Why is my website no longer on the first page of Google Search Results?

My website used to appear on the first page of Google search results, but now it doesn’t appear on any of the first 10 pages. I’m not sure what could be causing this sudden drop-off in visibility. Can you help me understand why my website is no longer showing up in Google’s top 2 pages of search results?

This is a question that I’ve been asked many times by clients.

Some reasons why your website isn’t appearing on the top 2 pages of Google’s organic search results:

  1. Keyword relevance: It is possible that your website content is not as relevant to the keywords people are searching for.
  2. Competition: There could be more authoritative websites that are ranking for the same keywords that you used to rank for. This can push your website down the search results.
  3. Poor search engine optimization (SEO): Your website might not have been recently optimised for search engines, which can impact its visibility. Keep in mind that back-end technical SEO tasks should be on-going and maintained as you create new content for your website. Perform regular SEO site audits.
  4. Content quality: Perhaps you have not been regularly updating your website with high-quality, informative and original content.
  5. Technical issues: Have your website audited for technical issues such as slow page-load speed, broken links, or crawl errors. Over time these issues can impact your search ranking.
  6. Google algorithm updates: Google frequently updates its algorithms, which can affect websites’ rankings.

I’m going to discuss some of the things you can do to address a few of the possibilities listed above.

Proper use of keywords.

Is it possible that you have used keywords incorrectly or used too many in your website content?

Review your website’s content to ensure that you are not using too many keywords, which is also known as “keyword stuffing”. This can have a negative impact on your website’s Google rankings. Keyword stuffing is when a copywriter misuses a lot of keywords in an attempt to manipulate a site’s ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Search engines like Google view keyword stuffing as spammy and manipulative, and it can lead to penalties that can lower your website’s search engine rankings or even result in the complete removal of your site from the search engine’s index.

Instead of stuffing keywords, focus on creating high-quality, relevant content that uses your target keywords in a natural and meaningful way. This will not only provide a better experience for your users, but also help improve your website’s rankings in search results.

SEO factors

Create high-quality content

Here are a few ways to create high-quality content on your website:

  1. Write in-depth articles: Write blog posts or articles that provide valuable information and insights on topics related to your niche or industry expertise.
  2. Use visuals: Use images, videos, infographics, and other types of media to make your content more engaging and easier to understand. Canva is a platform that can aid you with creating engaging visuals quickly without the need for a graphic designer.
  3. Optimise your content for search engines: Make sure to optimise your article content for search engines by including relevant keywords, excerpts, meta descriptions, video thumbnails and alt tags for images.
  4. Write original content: Avoid copying and pasting content from other websites. Instead, create original and unique content from your fresh perspective.
  5. Focus on user experience: Make sure your website is user-friendly and easy to navigate, with a clean design, properly formatted content, optimised images and fast loading speeds.
  6. Keep it up-to-date: Regularly update your content to keep it relevant and current, and add new information and insights as needed.

By following the above guidelines, you can create high-quality content that will not only engage and inform your audience, but also improve your website’s search engine rankings.

The ideal length of an in-depth article

The ideal length of an in-depth article can vary depending on the topic and the purpose of the content. As a general guideline, write at least 500-1,000 words in length. Longer articles give you more space to provide valuable information, insights, and examples to support your arguments, and can also demonstrate your expertise on a subject.

The most important factor is the quality of the content. An article that is only 500 words but provides valuable and in-depth information on a topic is generally better than an article that is 2,000 words but is poorly written and lacks any substance.

Focus on creating high-quality, well-researched, and well-written content that will engage and inform your audience.

Search engine optimization (SEO)

What is SEO and how do you do this for your WordPress website?

SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is essential for attracting organic traffic and improving search engine rankings. Here are some things you can do to optimise your WordPress website for SEO:

  • Use a SEO-friendly theme: Make sure the WordPress theme you choose has fast load times, responsive design, and clean HTML.
  • Use relevant keywords in your content: Research keywords related to your business and use them in your website content, including the page titles, meta descriptions, and image alt tags.
  • Install an SEO plugin: Install a plugin, such as Yoast SEO, SEOPress or Rankmath. Any one of these plugins will help you optimise your website for search engines by providing helpful tips/guidelines for improving your content and structure.
  • Create XML sitemaps: An XML sitemap helps search engines understand the structure of your website and which pages to index. An SEO plugin can help you with creating the XML file.
  • Use header tags: Use header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) in your content to create a clear hierarchy and make it easier for search engines to understand the structure of your content.
  • Use internal linking: Use internal links to help search engines understand the relationships between different pages on your website and make it easier for users to navigate.
  • Improve website speed: Website speed is an important ranking factor – use well-coded plugins, compress the size of images, optimise code, and improve website loading times. Select a fast host for your website.
  • Get high-quality backlinks: Backlinks are an important ranking factor, so work on building high-quality backlinks from reputable websites. Backlinks, also known as “inbound links” or “incoming links,” are links from other websites to your website. They are an important factor in search engine optimisation (SEO) as they indicate to search engines the importance and credibility of your website.
    • Here are a few examples of backlinks:
      • Guest posting: Writing and publishing articles on other websites that include a link back to your website.
      • Directories: Submitting your website to reputable online directories that include a link back to your website.
      • Social media: Sharing your website content on social media and encouraging others to share it, can result in backlinks from other websites.
      • Press releases: Including a link to your website in press releases that are published on other reputable industry-related websites.
      • Partner websites: Working with partner websites to cross-promote each other’s websites, which can result in backlinks.
      • Infographics: Creating infographics that are published on other websites and include a link back to your website.
    • By implementing these backlink strategies, you can improve your website’s search engine ranking and increase its visibility and credibility. However, it’s important to focus on high-quality backlinks from reputable websites, as low-quality or spammy backlinks can have a negative impact on your website’s ranking.

By implementing the suggestions in this guide, you can start creating high quality content, optimise your WordPress website for SEO and improve your organic search engine rankings over time.

FAQs

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is essential for attracting organic traffic and improving search engine rankings. To optimise your WordPress website, use a SEO-friendly theme, incorporate relevant keywords, install an SEO plugin, create XML sitemaps, use header tags, utilise internal linking, improve website speed, and acquire high-quality backlinks.

There are several possible reasons for your website’s drop in visibility, including keyword relevance, competition from authoritative websites, poor search engine optimization (SEO), content quality, technical issues, and Google algorithm updates.

Overusing keywords, also known as “keyword stuffing,” can have a negative impact on your website’s search engine rankings. Instead, focus on creating high-quality, relevant content that uses your target keywords naturally and meaningfully.

Write in-depth articles, use visuals to enhance engagement, optimise your content for search engines, create original content, focus on user experience, and keep your content up-to-date.

The ideal length of an in-depth article varies depending on the topic and purpose. As a general guideline, aim for at least 500-1,000 words. However, the most important factor is the quality of the content, so focus on providing valuable and well-written information.

TL;DR

If your website has dropped in Google search results, several factors could be at play, including keyword relevance, competition, poor SEO, outdated content, technical issues, or algorithm updates. To address these issues, focus on proper keyword usage, create high-quality and regularly updated content, optimise your website for SEO, and build reputable backlinks. Implementing these strategies can help improve your website’s visibility and search engine rankings over time.

Sherissa R

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