Category: SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Troubleshooting Sheet: Decreases in Organic Traffic
1. Title: GRASPED Troubleshooting Sheet: Decreases in Organic Traffic
2. Introduction: Decreases in organic traffic can have a profound impact on a website's visibility, credibility, and overall online presence. Organic traffic, stemming from unpaid search results, often brings highly engaged visitors to a site. A drop in such traffic can signify issues ranging from technical glitches to changes in search algorithms. The purpose of this guide is to provide a structured approach to identify and address reasons for diminished organic traffic.
3. Objective: To identify, understand, and rectify potential causes for a decrease in organic traffic to a website.
4. Start Here: Has there been a recent change or update to the website? Reflective Prompt: Reflect on any modifications made to the site recently, such as content changes, design overhauls, or backend updates.
5. Understanding the Issue:
a) Search Algorithm Updates
- Question: Has there been a recent update to the search engine algorithms?
- Prompt: Check industry news or search engine blogs for any recent updates that might affect site rankings.
b) Technical Issues
- Question: Are there any technical issues like broken links, slow site speed, or mobile unresponsiveness affecting the site?
- Prompt: Use site audit tools to identify technical errors that might be impacting site performance.
c) Content Quality
- Question: Has the quality or relevancy of the site's content changed recently?
- Prompt: Review content metrics like bounce rate and average session duration to gauge content engagement.
d) Backlink Profile
- Question: Have you lost significant backlinks or gained poor-quality ones recently?
- Prompt: Use backlink analysis tools to assess the quality and number of your site's backlinks.
e) Competitive Landscape
- Question: Have competitors made significant improvements or changes that might be affecting your site's ranking?
- Prompt: Conduct a competitive analysis to identify shifts in the industry or competitor strategies.
6. Action Plan:
- Stay Updated: Prompt: Regularly monitor search engine news to stay abreast of algorithm changes. Adjust SEO strategies accordingly.
- Regular Audits: Prompt: Schedule periodic technical audits to identify and fix issues promptly.
- Content Review: Prompt: Ensure that content remains high-quality, relevant, and user-focused. Update outdated content and remove low-performing pages.
- Backlink Strategy: Prompt: Actively engage in white-hat link-building strategies. Disavow poor-quality or spammy backlinks.
- Competitor Analysis: Prompt: Regularly analyze competitor activities and adjust your strategies to maintain or improve rankings.
7. Review and Adjust: It's essential to monitor traffic and other key metrics regularly to measure the impact of any changes made. Reflective Prompt: After implementing changes, are there improvements in organic traffic or other key metrics?
8. Conclusion: Troubleshooting decreases in organic traffic involves a methodical and holistic approach, considering both internal site factors and external industry changes. Regularly revisiting this guide and staying proactive in monitoring and optimization can help maintain and grow organic traffic.
