How to Respond to a Google Algorithm Update
What to do in the first week after traffic drops, and what to avoid doing.
SEO Fundamentals
First, confirm it is an update
Check whether the drop aligns with a confirmed update date. Check whether it affects all pages or specific sections. Check whether Search Console shows manual actions or coverage errors. Many suspected updates are actually tracking breakage or seasonal patterns.
Diagnose before acting
Segment the loss by page type, query type, and intent. Core updates typically reallocate visibility by quality assessment rather than penalising specific tactics. Identify which pages lost and what they have in common.
What not to do
Do not make sweeping changes in week one. Do not disavow reflexively. Do not republish everything with new dates. Panic changes make diagnosis impossible and frequently cause additional damage. Wait for the rollout to complete before drawing conclusions.
Key takeaways
- Confirm the drop is an update, not tracking or seasonality
- Segment losses by page type to find the common factor
- Wait for rollout completion before acting
- Panic changes make diagnosis impossible
Want this handled for you?
We deliver this work for 500+ clients across 36 industries. Month-to-month, published pricing, no contracts.
Related Reading
SEO Fundamentals
Is SEO Dead in 2026? The Honest Answer
SEO gets declared dead roughly every eighteen months. Here is what actually changed, what did not, and where t...
SEO Fundamentals
6 Ways to Do SEO (And Which One Fits Your Business)
There is no single way to do SEO. There are six distinct approaches, each suited to a different situation, bud...
SEO Fundamentals
10 Ways to Rank Higher on Google in 2026
Ten changes that reliably move rankings, ordered by effort-to-impact ratio rather than by how impressive they ...