Google traffic dropped 70% in 2 days!!

rlopes · 05-20-2010, 12:26 PM

In short: on 17 May I have my highest Google traffic in a long time, and a day after it's down to 30% of it's average.

I checked Webmaster Tools, and I found only 1 Crawl error, dating from 17 May:

http://www.mydomain.com/index.html - 404 (Not Found)

But seriously, I've never had an index.html, only an index.php!
Here is a screenshot of both my GA and Webmaster Tools accounts:

Imageshack - screenshot4td.png

Ps: I just redirected index.html to the root domain, to see what happens.

dvduval · 05-25-2010, 10:49 AM

That is quite a drop. Did your redirect fix the problem?

WebIntellects - Rob · 05-26-2010, 12:37 AM

Do you have the position in SERP droped for all keywords or just for one of them?

mdamin76 · 05-26-2010, 02:14 AM

How come there's 100 links pointing to your index.html file since it's not exist?

hazelg · 05-26-2010, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by mdamin76

How come there's 100 links pointing to your index.html file since it's not exist?

Same question here.

**enlytend** · 05-27-2010, 04:36 AM

Expired domain? Links from its previous life? And where are you ranking for those 600+ keywords?

JulainKeller · 05-27-2010, 07:08 AM

If the domain doesn't have any index.html file then its impossible to have links from its previous life. Must be something has been changed with the files. Check it with your web developer. Also, you have set a redirector to the index.html. Once you have done the necessary changes it will again fetch the traffic.

stankope · 05-28-2010, 11:07 AM

That is very disturbing to hear. You have to find the real reason behind it through traffic that comes to your site. I'm sure there's one.

**enlytend** · 05-28-2010, 12:26 PM

JulainKeller wrote:

Quote:

If the domain doesn't have any index.html file then its impossible to have links from its previous life.

If there are 100 links pointing at index.html and the CURRENT site doesn't have a file by that name, it sounds like at one time the site probably DID have a file by that name and 100 pages linked to it.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/search-engines/657443-google-traffic-dropped-70-2-days.html

But your advice to redirect any traffic for index.html to something other than a 404 page was correct.

rlopes · 05-28-2010, 01:28 PM

Sorry for the late reply, I'll try to answer all the questions...

Originally Posted by dvduval

That is quite a drop. Did your redirect fix the problem?

Thank god, yes!!!

Originally Posted by WebIntellects - Rob

Do you have the position in SERP droped for all keywords or just for one of them?

All SERPS dropped at once.

Originally Posted by mdamin76

How come there's 100 links pointing to your index.html file since it's not exist?

God knows...
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=657443

Originally Posted by stankope

That is very disturbing to hear. You have to find the real reason behind it through traffic that comes to your site. I'm sure there's one.

Originally Posted by enlytend

JulainKeller wrote:
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=657443

If there are 100 links pointing at index.html and the CURRENT site doesn't have a file by that name, it sounds like at one time the site probably DID have a file by that name and 100 pages linked to it.

That's possible, I don't know for sure.

thebutler · 05-31-2010, 07:36 PM

Dropping from a position of number two (or number one) to anywhere under four could easily create those kind of traffic drops.

rattleguy · 05-31-2010, 08:20 PM

Maybe the file was automatically created but you just didnt notice? How did you built your site? Template, site builder, home made?

richrf · 05-31-2010, 09:07 PM

All I can say is that I have witness all kinds of traffic patterns and SERP rankings associated with Links.com and the most important characteristics for maintaining good SERP rankings is:

1) getting traffic from relevant and authoritative sources

2) reasonable bounce rate

3) lingering traffic

Google will give new sites a "chance", but if it notices that traffic is finding the site uninteresting it will downgrade the SERP very quickly. In the case of Links, sometimes within a matter of days (or even a day).

Rich

rlopes · 06-01-2010, 04:29 AM

Originally Posted by rattleguy

Maybe the file was automatically created but you just didnt notice? How did you built your site? Template, site builder, home made?

They file wasn't created. Maybe somebody linked to it with the intention of me getting a 404... Who knows.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=657443

Originally Posted by richrf

All I can say is that I have witness all kinds of traffic patterns and SERP rankings associated with Links.com and the most important characteristics for maintaining good SERP rankings is:

1) getting traffic from relevant and authoritative sources

2) reasonable bounce rate

3) lingering traffic

Google will give new sites a "chance", but if it notices that traffic is finding the site uninteresting it will downgrade the SERP very quickly. In the case of Links, sometimes within a matter of days (or even a day).

Rich

Tell me about it

vannarith · 06-23-2010, 04:43 AM

Any changes to the domain or site changes will get effect on your SEO and i have met that problem too.

weblaunch · 06-23-2010, 08:37 AM

Rankings fluctuate all the time. New sites enjoy a "honeymoon" where they tend to rank high for a while.

besttips · 06-24-2010, 03:34 AM

I suppose it's Google sandbox .

mohithanche · 07-01-2010, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by rlopes

In short: on 17 May I have my highest Google traffic in a long time, and a day after it's down to 30% of it's average.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=657443

I checked Webmaster Tools, and I found only 1 Crawl error, dating from 17 May:

http://www.mydomain.com/index.html - 404 (Not Found)

But seriously, I've never had an index.html, only an index.php!
Here is a screenshot of both my GA and Webmaster Tools accounts:

Imageshack - screenshot4td.png

Ps: I just redirected index.html to the root domain, to see what happens.

you need to do SEO for your Website...

celinar · 07-02-2010, 09:15 PM

Well its depend how long you are stay in search engines at top level if you loose ranking you will not get a single traffic even

tq104B · 07-03-2010, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by rlopes

In short: on 17 May I have my highest Google traffic in a long time, and a day after it's down to 30% of it's average.

