Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are a search engine’s response to a user’s search query. SERPs can include organic search results, featured snippets, paid ads, image and video results.

Any time someone searches by typing in a search query or saying a search phrase via Siri/Alexa, the result that they get is known as a SERP.

Rankings continually fluctuate on Google and other search engines, but when SERP rankings drop, companies have to step up and figure out why.

These practical recovery steps for your site can help you figure out the impact of the rankings drop on your page and take steps to fix it.

• Did your rankings actually drop?
• Website changes
• Technical struggles
• Latest Google algorithm
• Competitors
• FAQ: How can I recover from SERP rankings drop and improve my site’s visibility?

Did Your Rankings Actually Drop?

Before you jump to action, take the time to look at the analytics and determine whether or not your rankings actually dropped.

Make sure that you’re looking at a reliable data source and verify using your personal analytics (Google Search Console or tracked search performance via a reliable application like our SEOToolSet®).

If you determine that your rankings have dropped, then it’s time to take action.

Website Changes

Have you made a bunch of changes to your website recently? Whenever you migrate lots of pages, roll out a new design or redesign a page or the entire site, or add a whole new silo, such as a product store, you might see a drop in rankings.

These fluctuations can be natural and expected, but it’s worth making sure that the drop is solely related to these changes and not related to issues from the changes, such as poor internal link structure or technical errors.

Fix it: Start by asking each department whether or not they have made any changes to the site. If any changes were made, check for any technical errors or inconsistencies, make sure the internal link structure is sound, and review the content changes. Once these are all cleared, give it some time and your rankings should reverse.

Technical Struggles

Google and other search engines crawl your website in order to index it. If there are technical issues that make it difficult for the search engines to crawl your site, you can see your rankings plummet.

Fix it: There are a couple of ways we recommend looking for technical struggles. Double-check that your site is still being crawled and indexed normally with Google and any other search engines where you want to rank. Check the log file analysis. Do you notice anything different there? And lastly, test load times.

Latest Google Algorithm

Google frequently updates its algorithm and makes changes to the way websites perform in its search engine. If your rankings have fallen, it’s important to take a look at the latest Google algorithm and make sure that your site fits into the newest iteration.

Google changes the calculations for what holds weight and is considered important on websites. Multiple updates, from product review updates to core updates and helpful content updates, can occur in a single year.

Fix it: Read and review the latest Google update. You can keep track with our Up-to-Date History of Google Algorithm Updates. Notice what Google values and what they have subsequently devalued. Make the necessary changes on your site to reflect alignment with the Google update.

Competitors

Maybe your competitors have changed? Emerging competitors are bound to challenge your SERP rankings. If you have new competition, it’s time to check them out.

Figure out why they are beating you in the search rankings. Do you need better content? A better user experience? Maybe more accurate and enticing featured snippets? Once you know the answer, take action.

Fix it: Take a look at your competitors. Why are they beating you in the search results? This is not an easy fix. Take the time to pursue the data and analyze it. Once you know the reason “why,” make the necessary changes on your site.

Taking practical steps to fix your SERP rankings will help your website regain its visibility, ensuring your content reaches its intended audience and drives substantial organic traffic. Keep ROI high by making sure your site continues to rank high in search results.

Struggling to improve your website’s visibility? Our SEO experts can help you take actionable steps to boost your SERP rankings and organic traffic. Contact us.

FAQ: How can I recover from SERP rankings drop and improve my site’s visibility?

If your website rankings are plummeting on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), fret not. As an expert in the realm of SEO, I understand the complexities that come with these fluctuations. Let’s delve into strategies that can help recover your site’s rankings and bolster its visibility.

Understanding SERP Dynamics

SERPs vary based on user intent. To rebound effectively, discern different search terms reflecting buyer intent, such as “best,” “buy,” or “reviews.”

Analyzing Ranking Fluctuations

Comprehend the reasons behind ranking drops. Utilize tools like Google Search Console to analyze traffic changes, enabling you to pinpoint issues affecting your visibility.

Optimizing On-Page Elements

Refine meta descriptions, titles and content to align with your primary keyword. Ensure clarity, relevance and conciseness for improved user engagement.

Revamping Website Content

Refresh and augment existing content to reflect current trends, incorporate valuable insights and maintain relevance to captivate your audience’s interest.

Leveraging Technical SEO

Address technical glitches impacting crawlability and indexing. Employ schema markup, optimize site speed and fix broken links to enhance performance.

