Position Dips? Do Not Panic! - SEO Hints From Semalt
The Google search engine is a tool that we use every day. It is available everywhere and from virtually any device with Internet access - from computers and telephones to televisions. We often use it when looking for information about services or products, both for private and professional purposes. We focus our attention mainly on the first page of the search results.
As a user, we want to have quick access to the content we are interested in, which is an appropriate answer for us, without unnecessary switching between subsequent subpages. Therefore, when creating and promoting our own website on the Internet, we act in such a way that it gets on this prestigious list. Are we safe in the position we have earned? What if these positions drop? How do we influence our position? We provide answers to all these questions in this article.
Don't be complacent
When promoting the website, we make the necessary optimization and create content that is correlated with our products and services. Content is extremely important today because Google is a content search engine. We cannot forget about building a natural link profile by acquiring links to our website from trusted, valuable and thematically related websites. Links can be obtained, among others from catalogues, social networks, etc.
After some time, when we reap the fruits of our work and obtain a satisfactory result - thus making sure that the path we have chosen is right - we stabilize the achieved positions. It is worth emphasizing that positioning is a continuous process that from time to time requires our intervention to adapt to the updated Google. Unfortunately, very often it seems to us that we no longer need additional measures, and all that is needed is to maintain the current effects to a minimum degree.
Nothing could be more wrong! It is a common mistake, made especially by people who are just starting their adventure in the world of Google search engine or do not have adequate knowledge in this matter. The website should be constantly improved, adjusting it as best as possible to the prevailing and dynamically changing trends, user opinions and guidelines regularly updated by Google. This, however, requires a lot of work and time. Of course, you can try to act on your own, but interactive agencies are up to date with the trends in the search engine, so they can make the necessary corrections on the spot. Fast response times translate into faster results that each party cares about.
The terms are dictated by Google
However, does maintaining the position depend only on us and on the work mentioned above? Can we be sure of maintaining the achieved position by keeping up-to-date care of our website and introducing corrections in accordance with the trends and opinions of potential customers? Not always. Specialists working for the giant Google repeatedly emphasize in their interviews that they want to become better by constantly improving their products, including mainly search engines. This is what often manifests itself in the form of algorithm changes that have quite friendly names, such as Panda, Penguin or Koliber (of course, there are many more).
Nevertheless, their modifications often cause a colossal shake of the first page of natural search results, which in most cases is associated with a loss of position. This is the only element on which we have no influence - here the terms are clearly dictated by Google. These changes are also often not disclosed to the public, which makes work even more difficult. Fortunately, we can use tools like the Dedicated SEO Dashboard that monitor traffic in organic search results, which, combined with knowledge and experience, often allows us to recover from "drops" and improve the position of customers.
Therefore, when modifying algorithms, you should be patient and wait until the appropriate actions are effective. Sometimes it even takes 6 to 12 months. However, larger modifications of the algorithms are made relatively rarely, precisely because their effects can be seen many months after their introduction.
Changing the profile of the results is not a no-win situation
The extreme effect of modifying the algorithms is the change of the results profile, i.e. the search engine's response to the user's query. This means that the type of websites that have so far occupied an honourable position in the search results does not constitute an appropriate response to a given keyword phrase for Google and its users. Unfortunately, such a modification forces us to change the website's marketing strategy and is often a serious problem. This is because it lowers the traffic generated from the search results - especially if they were phrases with a high average monthly search rate.
However, there is a way to deal with such changes. As already mentioned, it will be necessary to modify the strategy. First of all, it is worth changing the positioned phrases - so as to adapt to the new profile of results and ensure an influx of visitors from many alternative sources. Sometimes using more long-tail expressions can be much more effective than using one general expression. Secondly, if we have adequate financial resources, we can run a Google AdWords campaign only for phrases for which the results profile has changed and our website stopped being displayed on the first page.
The situation in September 2016 is a good example here. Let's take a look at it based on the phrases associated with the word "translator". After the modifications, virtually all search results were websites containing translators or online dictionaries. This completely prevents the promotion of translation companies that base their SEO activities on more general terms, such as "English translator", "German translator". Changing the strategy (promoted phrases) and launching a Google AdWords campaign is in fact one of the most effective and working methods for our clients to solve the situation related to the change of the results profile.
You act, your competition works
When we are actively working with the website, and Google algorithms are not playing tricks on us, we must be aware of one more thing - constant competition between companies. We deal with it practically in every industry. When our website appears in the TOP10 for individual key phrases, a different domain must fall out of them. The other way is similar. If our website fell beyond TOP10, it means that someone jumped on this spot. Only a thorough, individual analysis with powerful tools such as the DSD will allow us to assess what is the reason for this and what corrective actions we need to take to regain the position.
Most often, the decreases we are talking about are caused by an increase in financial outlays and work performed by competitors. These are among others:
- increasing or improving the amount of content on the pages;
- expansion of the website with additional thematic subpages;
- placing a blog on the website;
- correlating the website with social media;
- active activities in the framework of word-of-mouth marketing;
- inclusion of the Google AdWords campaign;
- active operation on social networking sites.
When running our own business, each of us understands the importance of staying one step ahead of the competition. When promoting a website, it is worth being even a few steps ahead. By operating in a wide field, within the framework of many of the above-mentioned elements, we can, not only facilitate the return journey, but even effectively protect ourselves against falls.
It is due to the multitude of things affecting the increases and decreases that most people decide to delegate the care of the promotional campaign to internet marketing agencies. Professionals with experience can diagnose the causes of inheritance faster and prepare appropriate solutions - including security solutions. In this case, you should also be prepared for the fact that we will notice the effects of our work only after three months.
Summary
Fluctuating positions in natural search results are 100% normal. Regardless of whether they are caused by the neglect of the website, changes in algorithms or the intensification of competition, they force us to verify the reasons, thoroughly analyze and introduce corrections that will positively affect not only the quality of our website, but also the assumptions of our online promotion strategy. The measures to protect against falls include, among others:
- selecting the right number of expressions, including those from the long tail, allowing you to regain some movement;
- supporting the promotion of the website through additional services, such as Google AdWords, e-mail marketing or social media;
- creating your own blog;
- continuous development of the website by adding subpages or products;
- taking care of the high quality and quantity of texts posted on the website.
If they do not protect us from falls, they will certainly facilitate the way back to the top. Time is also an important element in the fight against declines. Some phrases only take a few weeks, but sometimes you have to fight for up to a year. Everything depends on the industry and the complexity of the factors that caused these declines.
If you need to learn more about the subject of SEO and website promotion, we invite you to visit our Semalt blog.