Posts Tagged ‘ranking loss’

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There are three primary things that factor into search engine ranking changes. 1) Your site changes, 2) a competitor’s site changes, or 3) a search engine algorithm changes. I’ve already provided information on the first and third (see links above) so in this final installment of the series I’ll talk about changes made to your competitor’s site and how to deal with the ranking changes they cause.

(How to) Deal with Changes Made to Your Competitor’s Websites

You’re not the only site on the web so don’t be concerned when you suddenly find someone else ranking above you. When it comes to search engine rankings there are hundreds of signals that factor in to how any site ranks. Now consider that every site on the web also has hundreds of signals that are being factored in. On the web the chaos theory reigns supreme. One small change on a website completely unrelated to you can have a dramatic affect on your own search engine rankings.

Everybody wants that coveted first page placement, and many are actively fighting for it. But in reality, there is only so much that you can control. If your rankings drop, it may not be you, it may be them.

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Search engine rankings are always in flux. In my last post I mentioned three things that can cause your search engine rankings to change. 1) Your site changes, 2) a competitor’s site change, or 3) the search engine algorithm changes. I addressed the third one here and then in the next installment I’ll discuss the second.

(How to) Deal with Changes Made to The Search Algorithms

Search engines are constantly changing. These changes are mostly compromised of small, subtle shifts in how certain on and off page “signals” are interpreted and scored, or by the addition and/or removal of other ranking factors all together. In some instances more extreme algorithm or structural changes are made which can cause more than the usual upheaval of search results.

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Many small businesses owners keep a more watchful eye on their search engine rankings than a Trekker keeping up with the timeline changes in the Star Trek universe. Search engine rankings can change for one out of several hundred reasons. Your site may gain or lose rankings on a daily bases due to algorithm changes, a dropped or added link, or a site is added or removed from the search engine’s index. Some ranking changes can be traced to a particular event while others occur for what seems like no particular reason. In essence, rankings change because change happens.

But understanding what causes typical loss of rankings can give us a better insight into sea of search engine ranking fluctuations. This insight can help you prevent serious long-term effects caused by a sudden drop in search engine rankings. While we can never prevent all losses of search engine rankings, understanding the reasons why changes occur can, at least, help you make your presence in search results more stable.

Reasons for ranking changes can be boiled down to three basic events: 1) Your site changes, 2) a competitor’s site change, or 3) the search engine algorithm changes. Or it could be any combination of the three. Let’s look at each individually.

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There are numerous things you can to manipulate your site to help it perform better in the search results. There are literally hundreds of different factors that are analyzed, many of which you, as the site owner, have direct and immediate control over.

But for as many factors there are that you can manipulate to give you better ranking performance, there are other things that when not properly addressed will do a fantastic job of preventing your site from performing as well as it could and should. While this is not a conclusive list of search engine ranking killers, these five issues can, cause serious damage to your site. Fixing these five rank-killing issues will undoubtedly clear the way for better optimization performance.

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Moving your site to a new domain is remarkably similar to moving to a new physical address. In some cases it’s much easier, you don’t have to pack up, or load or unload a U-Haul truck, but there are other considerations that you have to take into account to make sure your visitors continue to find you after an online move. One of the primary areas of concern is making sure the search engines not only continue to deliver traffic to your new location, but you don’t lose all your search engine rankings in the process.

No matter what, moving is always a pain. Every time I’ve moved in my life I’ve vowed never to do it again. But sometimes external forces prevail and we find ourself gearing up for another change of address. Whether that’s a physical move or a digital one, there are several steps you need to take to make sure everything goes smoothly.

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