Embracing Mobile Responsiveness

As mobile usage soars, prioritize a responsive design. Optimize your website for mobile devices to cater to a broader audience and improve user experience.

Competitor Analysis

Conduct a thorough analysis of competitors’ strategies. Identify their strengths and weaknesses to adapt and strengthen your own.

Consistent Monitoring and Adaptation

Regularly monitor analytics, identify patterns and adapt your strategies accordingly. SEO is an ongoing process requiring constant adaptation and evolution.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Recovering from SERP Rankings Drop and Enhancing Site Visibility

1. Define Buyer Intent Keywords: Understand user intent behind searches.
2. Analyze Ranking Fluctuations: Utilize tools for comprehensive analysis.
3. On-Page Optimization: Enhance meta elements and content relevance.
4. Content Revamping: Update and refine existing content.
5. Technical SEO Audit: Address technical issues hindering site performance.
6. Mobile Optimization: Ensure mobile-friendly design and functionality.
7. Competitor Analysis: Evaluate competitor strategies for insights.
8. Continuous Monitoring: Adapt strategies based on ongoing analytics.

This structured approach ensures a methodical recovery from the drop in SERP rankings and sustained improvement in site visibility, delivering valuable insights and boosting overall SEO performance.

Remember, navigating through ranking fluctuations demands patience, persistence and a consistent commitment to refining your website’s SEO strategies.

The post SERP Rankings Drop? Recovery Steps for Your Site appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

To better understand whole-SERP SEO, let’s start with an analogy between western medicine and holistic medicine. Western medicine tends to treat the physical symptoms of a specific area in the body. Holistic medicine, on the other hand, looks at the whole body and mind for answers to find the root cause of the symptom.

In SEO, some focus solely on ranking among the “blue links.” Others optimize for the entire search engine results page (SERP). The latter is a holistic strategy that will keep the health of your SEO program strong for years to come.

• Why optimize for the whole SERP?
• Useful Tips on Optimizing for the Entire SERP
• FAQ: How can I effectively implement a Whole-SERP SEO strategy?

Why Optimize for the Whole SERP?

Google makes more than 3,000 updates to search per year. Its search engine results are constantly evolving. Focusing on a whole-SERP SEO strategy helps you to remain relevant for the keywords you are targeting.

There are many SERP feature combinations (you can view common features here), each of which provides an opportunity to rank. Of course, which SERP features appear depends on the keyword itself and what Google thinks is most appropriate for that user’s query.

For example, a search query of “how to get rid of moths” returns the following SERP features:

Google SERP results and individual features shown for “how to get rid of moths”

Each of these areas presents an opportunity to show up.

While Backlinko research has shown that the top result gets the most clicks in terms of blue links, other research shows another phenomenon. A desktop user will scan the results from the top left and down to find the result they want to click.

Screenshot from a 2015 eye-tracking study on Google SERPs

What that means is that searchers are sizing up the results themselves before selecting.

But being “above the fold” may still have its benefits. Backlinko research found that 75% of all clicks went to the top three positions. And that could indicate those results that show above the fold (without scrolling).

We know that Google Search continuously evolves to better serve the user. And that’s resulted in features that answer a query right in the SERP. When it does this, a user does not click through in many cases.

This “zero-click” phenomenon has caused some concern among website publishers. Luckily, there are ways to remain relevant in these scenarios and still get clicks. Optimizing for many SERP features can help websites survive in a “zero click” world.

Useful Tips on Optimizing for the Entire SERP

Now that we’ve explored why whole-SERP visibility is key let’s talk about how to approach it.

1. Know Universal Search and Search Verticals

Through its Universal Search technique, Google pulls data into the main search results from different vertical search engines and databases.

For example, YouTube is a separate video search engine, but you’ll find YouTube videos in the Google SERPs. That means you’ll need to think about creating content specifically for that engine but optimizing it for the Google SERP.

Then, of course, you have Google’s Knowledge Graph, which powers the “knowledge panel” results in the SERP, among other features.

Google SERP showing the knowledge panel results for Sundar Pichai

Each of these features and verticals presents an opportunity to show up on the SERP. It’s our job to reverse engineer how to optimize for them.

2. Analyze Keywords and SERPs

Assuming you know the keywords you are targeting already (if you don’t, this post on SEO for beginners can help), it’s time to start analyzing which SERP features show up for your keywords. This will drive the next steps in your SEO strategy.

