We know it can be worrisome to see a traffic drop since it can directly impact your sales. Before you start editing your site, it is essential to remember that Google is the most used search engine. If your position in the search results changes, (which can happen after an algorithm update) it can impact your website traffic. Unknowingly, you may have tweaked a small thing that changed the outcome. It is then necessary to ask yourself a few questions before taking any actions to try to increase the number of visitors.
Many tools can help you follow your performance on search engines. For example, we can suggest Google Search Console and Google Analytics as great free tools. Among the premium ones, there is SEMrush and Screaming Frog. You may want to take a look at these tools if you want to improve your SEO in the long run. Furthermore, please note that you also have access to statistics on the dashboard when you subscribe to one of WebSelf’s premium plans.
Here are two questions to ask yourself when you notice that your website traffic is dropping.
First question: What do you know about your website traffic?
Before taking any drastic measures, it would be relevant to analyze your site traffic. What did statistics on the number of visitors, the referral websites, the type of visitors, or the average time spent on your website look like before the drop? Did something change? Knowing what was working before the drop will help you target what happened.
Another possibility would be that you have a seasonal traffic. For example, if you have a bed and breakfast, it is likely that summer is your most popular season and that it is quieter in autumn. See if you experienced traffic drops at some precise moments over the last few years.
Second question: Did you change anything recently?
Finding the moment when it started dropping will give you a few clues about what happened. Did an important partner remove a link to your site? Did you edit or delete one of your website pages? Did you change your domain name? These are elements that can have an impact on your SEO, navigation, and traffic.
When you change something important on your website, make sure to use quality content and that all the links are working properly. For example, if you deleted a page from your site, but there are remaining links to it, a 404 error page will appear. You must avoid them. The simple fact of rectifying improper handling can often improve your situation.
What can you do to increase your website traffic?
Don’t forget that your website competes with thousands of other websites. It is then vital to improve and update it regularly. Here are some actions you can try to increase your website traffic after a drop.
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Analyze your content
Take a moment to analyze your website’s content. What are the most popular pages or blog articles? It will give you an idea of what works with your target audience. Also, make sure there is no duplicate content.
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Analyze trends
Learn more about the current trends. Take the time to know the interests and concerns of your target audience and create content accordingly. Do not forget that your website must meet the needs of your visitors.
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Increase your content
Other sites are likely considered better than yours on search results. A way to improve this is to add more content to your website. You can enhance your homepage or write blog articles; however, remember that you must only add relevant quality content.
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Work on having more backlinks
Backlinks are analyzed by Google when indexing your website. They are links to your website. The more quality links to your site, the more it increases your credibility and can add visitors.
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Think about ads and partnerships
You may need a hand to increase your website traffic quickly. Why not use ads? Indeed, whether it is on Facebook, Google, or any other platform, ads could be applicable. Also, think about finding partnerships with websites that are apropos.
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Closely monitor the results
Whatever strategy you decide to try, it is important to monitor the statistics closely. It can need effort and time, but with great tools and data, it will be easier to face your website traffic.
In conclusion, you may experience a traffic drop on your website; if it happens, do not panic. Start by finding the causes and targeting the moment it happened. Then, try to rectify and work on your SEO. If you want to learn more about search engine optimization, look at our article about improving your website's position in the search results. Do not forget that there is no magical recipe; it will need continuous effort and time.