Subtle Signs Your Website Has Been Hit By an SEO Penalty
Search engine optimization (SEO) requires diligent and consistent effort to reach the top of search rankings and sustain results. Despite doing your best, you may still encounter a Google penalty, which can lead to a drop in your ranking and revenues. The worst part is that Google may take action on your website for violating its rules without a warning.
Imagine experiencing a sudden dip in your online visibility for a blunder you don’t even know about. With the ever-changing search algorithms, the risk of unexpected penalties runs high. Further, manual mistakes and black hat practices are other reasons leading to Google penalties. Many times, website owners don’t even know the reasons for penalties.
An unexpected ranking dip can be a killer for businesses in a competitive market, such as the Canadian small business landscape. Statistics show that 71% of small businesses in Canada fail due to management issues. Unfortunately, SEO is one place where your management may go wrong. Awareness regarding potential penalties can help you prevent them.
Here are the ones you should be aware of and the signs your website has sustained a penalty:
Google Penalties: When, Why, and How
Google penalties may be manual or algorithmic, depending on the mistakes you make with your website. Let us highlight the features and reasons for both to help you understand them better.
Manual Penalty
A manual penalty is imposed by Google’s team on websites going against SEO guidelines. For example, posting spammy content or building backlinks with black-hat practices can get you a manual penalty. Consider it a wake-up call to address the issue and submit your website for reconsideration.
Although you know the reason for being penalized, these penalties often hit hard, leading to significant ranking drops or loss in traffic volumes.
Algorithmic Devaluation
An algorithmic penalty is more menacing because it hits out of the blue, often without warning or explanation. An algorithmic update can suddenly make your site spammy, leading to a penalty without even a notification.
Although the impact of these actions may be as hard as their manual counterparts, you may sometimes end up scratching your head to understand what is wrong.
The Challenges of Algorithmic Penalties
Algorithmic penalties can be challenging for business owners, considering they are sudden. Sometimes, the impact is subtle enough to go unnoticed yet affects your ranking and traffic. Even a small dip can affect your revenues and growth potential.
Consider running a small business in Vancouver, which has a crowded business landscape. You work consistently on strategies like local SEO, link building, and content creation and reach the first page of search rankings. A sudden drop in your rankings can come as an unpleasant shock, and before you realize the reason behind it, you may end up losing business.
Working with a reliable SEO company in Vancouver can save you from undesired surprises. Seasoned professionals keep a close eye on algorithm updates and realign their strategy quickly when something changes. They also steer clear of mistakes and black-hat practices.
Signs Your Website Has Sustained a Penalty
According to OptiRank SEO Agency, regular audits are like health checks for websites. If you notice these subtle signs, dig deep to find whether your site has sustained a penalty.
Sign #1- Organic Traffic Drop
A sudden drop in your site’s organic traffic is a reason to worry because it indicates something amiss. A penalty may be the reason why Google rolled out an algorithmic update. A quick audit followed by re-optimization of your website can save it from trouble. At the same time, don’t be too quick to jump to conclusions because sites selling seasonal products experience a natural decrease in the lean season.
Sign #2- Fall in Rankings
Is your website no longer visible at the top of search rankings? Can’t you even spot it on the first page of Google searches? If you haven’t changed your SEO strategy, a big and sudden ranking drop is a clear indication of a penalty. The situation is even worse if your website is missing from Google Search.
Sign #3: Manual Action Notification
If your website faces a manual penalty, you will get a notification in the Search Console. You may face the action due to reasons like keyword stuffing, thin content, unnatural inbound links, spammy free hosts and structured markups, sneaky redirects, and user-generated spam. Addressing these issues quickly can save your website.
What Next?
Whether you receive a notification for a manual penalty or face an algorithmic action, setting things right should be a priority. Check the cause and address it with an appropriate solution to regain control and keep your website safe from the impact of penalties. The sooner you act, the better your chances of recovery. Keeping an eye on these subtle signs can keep your website on the safe side.
