I’m wondering if anyone can shed some light on this…
I’m working with a client whose website is experiencing some odd organic traffic patterns.
See screenshot attached.
As you can see, there was a sudden cliff fall about a month ago, and then it recovered (almost) entirely.
Then, a month to the day later, the same thing happened again.
What is the likelihood that this is a data glitch vs an algorithm thing?
The likelihood that the cliff falls in organic traffic are data glitches is low. It is more likely that they are caused by algorithm changes by Google.
Google makes changes to its algorithm all the time, and these changes can sometimes cause sudden fluctuations in organic traffic. The fact that the cliff falls happened on the same day of the month suggests that it is related to an algorithm change.
Here are some other possible reasons for the cliff falls in organic traffic:
- A new competitor entered the market and started ranking higher for your target keywords.
- One of your pages was penalized by Google for violating its quality guidelines.
- There was a technical issue with your website that caused it to lose ranking.
To determine the exact cause of the cliff falls, you can use a tool like Google Search Console to analyze your website’s organic traffic data. You can also use a tool like SEMrush to track your website’s ranking for your target keywords.
Once you have identified the cause of the cliff falls, you can take steps to address it.
- If the cause is an algorithm change, you may need to adjust your SEO strategy.
- If the cause is a new competitor, you may need to improve your content or your website’s user experience.
- If the cause is a technical issue, you will need to fix the issue.
