Why Did Traffic to Your Website Decrease?

It’s normal for web traffic to fluctuate from time to time. However, you must monitor traffic levels closely to take swift action when your website receives fewer visitors than it normally does.

In some cases, traffic decreases can be blamed on changes to search engine algorithms. In others, there may be a specific issue plaguing your website. Here are a few common causes of decreased traffic and what you can do about them.

Keyword Cannibalization

Keyword cannibalization occurs when one search term links to multiple URLs on your website. Instead of directing web traffic to a single page, keyword cannibalization splits traffic to multiple pages on the site, which then decreases web traffic. Keyword cannibalization typically occurs after the creation of lots of new content that focuses on a single topic.

 Problems With Redirects

It may be necessary to redirect traffic to different areas of your website over time. You must make sure that these redirects are functioning as expected, otherwise you run the risk of leading visitors to dead ends, which can be quite frustrating. A poor user experience can cause a person to click away from a website, which decreases web traffic and lowers your conversion rate.

Robots.txt File Issues

Robots.txt files provide instructions to search engines on which pages they can access on your website. When these files are not configured correctly, it slows down the function of search engine web crawlers, which in turn reduces your site’s rank among search results pages. You can ensure proper function by adding certain rules to the robots.txt file. For instance, enabling the indexing of main category pages only prevents web crawlers from getting overwhelmed and lowering your search rank.

Here at SonicSEO.com, we know that web traffic can fluctuate from time to time. That’s why we continuously monitor websites to ensure they maintain a good search rank. We also offer ranking repair service to get your site back to the top of the search results pages. Get in touch with us today to discuss your current search rank and how it can be improved.