How to Recover Your Google Rank After Recent Algorithm Changes
In the past year, Google has made changes to its algorithm which changed the way websites are ranked on its search engine results page (SERP). Many sites that had great search engine optimization (SEO) content appeared lower in ranking than before once Google implemented the change. The reason for the change in ranking is that Google no longer uses keywords as the determining factor for rank. There are seventeen ranking factors that this search engine uses and keywords are among the least important.
Top Ranking Factors
The top five ranking factors used by Google are the number of direct website visits, time the visitors spend on the site, pages viewed per session, bounce rate, and total referring domains. Backlinks also play a role in ranking, being the sixth factor in Google's ranking system. The purpose of the change in algorithm was to offer more relevant content to Google users.
Many online business owners were upset about this change, as it affected their ranking on SERPs, causing a decrease in traffic. This decrease ultimately caused a loss in business.
How to Regain Good Ranking
If a website has recently suffered a significant drop in rank, say from page one to page seven, the first thing a site owner should consider is penalties. Has Google recently penalized the site? Penalties usually happen if a site has been hacked or re-directed. Google will usually send out an email to notifying the owner of the penalty and the reason for it. Once the issue is corrected, Google will restore the rank of the website.
If the website owner is not aware of any penalties, the next step is to consider the top ranking factors. Maybe the visitors are not spending enough time on the site or looking at enough different pages. The owner should consider adding fresh content to engage users and keep them on the website for as long as possible.
Finally, the owner should check for spammy backlinks. These kinds of backlinks can affect website ranking significantly.