I checked Webmaster Tools, and I found only 1 Crawl error, dating from 17 May:

http://www.mydomain.com/index.html - 404 (Not Found)

But seriously, I've never had an index.html, only an index.php!
Here is a screenshot of both my GA and Webmaster Tools accounts:

Imageshack - screenshot4td.png

Ps: I just redirected index.html to the root domain, to see what happens.

It does not appear the redirect is working. One can still get to index.html directly and will display in the browser's address field. From what I have read so far, it is advisable to do 301 redirect from index.php, /index.html, /home.html to the root at /
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=657443

If would like to do this, examples abound on the internet on how to, especially in the forums. See for example this discussion

05-20-2010, 12:26 PM	THREAD STARTER #1 (permalink)
rlopes NamePros Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 81	Google traffic dropped 70% in 2 days!! In short: on 17 May I have my highest Google traffic in a long time, and a day after it's down to 30% of it's average. I checked Webmaster Tools, and I found only 1 Crawl error, dating from 17 May: http://www.mydomain.com/index.html - 404 (Not Found) But seriously, I've never had an index.html, only an index.php! Here is a screenshot of both my GA and Webmaster Tools accounts: Imageshack - screenshot4td.png Ps: I just redirected index.html to the root domain, to see what happens.

05-25-2010, 10:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
dvduval NamePros Regular Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 433	That is quite a drop. Did your redirect fix the problem? __________________ PHP Link Directory Script - seo friendly link directory script Template Forums -beautiful templates for phpLD 中国超链接脚本 - phpLD now fully translated to Chinese!

05-26-2010, 12:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
WebIntellects - Rob NamePros Regular Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 656	Do you have the position in SERP droped for all keywords or just for one of them? __________________ Use coupon "Rob" and get 10% discount for any payment! WebIntellects - Fully Managed Dedicated and since 1999. WebhostGIANT - Low cost hosting from $2.79!

05-26-2010, 02:14 AM	#4 (permalink)
mdamin76 NamePros Regular Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Desert Posts: 426	How come there's 100 links pointing to your index.html file since it's not exist? __________________ Free Ringtones Download \| Shibidoo Ringtones \| Free Ringtones \| Free Polyphonic Nokia Ringtones AT&T \| Lyrics

05-27-2010, 04:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
enlytend Forum Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: USA Posts: 2,152 Follow @enlytend	Expired domain? Links from its previous life? And where are you ranking for those 600+ keywords? __________________ Enlytend Solutions - Internet marketing and web development Was my advice helpful? Please consider a small donation to the National Canine Cancer Foundation - a tax deductible 501(c)(3)that directly funds cancer research

05-27-2010, 07:08 AM	#7 (permalink)
JulainKeller Account Suspended Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newark, Delaware, USA Posts: 9	If the domain doesn't have any index.html file then its impossible to have links from its previous life. Must be something has been changed with the files. Check it with your web developer. Also, you have set a redirector to the index.html. Once you have done the necessary changes it will again fetch the traffic.

05-28-2010, 11:07 AM	#8 (permalink)
stankope NamePros Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 47	That is very disturbing to hear. You have to find the real reason behind it through traffic that comes to your site. I'm sure there's one.

05-31-2010, 07:36 PM	#11 (permalink)
thebutler Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,229	SERP changes Dropping from a position of number two (or number one) to anywhere under four could easily create those kind of traffic drops. __________________ Test Internet Speed - Computer Freezes - Slow Internet SEO in Toronto - Slow computer - Internet speed check DSL speed test help

05-31-2010, 08:20 PM	#12 (permalink)
rattleguy New Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 4 Follow @rattlehost	Maybe the file was automatically created but you just didnt notice? How did you built your site? Template, site builder, home made? __________________ █ RattleHost.com - Reliable 100% Green Web Hosting Service \| 99.9% up-time guaranteed █ Unlimited Everything at an affordable price █ Check out our 100% Green Hosting

05-31-2010, 09:07 PM	#13 (permalink)
richrf NamePros Regular Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 434	All I can say is that I have witness all kinds of traffic patterns and SERP rankings associated with Links.com and the most important characteristics for maintaining good SERP rankings is: 1) getting traffic from relevant and authoritative sources 2) reasonable bounce rate 3) lingering traffic Google will give new sites a "chance", but if it notices that traffic is finding the site uninteresting it will downgrade the SERP very quickly. In the case of Links, sometimes within a matter of days (or even a day). Rich __________________ LINKS.COM For SALE Contact Links.com Last edited by mis_chiff; 05-31-2010 at 10:33 PM. Reason: Removed link.

06-23-2010, 04:43 AM	#15 (permalink)
vannarith NamePros Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 35	Any changes to the domain or site changes will get effect on your SEO and i have met that problem too.

06-23-2010, 08:37 AM	#16 (permalink)
weblaunch NamePros Regular Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 566	Rankings fluctuate all the time. New sites enjoy a "honeymoon" where they tend to rank high for a while. __________________ Increase Website Traffic Free Search Engine Submission - Make money blogging - AAA Web Directory Website Submission - LavaSeek Web Directory

06-24-2010, 03:34 AM	#17 (permalink)
besttips New Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 17	I suppose it's Google sandbox .

07-02-2010, 09:15 PM	#19 (permalink)
celinar New Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: USA Posts: 3 Follow @Christina_gomes	Well its depend how long you are stay in search engines at top level if you loose ranking you will not get a single traffic even __________________ Happybuy Provides the service to help our foreign friends buy items from online Chinese stores such as - China Online Store Buy From TaoBao

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Google traffic dropped 70% in 2 days!!

SERP changes