![Getting Google to Fall Back in Love with Your Website 10 Most Common Digital Marketing Mistakes and How to Fix Them](https://jgmarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/google-1.jpeg)
Getting Google to Fall Back in Love with Your Website
According to research, 53% of the total traffic on your website can come from organic searches. However, since the algorithm changes often, so does the ranking of your content on Google.
One day, your website is at the top of Google’s first page, and with the next update, you’re on the fifth page simply because Google has tweaked its algorithm. So, what can you do get Google to fall back in love with your website?
You can either wait for it to happen over time—which can take months—if at all. Or proactively make website updates to ensure your website is in Google’s good graces. We will dive in and explain the second approach in this article.
What if your entire website isn’t indexed?
Google crawls the web, following hyperlinks to find new content. In doing so, the search engine’s bots look at web pages, going from link to link to bring information back to the servers.
If your whole website is not indexed, it’s likely because of a crawl block. The block is in your robots.txt.file. Here’s how to fix it:
- Type com/robots.txt.
- Look for one of the two code snippets:
User-agent: Googlebot
Disallow: /
OR
User-agent: *
Disallow: /
- Simply remove this snippet to let Google crawl your website.
Likewise, if Google is not indexing a certain page in your website, a crawl block might be the reason.
- Go to Google Search Console and select the inspection tool.
- Paste the URL of the webpage in the tool.
- Click the Coverage block.
- In the details displayed on the screen, check for the following error: “Crawl allowed? No: blocked by robots.txt”.
- If the error exists, check the robots.txt file and remove any disallow rules.
![Getting Google to Fall Back in Love with Your Website](https://jgmarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/google-2.jpeg)
How to update your old blogs to get re-indexed and crawled?
When it comes to old content, you can either let it be, delete it, or update it. We’d suggest going with the last option since it helps you reap the results of your former SEO efforts and keeps your site relevant.
Here are some ways to update your old blog:
● Keep them up to date
Longer content seems to be better for SEO, more shareable, and engaging.
● Reoptimize for keywords
If your blog post is five years old, the keywords you used then may not be relevant now. Use one of Google’s keyword planners to find the currently relevant keywords and use them in your updated content.
● Interlink
Interlinking helps get more views on your older or less read posts along with spreading link equity or ranking power around your website. It also creates an information hierarchy on your site, allowing the reader to navigate easily.
● Add new content formats
Visual content marketing wasn’t as popular five years ago as it is today. In fact, there was a 10.5% increase in visual content use from 2018 to 2019. So, if your old blogs only have text, spice them up with videos or images.
● Update expired content
Your older content may not be indexing anymore simply because the promotion/event may have expired since you published a blog about it. Go through your old posts and update what should stay, what should be updated, and what needs to go, to make it easily to index for Google’s bot.
Get Google to recrawl the updated content
Once you’ve made the updates, you can ask Google to recrawl your content by requesting it. If you’ve made changes to a certain blog post, you can request for recrawl by following the steps given below:
- Make sure you’re compliant with the general guidelines.
- Use the URL Inspection tool to inspect the URL.
- Then, click on Request Indexing. It will run a live test on your URL and queue it for indexing. If there are any issues on the page – as shown by the tool – you need to fix them.
However, if you want to submit multiple URLs, you need to create a sitemap. Once you’ve done that, wait for a few days—or weeks—since crawling can take some time, depending on the number of URLs you submitted.
You can check the status of your request in the Index Status Report.
Mobile optimization
According to Google Search Central, Google started “mobile-first indexing is enabled by default for all new websites (new to the web or previously unknown to Google Search)’’ from July 1, 2019.
For older websites, Google informs the website owners about the date when their site goes to mobile-first indexing in the Search Console. In fact, Google has a detailed guide on optimizing websites for mobiles since over 90% of the world’s population uses phones to access the web.
You can use the Mobile-Friendly Test to check if a certain web page is optimized sufficiently for mobile devices.
Use proper tags
Google is only able to follow links with a certain format, as shown below:
- <a href=”https://example.com”>
- <a href=”/relative/path/file”>
On the other hand, if the link looks something like <span href=”https://example.com”>, Google will not be able to follow it. So, make sure your links have the proper tags and attributes.
Optimize for voice search
If your website is not optimized for voice search, you have missed out on 111.8 million people in the US who use voice search on Google. More importantly, Bright Local reports that 53% of the consumers use voice search to find local businesses.
It’s even more vital to note that of all the voice searches made in a day, 46% are for local businesses. Thus, as a small or medium business, if your website is not voice-optimized, you’re losing customers.
Here are some tips to get started:
- Focus on conversational keywords since Google now uses natural language processing to show searchers top results.
