{"id":261534,"date":"2026-03-19T12:50:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T11:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/?p=261534"},"modified":"2026-04-11T11:01:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T09:01:48","slug":"update-google-traffic-down-what-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/","title":{"rendered":"Google update: traffic down, what to do?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You open Google Analytics this morning, and it's a cold shower. Your traffic curve, usually stable or growing, suddenly looks like a cliff. Clicks have plummeted, impressions have plummeted, and some pages that used to bring you hundreds of visitors a day have become ghostly. I know the feeling of stupefaction, the lump in your stomach, the urge to break or change everything immediately. I've been there, and I can assure you of one thing: the worst decision you can make right now is to act in haste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, I'll guide you, step by step, through a methodical process of understanding, diagnosis and remediation. I'll explain what really happened, how to measure the extent of the damage, what mistakes you absolutely must avoid, and above all, how to build a solid and realistic recovery plan. No false promises, no miracle solutions, just an honest, pragmatic approach forged by experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_points_essentiels_a_retenir_de_cet_article\"><\/span>Key points to remember from this article<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An update from Google\u00a0<strong>punishes<\/strong>\u00a0not your site: it\u00a0<strong>reassess<\/strong>\u00a0all indexed pages according to new criteria, and redistributes positions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Before correcting anything, you need to\u00a0<strong>confirm<\/strong>\u00a0that the drop coincides with an update, and not with a technical problem or seasonal variation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are\u00a0<strong>several types of updates<\/strong>\u00a0(Core Update, Helpful Content, Spam Update...), and each targets different aspects. Identifying the type of update is essential to choosing the right response.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feedback\u00a0<strong>panicked<\/strong>\u00a0(massive deletion of content, disavowal of all backlinks, total redesign) are almost always counterproductive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recovery is a process that generally takes\u00a0<strong>3 to 6 months<\/strong>, often until the next Core Update.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Each update is also a\u00a0<strong>opportunity<\/strong>\u00a0If others have gained the positions you've lost, it's because the criteria have changed in their favor, and you can adapt to this.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The best protection against future updates is to build a site\u00a0<strong>natively aligned<\/strong>\u00a0with what Google values: useful content, proven expertise, impeccable user experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let's start by understanding what has really just happened.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_points_essentiels_a_retenir_de_cet_article\" >Key points to remember from this article<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Quest-ce_quune_mise_a_jour_de_lalgorithme_de_Google\" >What is a Google algorithm update?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Ce_que_Google_reevalue_reellement\" >What Google really revalues<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_differents_types_de_mises_a_jour_et_leur_impact\" >The different types of updates and their impact<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Core_Updates\" >Core Updates<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Helpful_Content_Update\" >Helpful Content Update<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Spam_Updates\" >Spam Updates<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Link_Spam_Updates\" >Link Spam Updates<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Product_Reviews_Updates\" >Product Reviews Updates<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Etape_1_confirmer_que_la_baisse_coincide_avec_une_update\" >Step 1: Confirm that the drop coincides with an update<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Comment_verifier_le_calendrier_des_mises_a_jour\" >How to check the update schedule<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Superposer_les_dates\" >Overlaying dates<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_faux_positifs_a_ecarter\" >False positives to be ruled out<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Etape_2_mesurer_lampleur_des_degats\" >Step 2: Measure the extent of the damage<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Dans_Google_Search_Console\" >In Google Search Console<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Dans_Google_Analytics\" >In Google Analytics<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Creer_un_tableau_de_suivi\" >Create a tracking table<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Etape_3_identifier_le_type_de_baisse\" >Step 3: Identify the type of drop<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Baisse_generalisee_sur_lensemble_du_site\" >General decline across the site<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Baisse_ciblee_sur_certaines_pages_ou_sections\" >Targeted drop on certain pages or sections<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Baisse_sur_certains_mots-cles_specifiques\" >Decline on specific keywords<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Disparition_complete_de_certaines_pages\" >Complete disappearance of some pages<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Etape_4_analyser_ce_que_Google_valorise_desormais\" >Step 4: Analyze what Google now values<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Qui_occupe_vos_anciennes_positions\" >Who occupies your former positions?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Identifier_les_patterns\" >Identifying patterns<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Ce_quil_ne_faut_absolument_pas_faire_apres_une_update\" >What not to do after an update<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Ne_paniquez_pas_et_ne_modifiez_pas_tout_en_urgence\" >Don't panic or change everything in a hurry<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Ne_supprimez_pas_massivement_du_contenu\" >Don't delete content en masse<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Ne_desavouez_pas_tous_vos_backlinks\" >Don't disavow all your backlinks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Ne_changez_pas_de_nom_de_domaine_ou_de_CMS\" >Don't change your domain name or CMS<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Ne_sur-optimisez_pas_dans_lurgence\" >Don't over-optimize in a hurry<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Nattendez_pas_passivement_non_plus\" >Don't wait passively either<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Axe_1_ameliorer_la_qualite_globale_de_votre_contenu\" >Focus 1: Improve the overall quality of your content<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Ce_que_le_E-E-A-T_signifie_concretement\" >What E-E-A-T means in concrete terms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Actions_concretes_pour_renforcer_votre_E-E-A-T\" >Concrete actions to strengthen your E-E-A-T<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Axe_2_auditer_et_reecrire_les_contenus_sous-performants\" >Focus 2: Audit and rewrite underperforming content<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-37\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#La_question_fondamentale_a_vous_poser\" >The fundamental question to ask yourself<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-38\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#La_methode_de_reecriture\" >The rewriting method<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-39\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Axe_3_elaguer_le_contenu_de_faible_qualite\" >3: Prune low-quality content<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-40\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Pourquoi_lelagage_peut_aider_apres_une_update\" >Why pruning can help after an update<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-41\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_trois_options_pour_chaque_contenu_faible\" >The