Google’s Updated Ranking Drops Documentation
Google's revised documentation demonstrates careful consideration, yet I find the recommendations for significant algorithmic declines to be beneficial in some instances and inadequate in others. With 25 years of SEO expertise and exposure to every Google algorithm update, I've encountered situations where attempting to rectify issues isn't the solution. Previously, Google's guidance acknowledged that sometimes there's nothing to rectify. While the documentation has improved, I believe there's still room for further enhancement.
