If you’re reading this post as a result of a search inquiry, odds are you’ve experienced a sudden and unexplained traffic loss to your website. WHICH IS STRESSFUL! I get it. So let’s jump right into how to check traffic to a website, what might have caused your drop in website traffic, AND how to fix it.
Let’s dive into how to check traffic to a website, troubleshoot a loss in traffic, and increase organic traffic.
The Algorithm
Just like social media, mentioning the word “algorithm” may make you cringe. But like it or not, organic traffic also depends on an algorithm (and the Google gods) sending website traffic your way. This is why it’s important to know how to check traffic to a website.
Search engines like Google tweak their algorithm all the time, but Google typically releases “core” or major updates several times a year. If you aren’t familiar with these, you might want to do a little background reading first: What are Google Core updates?
This page from Google is a great overview of what Google wants and how it generates search results. Essentially you need to understand that the number of websites available in search results increases every day. Google’s goal is to provide the most relevant and helpful search results at the top of the first page. So how do you get your content to show up there?
The Importance of SEO
The number one thing to keep in mind is that SEO (search engine optimization) matters. Even if you have the most interesting, helpful, and relevant content… you have to play the SEO game to get it seen.
You can do this through a combination of:
All of those checkpoints will help you turn your ideas into content that’s more likely to surface on Google.
E-E-A-T
Google itself acknowledges that E-E-A-T is a ranking factor. Here’s what that means:
Experience: Genuinely sharing from first-hand experience is important. Substantial personal experience earns reader (and algorithm) trust. Think about it this way: when you’re reading a product review, wouldn’t you lean towards the one written by someone who has actually used the product over someone who hasn’t? It’s that real-life experience that adds extra credibility to your content for a boost in rank.
Expertise: Demonstrating expertise in your field establishes credibility and builds trust with your audience. By showcasing your knowledge through accurate and insightful content, you position yourself as a reliable source of information. Different topics require different levels and types of expertise to be deemed trustworthy. This is why larger, more established websites can go after more competitive keywords.
Authoritativeness: Being authoritative means being recognized as a leader or expert in your industry. When your content is perceived as authoritative, it not only enhances your brand reputation but also signals to search engines that your website is a valuable resource. This can lead to higher search rankings, more visibility, and consequently, more traffic to your site. For local businesses (like tutors), your authority will also help you rank higher when families are looking for services.
Trustworthiness: Trust is the foundation of any successful online presence. Creating content that is transparent, honest, and reliable fosters trust with your audience. So does having a prominent About page. Trustworthy websites are more likely to surface in search results to attract new users, retain visitors, and encourage repeat visits.
Keep each of those points in mind as you create content.
The Human Touch
If you take nothing else away from this post, take away this: focus on the human touch. AI content is rampant. Even Google is showing AI snippets on the search results page to try to answer user questions without needing to click away from Google (which can be hard to wrap your head around since that was the entire PURPOSE of Google!).
Here’s the thing.
AI cannot write from your experience. Focus on depth, depth, depth! What is YOUR unique perspective? What insight can YOU offer based on your years of experience in the classroom? What insightful approach have you created?
Offer content and solutions that can’t be summarized within a paragraph preview alone.
Future Proof Your Content
Are you ready for the BEST way to future-proof your content from another algorithm update that may not be in your favor?
Grow your email list.
Yes, even email lists can have challenges with deliverability, open rates, click rates, and unsubscribes but your email list is still the best way to reliably reach the largest chunk of your audience.
Learn more about email marketing in these posts.
How To Check Traffic to a Website and Troubleshoot
If you aren’t sure how to understand your website traffic and what might have caused a sudden drop, here are a few tips.
Check for a Google update
First, head to the changelog and status report to see if there has been a recent update, especially a Core one. Then compare your traffic before and after that change to see if there was a drop in traffic around the same time.
If your website took a major hit because of an update, there isn’t a whole lot you can do to instantly fix it. The moment Google changes its algorithm, some websites move higher and others have to move lower as a result of the new calculations. There will be winners and losers. Focusing on all of the points above is the best way to avoid a rank drop before it happens!
Sometimes the results don’t make a lot of sense. If things seem really off, Google will also release a tweak to the update in an attempt to course correct.
Traffic Acquisition
Look at Google Analytics > Reports > Acquisition> Traffic Acquisition. This report shows the main sources of your incoming website traffic:
- direct
- organic search
- referral
- organic social
Compare your traffic channels over time and try to find the cause for any major change.
Even if you aren’t actively troubleshooting, this is a great report to check often as you work to increase incoming traffic!
Engagement
Look at Google Analytics > Reports > Engagement> Pages and Screens. This report shows the most popular pages/posts on your website.
Is it ALL of your website content or specific content that has taken a recent hit? if it’s specific content, ask yourself why:
- Do you have a seasonal blog post that performs really well for a short amount of time? You’ll naturally see traffic decline when that post is no longer timely.
- Did you make changes to a specific post or page that had an adverse effect?
- Did another, larger website write a recent post that covers the same topic and is out-ranking yours? (Try an incognito Google search to see!).
Google Penalty
Check Google Search Console > Security and Manual Actions > Manual Actions. If Google has penalized your site for spam, keyword stuffing, etc. you’ll see a notice here. Fix it ASAP!
Hire Help
No one likes to be on the “losing” side of Google traffic. If you’re feeling stuck, it’s time to jump on a strategy session. Whether you need help driving more conversions or are struggling with a tricky tech issue, let’s jump on a teacherpreneur strategy session and figure it out together!
