Many website owners have recently faced a frustrating situation: their social media pages outranking their own website for brand name searches. This can be a significant blow to traffic and brand control. A recent research on online SEO community explored this issue, with users sharing their experiences and potential solutions.
Lets check the issues and solutions:
The Problem: Reddit users reported that their established websites with high Domain Rating (DR) and numerous backlinks were being outranked by their social media pages, particularly Facebook, for searches using their brand name.
Possible Causes:
- March Google Update: The cause may due to recent Google update (potentially the Google Algorithm March 2024 update) that might prioritize social media content over website content, even for branded searches.
- Link Quality: The website might have been penalized due to low-quality backlinks acquired through buying links or participating in link farms. This could explain the overall traffic decline and the social media page outranking the website.
- Content Engagement: While the original post didn’t mention content on the Facebook page, another user speculated that the Facebook content might be perceived as more helpful or engaging than the website content.
Solutions:
- Disavow Tool: If a link penalty is suspected, the user might need to use Google’s disavow tool to disavow low-quality backlinks.
- Content Review: Analyze the website’s content to ensure it’s informative, up-to-date, and engaging compared to the Facebook content.
- Wait and See: Wait and see, if the issue resolves itself with time, as Google’s algorithm updates can be volatile.
Here are some additional steps you can take to diagnose the issue:
- Google Search Console: Check Google Search Console for any manual actions or warnings regarding your website.
- Backlink Analysis: Analyze your backlinks using a backlink checker to identify any low-quality links. Disavow them if necessary.
- Content Audit: Conduct a content audit to ensure your website content is high-quality, informative, and engaging for your target audience.
- Technical SEO: Review your website’s technical SEO health to identify and fix any technical issues that might be hindering your rankings.
By following these steps and staying updated on official Google announcements, you can regain control of your website’s search ranking and ensure your website remains the primary destination for users searching for your brand.
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