- Include inquisitive words like how, where, and when. Also, focus on comparative keywords, such as top-rated and best.
Make sure you answer the questions—containing the keywords mentioned above—most likely to be asked by a prospective customer on your website.
Optimize images
Once you’ve made the updates, you can ask Google to recrawl your content by requesting it. If you’ve made changes to a certain blog post, you can request for recrawl by following the steps given below:
- Make sure you’re compliant with the general guidelines.
- Use the URL Inspection tool to inspect the URL.
- Then, click on Request Indexing. It will run a live test on your URL and queue it for indexing. If there are any issues on the page – as shown by the tool – you need to fix them.
However, if you want to submit multiple URLs, you need to create a sitemap. Once you’ve done that, wait for a few days—or weeks—since crawling can take some time, depending on the number of URLs you submitted.
You can check the status of your request in the Index Status Report.
Speed up your website
Your website should load in under four seconds since websites with websites that take five seconds to load have a 38% bounce rate. Moreover, every one in four visitors will abandon your site if it takes over four seconds to load.
Google’s algorithm also focuses immensely on fast-loading websites, especially the ones with quick-loading images. If you have a ton of images – common for ecommerce sites – use responsive image techniques to speed up your website.
Google shows the AMP logo in front of pages that load quickly. If you have an image host page that shows in Google Images, consider turning it into an AMP to load your site quickly and retain more visitors.
You can check your website’s speed using PageSpeed Insights and make changes accordingly.
Remove broken links
Broken links or 404 errors affect your SEO negatively and drive visitors away from your page. Use plugins like Broken Links Checker to detect broken links in a WordPress site. You can then remove or fix these links.
Final words
Let’s face the facts, Google’s algorithm changes frequently, and it will continue to do so. If you want Google to stay in love with your website long term, you will need to stay committed to making those necessary updates when the time comes. But for now, the tips mentioned in this guide will help you keep your relationship in good graces with Google.
Recent Posts
Connect with Us
Send Us A Message
Have a Topic You Want Us To Talk About?
LATEST BLOGS
Stay up to date with the latest marketing tips, trends and news
Email Marketing Secrets for Increasing Customer Engagement
Email marketing remains a core strategy for digital marketers seeking to build meaningful connections with their audience. As we navigate through the vast array of digital marketing tools available in 2024, the importance of personal yet powerful communication through email cannot be overstated. ...
The Role of Chatbots in Enhancing User Experience
As digital marketers passionate about delivering top-notch online experiences, we know that staying ahead means leveraging the latest tools and technologies. One such tool that has significantly reshaped the interaction landscape is the chatbot. These AI-driven assistants are not just novelties; ...
Maximizing ROI through Integrated Digital Advertising
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, maximizing return on investment (ROI) is a critical goal for businesses like ours. At Jameson Grace Marketing, Inc., we understand that achieving this requires more than just launching ad campaigns; it demands a strategic integration of various...
Using Google Ads for Quick Traffic Increase
Navigating the world of paid advertising can seem daunting, especially if you’re new to platforms like Google Ads. However, with the right approach, Google Ads can be an invaluable tool to drive targeted traffic to your website and increase your online visibility effectively. As digital mar...
Maximizing Instagram for Small Business Growth
Instagram has become an indomitable force in digital marketing, especially for small businesses aiming to reach a broader and more engaged audience. As we navigate the nuances of this dynamic platform, it’s important to recognize the potential it holds for the expansion and visibility of a ...
How to Boost Your Website Speed for Better SEO
In the digital age, where seconds can dictate success or failure, your website’s speed plays a pivotal role in providing a better user experience and enhancing your SEO. As we dive deeper into a competitive online world, our strategies must evolve to ensure that our websites perform optimal...
Viral Content Tips: Create Posts That Engage
In today’s fast-paced digital world, understanding how to make content go viral is essential for any business looking to leverage social media for growth and engagement. Viral content transcends the ordinary, breaking through the noise and ensuring that our message not only reaches but reso...
SEO Impact and Best Practices for Visibility
In today's digital era, understanding the role of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential for businesses looking to maximize online visibility and drive growth. SEO isn't just about improving search engine rankings; it's about connecting with your...
Dominate the Digital Landscape: Video Advertising in 2024
We live in an era where digital marketing has become indispensable for businesses looking to grow and thrive. With countless techniques and strategies available, some stand out as more effective and engaging than others. Video advertising is one of those...
Why Your Business Needs a Digital Marketing Audit
In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses of all sizes. Digital marketing has become the go-to strategy for reaching and engaging with customers. However, simply implementing digital marketing tactics is not enough. To truly maximize the effectiveness...