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Where Did My Google Traffic Go?

If your Google search traffic has been declining, check your
keywords and your rank report to get your full SEO picture.

By Zach Billings

as your Google search traffic The typical issue here is that your SEO “for sale,” “near me” or other transaction-
been declining in 2023? If vendor is actually your website vendor intent words. Examples might include
so, you’re not alone, and or your Dig-Ad / SEM vendor, and SEO “Ford Dealers,” “Silverados For Sale” or
Hyou’re not the only dealer is just a cheap bolt-on offering that they “Used Trucks Near Me.” If these types of
who has noticed. So, what’s going on? Is don’t put serious resources behind. A good keywords are the focus, that’s good, but
your marketing vendor falling behind? rule of thumb is that if your SEO is OEM- we’ll come back to a secondary concern in
Did Google change something? Is the approved or if it is performed by a vendor a moment.
site broken? There are some pretty simple that offers many other things, the SEO
explanations for what’s happening, and it service is usually an afterthought. That’s right, where you
is a real problem that started sooner than
you probably realize. BS BUSTING rank is as important or
more than how
MARKET EXCUSES Alright, your traffic is down, and your highly you rank.
vendor always has a reason why. How do
The most common explanation you’re you know if their explanations hold water
probably getting is that the market has or if they’re just excuses? The key lies in Keywords you should not be seeing are high-
pulled back. You may have been told the keywords your vendor says they’re funnel or even irrelevant topics. These might
that it’s no big deal and every dealer is optimizing for and where on a map you include pages or blogs about towing capacity,
experiencing this same thing. There’s rank. Bear with me here; this will be easy trim levels, EV ranges or local attractions.
some truth in this, but it shouldn’t be an to follow… Examples might include “Sierra HD Towing
acceptable excuse if you’re paying for SEO Capacity,” “2023 Camry Options,” “2023
(search engine optimization). If your SEO The keywords and pages that your vendor Mach-E Range” or “Top 5 Parks in Seattle.”
vendor is getting the job done, you should is focusing on need to be low-funnel if These topics will only attract consumers
at least be holding even in a declining they’re going to impact your new sales, doing research (or looking for a park…) and
market, if not continuing to increase in the used sales and/or RO count. Low-funnel will attract traffic that does not convert, if
areas that matter. keywords are those containing “dealer,” they attract any at all.

6 | MSIADA MISSISSIPPI DEALER Q4 2023