
Understanding Keyword Volatility in SEO
When it comes to SEO, seeing your keywords fluctuate can be frustrating and perplexing. Jubi from Kerala recently experienced this firsthand. After updating their page content, they saw a temporary increase in keyword visibility, only to watch it plummet back to zero weeks later. This scenario is not uncommon, and understanding the underlying factors is crucial.
Site Health is Key to Consistent Rankings
One of the first things to consider when keyword rankings fluctuate is the overall health of your website. An SEO expert noted that while content changes can yield immediate results, they aren't effective in isolation. Factors such as the site's technical structure, user experience, and external links all contribute to keyword performance. For instance, inappropriate schema markup or issues with the site's backend can hinder search engine crawling and indexing, which might lead to a drop in keyword rankings.
Target Audience and Language Relevance
Another pivotal issue Jubi faced was the alignment of the language used on the website. Even though Jubi's site was crafted in U.S. English, their target audience in Kerala primarily searches in Malayalam. This mismatch can drastically affect keyword relevance and traffic. By ensuring that the site caters to the local dialect, including content and PPC campaigns in the native language, businesses can better engage their audience and improve conversions.
Mitigating Negative Impacts from Hacked Sites
Unfortunately, Jubi's site suffered from a prior hacking incident that led to the creation of low-value content aimed at manipulating search rankings. Although these pages have been removed, search engines may still retain the memory of poor performance. To rectify this, it's important to set proper 410 response status codes for deleted pages and ensure the site's robots.txt file is structured correctly to prevent further issues.
The Importance of Schema Markup
Proper schema markup enhances a website's visibility to search engines. Jubi’s site, being a local business, could benefit from service schema in addition to basic local business schema. This improvement would clarify the services offered and the geographical area they serve, increasing the chances for local SEO success.
Actionable SEO Insights
To avoid the pitfalls experienced by Jubi, it is essential for website owners to:
- Consistently audit their site's health and performance.
- Align website content with the language and cultural preferences of their target audience.
- Implement robust and clear schema markup to enhance search engine understanding.
- Address any security issues that might compromise user experience and SEO performance.
By following these steps, businesses can enhance their SEO strategies and ultimately improve their keyword visibility in the long run.
For those facing similar dilemmas, focusing on these insights can pave the way to more sustainable SEO practices.
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