Advice regarding latest Google Algo Update please, if possible...

[Clojobobo]

Hi there

I wonder if anyone can advise on this.

Since the latest google update on 1st Sept or whenever it rolled out, we noticed an initial spike in hits on our site, which was great. However now we are noticing levels going back to where they were and less people visiting the site. It also seems to be very sporadic. So we have a period of say a couple of hours with no one on the site, then suddenly loads visiting. We have also noticed a big dip in enquiries, despite the site having roughly the same amount of visitors.

All our stats on Moz, Webmaster Tools, Ahrefs, Serpfox and various other rank trackers are showing that we have had an increase in visibility on our tracked keywords. There is a definite spike on all, but where is our traffic and where are our enquiries? Usually we are able to work out where the problem is when updates occur but with this we have no idea.

We are utterly baffled. Is this normal? Is this just fluctuations and will settle down? Has anyone else noticed weird things happening?

If anyone has any ideas or experience of this then would be most grateful for any advice. Feeling rather desperate at the moment.

Many thanks in advance.

Clojo

[Andy.Drinkwater]

It is frustrating as Google haven't told us what this is yet, which makes me think it's a change to the main ranking algorithm. All we do know, it is definitely isn't Penguin.

Some are saying search quality, others are saying it's local, but it is all just speculation right now, and we might never know for sure.

Have a read of this for a little more info: http://searchengineland.com/library/google/google-algorithm-updates

If you look at your analytics, do you notice the same fluctuations there?

-Andy

[Clojobobo]

Thanks Andy. That's great. I'll have a look.

Well, this is the strange thing, analytics seem to be roughly the same as they were last week. So we having similar amount of hits per day. Plus, like I say, all the stats are showing that we are going up rather than down?

See attached.

It just seems to be fluctuation massively. Site is the same. Just adding posts every few days as always. It is almost like the visitors aren't finding what they are looking for. Like we are coming up for the wrong search terms or something? It is so random.

Clojo

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[Andy.Drinkwater]

Like we are coming up for the wrong search terms or something?

That is very strange Clojo. It there were no change, I wouldn't be bothered, but what you mention about the wrong search terms, you have me wondering if you are being seen for more, but perhaps the wrong phrases?

Have you looked in analytics at where people are dropping off the site? If you do a comparison of dates, you might be able to narrow it down a bit more.

-Andy

[Clojobobo]

I have had a look and most people are still landing on our homepage, which is where are key search terms point.

None of it really makes any sense to me. Like you say really strange. The other thing we have noticed over the last couple of days is that we have a floury of visitors and then nothing. So really up and down. No consistency. Maybe we are dropping out of the search altogether and then reappearing, which is why the reporting is picking up the visibility. So for instance this morning we have nothing and this afternoon we seem to be picking up again. It was the same yesterday. Usually there is consistency and it can't just be a coincidence that the update happened at the same time.

I read that possibly Google maybe testing the update (possibly penguin). Some people are reporting that spammy sites are suddenly ranking? http://www.seo21.co.uk/google-algo-update/spam-is-back-the-latest-google-algorithm-update-apparently-loves-link-spam/

I am still scratching my head...ALOT! Lol!

Clojo

[Andy.Drinkwater]

See how it goes in the next few days Clojo and if it doesn't settle down, perhaps start taking a look at the site in a little more detail. Perhaps the recent update pushed a button on your site for Google and they are reindexing?

Hard to tell at this stage sadly.

-Andy