nyone who depends on Google’s famous algorithm
search engines for traffic shake-ups. This might be a
– which is just about all temporary shift that will see
of us – has a common disorder. It your rankings restored in short
is our preoccupation with our order. The key here is to avoid
rankings. It only makes sense the urge to do something that
that this be so widespread. After will only hurt your site, its
all, those rankings often ARE our long-term rankings & your
business. At least as far as business itself.
supplying those prospects we so
Many people will jump to work
desperately need. and make large-scale changes in
It’s safe to say that all of us their site. They try to bring it
have woken up to see our rankings in line with what they think the
drop from page 1 to a status that search engines want now. This can
can only be compared to being actually hurt their standing in
enrolled in the Federal Witness the search engines as they alter
Relocation Program. You can’t be the structure and layout of their
found. And that’s bad news.
pages.
Here’s what you should do when
It confuses the search engine
this happens. You may not be able bots and creates an impression of
to fix the problem quickly, but confusion, a lack of cohesion in
you’ll at least be in a much the site. That’s bad for
better position to address it and rankings. So, remember – Don’t
deal with it.
Panic. The drop may be temporary.
1. DON’T PANIC.
If it isn’t, an impulsive
This is very important to Bulldoze & Rebuild job is not the
remember. Take it seriously, but way out.
don’t lose it. There are many
2. Think Back: What Have You
reasons why rankings can drop. Changed Recently?
Sometimes it’s due to one of
Sometimes your rankings
plummet because of something you
But you know what the right
did. For example, I’ve had choice is, even if it’s hard to
rankings drop because I screwed resist doing a little cloaking.
up the code on some redirects I What you must do is continue
did in my .htaccess file. Did you building a solid site: adding
add some new pages lately? Check relevant, targeted content,
that the links in them, and to working on your site structure so
them, are pointed correctly. If that all content can be found &
you write the destination URLs indexed by the search engines,
wrong you’re feeding the search working on links to your site. A
engines a bunch of 404 Error little boring? Yes, sometimes.
pages. They don’t like that.
But it’s the best choice,
There are many things that especially for those of us
could cause the rankings to slip. looking to be in business for the
Keep in mind that you should look long-term.
at changes you’ve made as long as
Keep in mind these 3 steps
2 weeks ago, just to be safe. next time you see rankings fall.
Search engine bots vary in how It’s okay to be frustrated. It’s
often they come by your site, so okay to be confused. It’s even
they may be reacting to an okay to be a little angry. Let it
alteration that is old news to out, constructively, and then get
you, but new to them.
back to work. It’s the surest
3. Keep Going
path.
It’s tempting to turn to the
dark side of SEO, become a Black
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About the Author:
Jonathan Cook,AKA The Waikiki Marketer, http://www.WaikikiMarketer.com , Jon lives and works in Waikiki/Honolulu, Hawaii, providing clients with marketing and copywriting services. He relaxes by walking down to the beach with his dog, swimming with his wife and paddling outriggers.
Article Tags: rankings, search, site
