Google has revised its documentation on diagnosing ranking drops to help you identify and correct the underlying issues.

Google has refreshed its guidance on diagnosing ranking drops with five changes. The updated version includes over 400 additional words covering minor and significant drops. While some aspects of the update might spark debate, the consensus is that the revised version is an improvement over its predecessor.

 

Change #1: Less Emphasis on Fixing Traffic Drops

 

The opening sentence was modified to reduce the optimism regarding recovery from an algorithmic traffic drop. Google combined two sentences into one in the updated documentation. The previous version mentioned that most traffic drops could be reversed, though understanding the cause might be challenging. However, the part about “most of them can be reversed” was entirely omitted in the new version.

Here’s what the original two sentences said:

“A drop in organic search traffic may happen for many reasons, most of which can be reversed. It may not be straightforward to understand what happened to your site.”

Now, the new guidance doesn’t mention that “most of them can be reversed” and focuses more on the complexity of diagnosing the cause of a traffic drop.

This is the updated guidance:

“A drop in organic search traffic may happen for many reasons, and it may not be straightforward to understand what happened to your site.“

 

Change #2: Security or Spam Issues

 

Google has updated the traffic graph illustrations to ensure they more accurately reflect the underlying causes of different types of traffic declines.

In the previous version, the graph was labeled:

“Site-level technical issue (Manual Action, strong algorithmic changes)”

The issue with this label was that manual actions and significant algorithmic changes weren’t technical issues. The updated version corrects this mislabeling.

The new graph label now reads:

“Large drop from an algorithmic update, site-wide security or spam issue.”

 

Change #3: Technical Issues

 

Another graph label has been updated to improve accuracy. The previous version was labeled:

“Page-level technical issue (algorithmic changes, market disruption)”

The updated graph now has this label:

“Technical issue across your site, changing interests.”

The new label is more precise, indicating a site-wide problem rather than page-level issues. Additionally, “changing interests” is broader and encompasses a wider variety of factors than “market disruption.” This revision reflects that changing interests could include market disruption (where a new product supplants an older one). Still, it also accounts for products that need to be updated or have lost popularity due to shifting trends.

 

Change #4: Google Introduces New Guidelines for Algorithmic Changes

 

The most significant update involves an entirely new section addressing algorithmic changes. This new guidance consolidates and replaces two prior sections; one focused on policy violations and manual actions and another on algorithm changes. The previous version contained only 108 words, while the updated section now has 443 words, offering a more comprehensive approach.

A beneficial aspect of the new guidance is that it categorizes algorithmic update impacts into two distinct types of drops:

Two New Categories:

• Small drop in position: For example, moving from position 2 to 4.
• Large drop in position: For example, falling from position 4 to 29.

These new categories are consistent with observed trends in search results, where small shifts in the top ten differ from more significant declines. While the guidance on large drops recommends site reviews, it might only sometimes address the underlying issue. For instance, less experienced SEOs might attempt to fix large drops by improving E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), adding author bios, or filing link disavowals without resolving the problem.

Here is the new guidance for diagnosing drops in search position:

 

Algorithmic Update

Google constantly refines its content evaluation methods and regularly updates its search ranking and serving algorithms. Core updates and minor tweaks can influence page performance in Google Search results. To track these changes, Google maintains a list of ranking updates; check it to see if any recent updates might affect your site.

If you suspect an algorithmic update caused your traffic drop, it’s essential to understand that it may not indicate a fundamental issue with your content. To assess if changes are needed, examine your top pages in Google Search Console and evaluate their ranking history:

• Small drop in position: An example is moving from position 2 to 4.
• Large drop in position: An example is dropping from position 4 to 29.

Remember that positions are not static. Google search results are dynamic, evolving as the web’s content changes. This constant flux can lead to both increases and decreases in organic search traffic.

 

Small Drop in Position

A small drop in position involves minor shifts within the top results, such as moving from position 2 to 4 for a given search query. In Search Console, you might notice a drop in traffic without a significant change in impressions.

Small position fluctuations are normal and can happen without requiring any action. Often, it’s best to avoid drastic changes if your page is already performing well.

 

Large Drop in Position

A significant drop in position refers to a noticeable decline from the top results across a broad range of terms, like moving from the top 10 to position 29.

In such cases, conduct a thorough review of your entire website (not just specific pages) to ensure it remains helpful, reliable, and people-first. If you’ve made recent site changes, give them time to take effect, which could range from a few days to several months. Google systems may need time to determine if your site consistently provides helpful content. Typically, you should wait several weeks before reassessing your site in the Search Console to determine if your changes have impacted your ranking.

Keep in mind that changes made to your site are not guaranteed to lead to noticeable improvements in search results. If other content is more deserving, it will continue to rank well within Google’s systems.

 

Change #5: Minor Adjustments

 

The remaining changes are generally minor but contribute to increased accuracy in the documentation.

For example, a heading that previously read:

“You recently moved your site.”

Has been updated to:

“Site Moves and Migrations”

 

Google’s New Ranking Drops Guidance

 

Google’s updated documentation provides valuable insights into ranking drops, but its recommendations for addressing significant algorithmic declines can be hit or miss. Some cases benefit from the suggested fixes, while others don’t because the problem might not be with the website. In the past, Google’s guidance acknowledged that sometimes there’s nothing specific to correct. The new documentation is an improvement, but there’s room for further clarity and precision. If you find the topic complex or hard to navigate, consider exploring our monthly SEO packages—our experts can help you tackle these issues with tailored solutions.