Why Your Rankings Dropped And What You Can Do

No one can guarantee when your search engine rankings will be on the front page or in what exact spot you’ll be in the rankings. The fact is that search engine optimization is an unpredictable procedure that takes time and patience to make it work.

Rankings never rise in a consistent basis. Even when you’re optimizing a site properly and gaining valuable links and great content, your site will reach a point where it might drop for a few days then regain those spots later. This is what some people call the “Google Dance”. Two steps forward, one step back. For the most part, if you’ve been making progress in your rankings, and see a sudden drop, there’s no reason to panic. Google is constantly analyzing millions of websites to determine which are the most relevant for their respective keywords. As a result, the algorithim may slightly rearrange rankings, pushing your site up or down.

If you see a drop in rankings, the best action to take is to keep a close eye on those rankings for the next week or so. In most cases, you should see a ‘rebound’ and see your rankings improve. If you notice your rankings continue to drop, you may need to review your linking and content strategy.

If you’ve been performing SEO for a few months but have yet to see any results (or even see a drop in rankings), then it’s important to review whether you’re not using outdated, or ‘illegal’ SEO practices that my be hurting you in the search engines. If in doubt, speak to an SEO professional who should be able to analyze your strategy and point you in the right direction.

The “Google Dance” is a common occurrence and should be no cause for concern. If you see consistent drops in rankings with no improvement over several weeks, consult with an SEO professional to refine your marketing strategy.