Each marketing specialist faced the problem of website traffic falling from search.
Even the websites with original content are not insured from it. We wrote the detailed instruction by means of which you will understand the reasons for traffic falling and you will be able to correct it.
Look where attendance fell: on Yandex or Google
When traffic falls only from one search engine pay attention to observance of algorithms. Each search engine works at their own algorithms and your task is to follow them.
It is quite possible that your website got under the new filter of Yandex or Google. If you found out that both search engines show a decrease in traffic, proceed to the following step.
Check settings of web analytics services
If traffic on the website fell in general, but only in one of analytics systems — look for a problem in settings. Loss of a code on some parts of pages can be the cause of traffic fall. Compare the indicators of Google Analytics and Yandex.Metrics to solve the problem. Also, find out the pages on which the traffic fell.
Check whether there were problems with availability
Look in Yandex.Metrics the report on the availability of the website. Were there any problems with website opening during the analyzed period? Also, look at the error log — error.log.
Check whether you got under the filter of the web search engine
Each search engine has its own search criteria. The first step is to log into sections of tools for webmasters on filters and sanctions. If there is no information you should write a letter to support. Write how much the traffic fall and ask whether you fell within the filter which is not displayed in the webmaster panels.
Study errors in the webmaster panels
Look at reports in the webmaster: what errors occurred, when were the falls and rises, if there were doubles of pages and so on.
Check the changes of website visibility on requests
There are special services, for example, Serpstat. Enter keywords and you will see what position you take under different requests.
Scan the website by means of Xenu or Screaming Frog
These are free programs by means of which you will find out the problems on the website which could lead to traffic loss or decline of positions.
Check an index in a search engine and look at robots.txt
It is easy to check how the website is indexed by Yandex or Google: you write “site: a website name” (for example, site:roman.ua) in search engine. It will show what pages are indexed. Then you look at whether there are doubles and now you have to correct errors.
Look at robots.txt. There can be wrong bans of indexation of all website, sections, or some pages in this file.
Check canonical, the seo-text and pagination
Some pages of the website can be accessed by several links. Use the tag rel=" canonical" in order that the main link of the page was available to searchers. If there are some doubles, the search engine defines them as different pages, but with one content that has an adverse effect on indexing.
Analyze SEO-texts: check the errors on promoted pages.
Indexation of the website is also influenced by pagination. When using pagination on each section of the website, the probability that the limit of indexing is spent for pages with pagination, but not for really important pages. The risk that not all pages with pagination will be indexed increases.
Consider seasonal fluctuation
Pay attention to the specifics of a product. Whether it enjoys popularity all the year-round? Consider a factor of the seasonality of the offer. Differences in the product demand for a year is the normal phenomenon.
Analyze links
The website is well-indexed by a search engine when referencing weight increases smoothly and correctly. It means the use of qualitative platforms that refer to your site. If you use platforms with a bad reputation, it will have an adverse effect on indexing. Not only external references should be used, but it is also important to use your own website: interlinking of the website. First, in such a way you can use the text of links (anchors). Secondly, the availability of links to other pages of the website holds the visitor. You should not be overzealous with the number of links on pages as the search engine will mark the page as spam.
For optimization of the website increase reference weight regularly and smoothly.
Make sure of content originality
When the search engine indexes the website, it scans content on plagiarism. The websites with not original content and weak trust often receive weak positions. Even if you are sure of the originality of the content, do not ignore this step. Other websites can sometimes steal your content but be ranged above as original, and the search engine will lower you down. It is impossible to ensure the website from it therefore it is important to work on new content.
