I\u2019ve heard from a number of bloggers and website publishers about a recent shakeup with Google rankings. And some websites have been completely demoted in Google\u2019s search rankings. Without warning.<\/strong> Did your website lose a big chunk of traffic recently? If so, then this post may help you identify what happened.\u00a0<\/p>

\n
WHAT'S INSIDE<\/p>\nToggle<\/span>
Understanding Google\u2019s Algorithm Updates A 2023-2024 Recap<\/a>
Google\u2019s March, 2024 Core Algorithm Update<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
The Impact of Google\u2019s Algorithm Changes on Small Businesses and Independent Publishers<\/a><\/li>
Assessing Your Site\u2019s Risk Against Google Algorithm Changes<\/a>
Relying Too Heavily on Google for Your Traffic and Revenue<\/a><\/li>
Little or No Search Interest for Your Brand<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
Debunking the Misperception Does Google Really Dislike Affiliate Sites?<\/a>
How Successful Affiliate Sites Escaped the Helpful Content Update<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
How to Generate Branded Search Interest The New SEO Currency<\/a>
Create Premium Membership Content<\/a><\/li>
Building a Community Around Your Brand\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
Just Ask Them<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
Wrapping Up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s get right to it. There are three actionable tips in this post that will help you avoid losing organic traffic in the next Google algorithm update. In short, they are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Increase brand loyalty with a premium membership<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Create branded content people will search for by name<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Get people to search specifically for your branded content<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
So that\u2019s the tl;dr version. And here\u2019s some more detail, including a few observations I\u2019ve had while reviewing several impacted websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As it turns out, there is no shortage of theories about what happened, and why. Needless to say, there\u2019s a lot of juicy drama in the SEO world right now. You may have guessed it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
SEO is dead. Again. Well, not really.\u201d \u2013Curt Noble<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the Growth Manager here at MemberPress, I\u2019ve been paying close attention to our own ranking in Google results. And, I\u2019ll admit, I\u2019ve experienced a bit of anxiety asking the question \u201cwhat if it happened to us?\u201d But two things provide me some reassurance.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First<\/strong>, we have a strong reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second<\/strong>, people search for our content by name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
So, the dust is settling on these recent algorithm changes. If you\u2019re still getting traffic from Google, then you\u2019ve weathered the storm. And now I\u2019m going to share a few of my observations from these updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m also going to give you some specific tips that you can implement today.<\/strong> These tips could very well keep you insulated from future Google algorithm updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understanding Google\u2019s Algorithm Updates: A 2023-2024 Recap<\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn September, 2023 Google announced an impending update to its Helpful Content algorithm. A lot has been written<\/a> about the purpose of these updates. So, I\u2019ll just summarize it as best I can. Google\u2019s\u00a0goal was to cut low-quality content by up to 40%\u00a0<\/strong> in its search results pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Google<\/a>, the Helpful Content Update aims to address \u201ccontent that seems to have been primarily created for ranking well in search engines rather than to help or inform people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Google\u2019s March, 2024 Core Algorithm Update<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Then, in March, 2024 Google announced that it would roll these Helpful Content changes into the core algorithm. Many SEO\u2019s interpreted this to mean the algorithm would only impact individual, unhelpfu pages. However, from what I\u2019ve observed so far, that\u2019s not the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Affected websites have seen a severe drop in their traffic, site wide. The trend of organic traffic looks like this. And, as of the time of this blog post, none of the impacted sites have recovered their traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"\"$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
What does your estimated traffic trend look like? For a quick analysis, just use the free domain research tool by Semrush<\/a>. If you see a trend like the image above, then you have my condolences!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Impact of Google\u2019s Algorithm Changes on Small Businesses and Independent Publishers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This recent Google algorithm change has left a profound impact on both small businesses and independent publishers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new updates have altered the search landscape, nudging major brands and large websites such as Reddit ahead, leaving smaller entities grappling for visibility. However, this doesn\u2019t necessarily translate to a bias against smaller players.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The impact has spawned some wild theories I\u2019ve seen floating around on X and Reddit.\u00a0Here are a few:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Google is penalizing independent publishers who sell ads<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Google is penalizing affiliate marketers and niche sites<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Google is leveraging independent creators and publishers to train its AI engine<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Google is trying keep users on its site by providing answers directly in the search results page<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If those assumptions aren\u2019t dramatic enough for you, just wait until you hear all the conspiracy theories! I\u2019m not going there though. The most important questions for now are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
First,<\/strong> am I at risk of the next algorithm update?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second,<\/strong> what should I do right now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Assessing Your Site\u2019s Risk Against Google Algorithm Changes<\/h2>\n\n\n\nAs I mentioned earlier, Google wants to rank sites that provide helpful information<\/strong> to users. And they have a good reason to make sure users have a good experience. Google Search\u2019s market share has been declining<\/a> since these updates rolled out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember, Google is trying to sniff out content that exists only to rank well in Google. And, it wants to promote content that answers questions for real people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, if you find yourself writing entire blog posts for the purpose of a keyword ranking, rather than to help people, it could be a sign of risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From what I\u2019ve seen, there are two elements that appear to increase the risk<\/strong> of losing traffic from Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Relying Too Heavily on Google for Your Traffic and Revenue<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Every website owner wants to rank number one in Google. And it can be easy to focus too much on the organic traffic channel. If a large portion of your website traffic and revenue is dependent on Google<\/strong>, you\u2019re likely at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if 75% of your revenue relies on organic traffic, then you could be just one algorithm update away from business failure. That\u2019s a scary thought, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Little or No Search Interest for Your Brand<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Google\u2019s Danny Sullivan explained recently that they observed people were increasingly appending search terms with the word \u201cReddit.\u201d And they interepreted this to mean that users must really love Reddit content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In my own observations I\u2019ve noticed a trend that seems to track with what Danny suggested. Many of the impacted websites I\u2019ve looked at seem to lack brand interest<\/strong>. In other words, nobody is searching\u00a0specifically\u00a0for their content.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, if you don\u2019t have people seeking you out, then you could risk losing traffic in the next algorithm update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Debunking the Misperception: Does Google Really Dislike Affiliate Sites?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The answer is, no. It\u2019s true that many of the affected websites do publish affiiliate links. But this, by itself, doesn\u2019t shed any light on the big picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Affiliate links are a mainstream way to monetize website traffic. There are simply too many websites earning money from affiliate links for this to be a viable target. Can you imagine how bad the search results would be if Google just demoted all these sites?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our own blog publishes affiliate links for some of our partners. So, I think there\u2019s more to this SEO shakeup than simply affiliate links. I don\u2019t recommend removing all your affiliate links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>How Successful Affiliate Sites Escaped the Helpful Content Update<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
