Surviving a Major Curveball from Google

This is why we plan ahead, right?

Every so often, Google updates its algorithm.

This is done, they say, to improve search results and ensure that end users are getting the best experience possible. That’s all good and well, and I support that 100% - especially as one of those users.

But algorithm updates can sometimes hit hard.

Really hard.

And this one didn’t feel too good.

Side Hustle Road took a hit.

The September 2023 Helpful Content Update smacked Side Hustle Road quite a bit. The site’s August numbers were pretty good, and I was happy with where they sat. September? Ouch.

I went from having one of my best months yet to falling back to December 2022 traffic levels.

Again. Ouch.

Looking through the Google Search Console, I didn’t find anything terribly interesting or concerning - no big flashing warning lights, at least.

But it seems that for one reason or another, Google wasn’t too happy with my site.

It could have been the content. It could have been the length of time I had gone since my last post. Most likely it was a combination of factors.

Whatever the cause, I know I’m not alone in this. Lots of content creators and website owners have reported significant drops in their traffic since September.

Recovering from the traffic drop.

After the sudden drop in traffic from thie Google update, I started reviewing some of my old content, comparing it to what I know Google’s looking for.

And they’ve explained, at length, what it is they want to see from content creators: helpful content that provides serious value.

Looking back, I’m happy with some of the content on my site. Other bits of content, I’m not so sure about. Some pieces are a bit thin, and others I could have written far better.

Since August, my traffic has been recovering a bit. I don’t know how long it will take to get back to where I was previously, but I do know that going forward I’m going to be extra careful about following Google’s formula to the letter.

This is a prime example of the fact that sometimes, even if we think our content is great, Google may disagree. And we have to have the humility and patience to accept that and regroup.

What can we do to protect ourselves?

This experience has had me thinking quite a bit. Had I known in August that such a drastic drop could happen the very next month, I probably would have adjusted some of my content beforehand, getting rid of the thin stuff, rewording what I felt needed to be reworded, and overall just improving the user experience of my site.

But going forward, I have a new gameplan. And in fact, I wrote over on the site what content creators can do to protect their sites from Google algorithm updates. These are things that we know Google is looking for - including focusing on E-E-A-T.

For example:

• Create human-first content.

• Provide serious value.

• Research and back up your claims.

• Link to other good resources.

• Build E-E-A-T. (This one is critical.)

• Don’t rely only on search traffic.

• Build audiences on other platforms too.

For the full breakdown, you can go check out that post if you’d like since it’s a lot to include here. But suffice it to say, if you aren’t doing this things, you could be setting your site up for issues.

Looking back at my own older content, I definitely could have been doing better with a couple of these things, and I’ll adjust my strategy going forward.

What I’m doing going foward.

Like I’ve often said on Medium, Side Hustle Road, Substack, and elsewhere, it’s not smart to put all your eggs in one basket. You never know when something like this might happen.

And that’s why I’ve tried to build audiences on other platforms too - including Medium. It’s a slow climb, and it doesn’t happen overnight. But I plan to keep doing that.

My plan going forward is to continue writing the kind of content that I think people will find valuable - both here and on Side Hustle Road. I’m going to continue writing on Medium and engaging on other networks as well.

I’ve taken a bit of a break from YouTube while we get my new office/studio space ready, but it’s very nearly there, and I plan to start that back up here shortly.

But at the end of the day, I plan to keep moving forward.

Setbacks like this happen. What we do when they happen makes a big difference.

Whatever the cause of the drop in my traffic, I’m not giving up. Far from it. On the contrary, I’m buckling down and putting what I’ve learned to good use. At the end of the day, that’s all we can do, right?

We learn and try again.