For example, if videos show up in the SERP for your keywords, create videos on YouTube for those queries. YouTube SEO will be helpful.

Or, if images show up on the SERP for your keywords, don’t forget image optimization.

Google SERP showing image search results for “cute puppies”

A webpage that ranks in the Google SERP for “cute puppies” because of image search

3. Make Your Content Better

Above all, master the content that you want to compete in the search vertical or otherwise. Find out what your competition is doing and do better in terms of the actual content and the optimization.

It is speculated that Google’s RankBrain takes into account the user experience when it helps determine relevance and rankings.

So, if a person clicks through to your content and then quickly clicks back to the search results, it could indicate they didn’t find what they were looking for. And this could impact future rankings.

For the organic blue-link results, our SEO checklist will help you optimize webpages. And if your site’s on WordPress, you can use our WordPress SEO plugin to help indicate how to optimize your content as well or better than the top results.

To remain relevant, websites must evolve their SEO strategy from just eyeing the organic blue links to targeting the whole SERP. This will help you remain competitive as Google continues to evolve its results.

This post just scratches the surface of what a strong SEO strategy can do. If you would like to discuss how to make your website more successful, contact us for a free consultation.

FAQ: How can I effectively implement a Whole-SERP SEO strategy?

The battle for online visibility is fierce, and it’s essential to utilize every tool in your SEO arsenal to stay ahead. One such potent tool is the Whole-SERP (Search Engine Results Page) SEO strategy, which takes a holistic approach to optimize your online presence across various search engine elements. Let’s dive into the intricacies of effectively implementing a whole-SERP SEO strategy, ensuring your website shines on search engine results pages.

Understanding Whole-SERP SEO Strategy

Whole-SERP SEO strategy is a multifaceted approach that goes beyond traditional SEO tactics. It involves optimizing your website and various elements that appear on search engine results pages, such as featured snippets, knowledge graphs, and local listings. To effectively implement this strategy, start by conducting a comprehensive audit of your current SEO efforts and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Keyword Research and Content Optimization

One crucial aspect of Whole-SERP SEO is keyword research. Identify target keywords that are relevant to your business and have the potential to appear in different SERP elements. Create high-quality, informative content around these keywords to increase your chances of ranking in organic search results and featured snippets and knowledge graphs.

Leverage Rich Snippets and Structured Data

Consider implementing structured data markup on your website to stand out in the SERPs. This enables search engines to understand your content better and present it more visually appealingly. Rich snippets, like star ratings and product details, can significantly enhance your visibility and click-through rates.

Local SEO Optimization

For businesses with a physical presence, optimizing for local search is paramount. Ensure your business information is accurate and up-to-date on platforms like Google My Business. Encourage reviews and engage with your local community online to improve your local search rankings.

Constant Monitoring and Adaptation

Whole-SERP SEO strategy is not a set-it-and-forget-it approach. Regularly monitor your performance in various SERP elements and adapt your strategy accordingly. Stay updated with search engine algorithm changes and industry trends to remain competitive.

Mastering the art of Whole-SERP SEO strategy requires a deep understanding of SEO principles and a willingness to adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape. By optimizing your website, content, and online presence comprehensively, you can maximize your visibility and drive organic traffic, ultimately leading to greater online success.

Step-by-Step Procedure to Implement Whole-SERP SEO Strategy:

1. Conduct a thorough audit of your current SEO efforts.
2. Identify target keywords with Whole-SERP potential.
3. Create high-quality, keyword-optimized content.
4. Implement structured data markup on your website.
5. Leverage rich snippets to enhance visibility.
6. Optimize your Google My Business listing for local SEO.
7. Encourage and engage with online reviews and the local community.
8. Regularly monitor your performance in various SERP elements.
9. Adapt your strategy based on performance data and industry trends.
10. Stay updated with search engine algorithm changes.
11. Continuously improve and expand your content.
12. Use A/B testing to optimize click-through rates.
13. Build high-quality backlinks to boost authority.
14. Optimize images and multimedia elements for search engines.
15. Consider creating video content for Google’s video carousel.
16. Implement social media strategies to enhance your online presence.
17. Analyze competitor strategies and learn from them.
18. Invest in technical SEO to improve website performance.
19. Collaborate with industry influencers for greater visibility.
20. Regularly review and refine your Whole-SERP SEO strategy for long-term success.

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