AuthorityHacker tracks all things affiliate marketing. Recently they published an update to their list of successful affiliate sites<\/a>. These sites don\u2019t appear to be impacted by the recent algo update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Algo? That\u2019s SEO geek speak. The cool SEO\u2019s can\u2019t be bothered with saying the full word, algorithm. Use it in your next conversation about SEO and you\u2019ll score some serious web-cred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A common thread among every site on the list is branded search interest. According to Semrush, each site receives branded search traffic, relative to the total estimated traffic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When people search for content published by a specific website, Google may interpret that as a useful signal.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is where Danny Sullivan\u2019s, previous hint points to. In that conversation over on the SEO subReddit<\/strong>, he mentioned that they can \u201csee it reflected when there are searches where people are adding \u2018reddit\u2019 to queries and so on\u2026it is satisfying, useful content to a lot of people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"\"$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Are people adding your website name to their queries? This is what I believe Google is using as one key signal in determining organic search ranking<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it turns out, you can take some specific actions to make sure people are searching for your brand!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>How to Generate Branded Search Interest: The New SEO Currency<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Generating branded search interest hinges on creating valuable content that users will look for by name<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about creating a buzz around your brand and turning casual visitors into loyal fans. The kind of fans who will seek out your content by name.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are three action items you can implement now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Create Premium Membership Content<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The aim of premium membership content is to offer higher value to your users and foster loyalty to your brand. These exclusive offerings may include an online course, coaching program, podcast, subscriber-only videos, or webinars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consider offering downloadable e-books or white papers as a part of your membership perks. The key here is to provide something special that sparks a desire in your audience to be part of your brand community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Offering value and a sense of exclusivity makes people more likely to append your brand name to their search queries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is what launching a premium membership could do for your branded search interest. The following chart is a branded search trend for one of our customer\u2019s websites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The customer requested that we keep this site anonymous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"\"$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t $\"cta$ \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
Get MemberPress Today!<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
Start getting paid for the content you create.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tGet MemberPress Now\n\t\t\t\t\t $\"arrow\"$ \n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t See All Features<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Building a Community Around Your Brand\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A thriving digital community around your brand can act as a buffer against Google algorithm updates. Foster an environment where your customers can interact, learn, and grow. It could be a forum<\/a>, an exclusive social media group, or even a private meetup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not only does this create branded search interest, but it also allows you to learn from your customers and fans, adapt to their needs, and in the process, make your brand indispensable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember, Google values brands that users value. Win over your audience, and you\u2019ll likely win over Google too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\t RELATED: Bring Your Community Home With ClubSuite\u2122 <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Just Ask Them<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This last tip is very tactical. And it might seem a little, um, forward. But just ask your fans and followers to search Google. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019ve got people following you on social media or YouTube, consider an additional call to action in your content. In addition to leaving your link in the comments or bio, you can ask them to search for it on Google.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if I made a video about installing Google Analytics 4 on a WordPress website, I\u2019d include a link to our full guide in the video description.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you\u2019d expect me to say something like \u201cYou can find a link to the step by step guide in the description below.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But now, with this new information, I might say instead: \u201cYou can find my step by step guide by searching Google for MemberPress GA4 Guide.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"\"$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
It can seem counterproductive to point people to Google to find your content. But if it\u2019s well branded, Google will rank it. And people will find it. So, don\u2019t be afraid to suggest that people Google you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Wrapping Up<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019d like to hear from you about what you\u2019ve experienced with these latest rounds of Google updates. Have you seen any examples where my branding theory doesn\u2019t hold up? Leave a comment and let me know what you\u2019ve been seeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re not already offering a premium membership on your website, don\u2019t delay. It could be the difference between success and failure. Especially if you\u2019re relying on free Google search traffic.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MemberPress is the best suited solution to accomplish this. If you\u2019ve got a WordPress site already, it\u2019s as easy as signing up for MemberPress and installing the plugin.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I\u2019ve heard from a number of bloggers and website publishers about a recent shakeup with Google rankings. And some websites have been completely demoted in Google\u2019s search rankings. Without warning. Did your website lose a big chunk of traffic recently? If so, then this post may help you identify what happened.\u00a0 Let\u2019s get right to [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59227,"featured_media":65525,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_strive_editorial_status":"complete","_strive_copy_of":0,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","_strive_checklists":"\"\"","_strive_active_checklist":"62291e2bb2422","_strive_post_notes":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-65475","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-advice","8":"entry"},"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t