Why Did My Rankings Drop After a Google Update?

If you’ve noticed your Google rankings suddenly slip, you’re not alone. Every time Google releases an update, many Seattle business owners see traffic drop and wonder what went wrong. It can feel like the rug’s been pulled out — one week you’re at the top, the next you’re buried below competitors.

The truth: a ranking drop usually doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. Google updates several times a year to reward websites that feel current, helpful, and trustworthy — not just keyword-stuffed.

At Hagee Marketing, we’ve seen this scenario dozens of times. Most businesses lose visibility because their content hasn’t kept pace with what Google now considers “helpful.” The algorithm favors pages written by people with real experience, not generic copy. The good news? That’s fixable.

What’s Really Happening When Google Updates

Each Google update changes how search results are sorted. For example, a blog post on furnace maintenance from 2021 might still get visits, but a fresher Seattle post with updated pricing, safety tips, or first-hand advice will be prioritized.

Ranking drops often result from:

• Outdated content that no longer reflects current information.
• Lack of expertise signals — no author names, local proof, or credible sources.
• User experience issues, like slow pages or poor mobile layouts.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not being penalized — you’re simply being outranked by content that demonstrates more effort and expertise.

How to Recover and Rebuild

Recovery starts with updating older pages: add real examples, current statistics, or stories from recent customer projects. These details demonstrate experience, which algorithms and readers value.

Add trust signals like author bios or short blurbs about your business background. Review your site for basic issues: broken links, slow load times, and missing internal links between related pages.

If you’ve lost more than 20% of your traffic, it’s time for a professional SEO audit.

What Recovery Usually Costs

For most Seattle businesses, a full recovery plan costs between $2,000 and $5,000. This typically includes a comprehensive audit, content rewrites, on-page cleanup, and post-update monitoring. Think of it as tuning your site so it performs consistently, no matter how Google changes its rules.

At Hagee Marketing, we focus on steady, lasting improvement — not quick tricks. Our goal is to help your site regain trust and remain stable through future updates.

Get Back on Track

Google updates come and go, but strong content and smart SEO strategy always win. With the right guidance, your site can recover faster than you think.

Call Hagee Marketing at (206) 582-6727 for a detailed analysis and recovery plan. We’ll explain what changed, show you the fixes, and help your Seattle business regain rankings and confidence.