three options for each weak content<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-42\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Axe_4_renforcer_lexperience_utilisateur\" >Area 4: Enhance the user experience<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-43\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#La_vitesse_de_chargement\" >Loading speed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-44\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#La_compatibilite_mobile\" >Mobile compatibility<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-45\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_elements_intrusifs\" >Intrusive elements<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-46\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Axe_5_diversifier_vos_sources_de_trafic\" >5: Diversify your traffic sources<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-47\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_canaux_a_developper\" >Channels to develop<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-48\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Axe_6_consolider_et_nettoyer_votre_profil_de_backlinks\" >6: Consolidate and clean up your backlink profile<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-49\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Comment_auditer_vos_backlinks\" >How to audit your backlinks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-50\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Loutil_de_desaveu_a_utiliser_avec_une_extreme_prudence\" >The disavow tool: use with extreme caution<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-51\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Relancer_lacquisition_de_liens_de_qualite\" >Boost quality link acquisition<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-52\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Axe_7_optimiser_pour_les_nouvelles_fonctionnalites_de_la_SERP\" >Focus 7: Optimize for new SERP features<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-53\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Le_probleme_du_%C2%AB_zero_clic_%C2%BB\" >The \u00abzero click\u00bb problem\u00bb<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-54\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Comment_sadapter\" >How to adapt<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-55\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Combien_de_temps_faut-il_pour_recuperer_apres_une_update\" >How long does it take to recover from an update?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-56\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_facteurs_qui_influencent_la_vitesse_de_recuperation\" >Factors influencing recovery speed<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-57\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Comment_se_proteger_des_futures_mises_a_jour\" >How to protect yourself from future updates<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-58\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_principes_de_resilience\" >The principles of resilience<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-59\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_outils_de_veille_a_configurer\" >Watch tools to configure<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-60\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_reponses_aux_questions_les_plus_frequentes\" >Answers to the most frequently asked questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-61\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Une_baisse_de_trafic_apres_une_update_est-elle_toujours_definitive\" >Is a drop in traffic after an update always permanent?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-62\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Google_peut-il_cibler_un_site_specifique_lors_dune_update\" >Can Google target a specific site in an update?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-63\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Faut-il_contacter_Google_apres_une_baisse_liee_a_une_update\" >Should I contact Google after an update-related drop?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-64\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Mon_concurrent_a_monte_apres_lupdate_que_fait-il_de_mieux\" >My competitor went up after the update: what's he doing better?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-65\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#La_refonte_de_mon_site_peut-elle_aider_a_recuperer\" >Can redesigning my site help me recover?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-66\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Les_mises_a_jour_de_Google_affectent-elles_le_SEO_local_differemment\" >Do Google updates affect local SEO differently?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-67\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Faut-il_faire_appel_a_un_consultant_SEO_apres_une_chute_de_trafic\" >Should you call in an SEO consultant after a drop in traffic?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-68\" href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/update-google-trafic-en-baisse-que-faire\/#Ce_quil_faut_retenir_pour_traverser_la_tempete\" >What you need to remember to weather the storm<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Quest-ce_quune_mise_a_jour_de_lalgorithme_de_Google\"><\/span>What is a Google algorithm update?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Google is constantly modifying its algorithm. We're talking about thousands of micro-changes every year, most of them imperceptible to site owners. But several times a year, Google rolls out major, officially announced updates that thoroughly reassess how pages are ranked in search results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These major updates, most often referred to as&nbsp;<strong>Core Updates<\/strong>, are causing quite a stir. Sites that had been stagnating on page 3 find themselves propelled into first position. Sites that had dominated their niche for years suddenly plummet. It's a big upheaval, and it's perfectly normal to be affected by it.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>A drop in traffic following a Google update may be the sign of a penalty, so it's important to know how to react when faced with one. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/site-penalise-google\/\">site penalized by Google<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>A drop in traffic following a Google update may indicate that your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/site-penalise-google\/\">site is penalized by Google<\/a>, requiring rapid action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ce_que_Google_reevalue_reellement\"><\/span>What Google really revalues<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I'd like to clear up a persistent misunderstanding: in most cases, a drop in traffic after an update doesn't mean that your site has been&nbsp;<strong>penalized<\/strong>. It means that Google has changed its evaluation criteria, or that it has refined its understanding of what web users expect for certain queries. In other words, it's not necessarily that your site has become less good, it's that others are now judged to be better.&nbsp;<strong>best<\/strong>&nbsp;according to the new criteria, or that what Google considers \u00abbest\u00bb has evolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The analogy I often use is that of a competition. Imagine taking part in a cooking competition. In the first edition, the jury valued creativity. You won. In the second edition, the jury has changed and now values technical precision. You didn't cook any less well, but the criteria have shifted, and another competitor better matches the new expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, you shouldn't use this understanding as an excuse to do nothing. If criteria have changed, you need to adapt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_differents_types_de_mises_a_jour_et_leur_impact\"><\/span>The different types of updates and their impact<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all Google updates target the same aspects of your site. Identifying the type of update that has affected you is crucial, as the response will be fundamentally different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Core_Updates\"><\/span>Core Updates<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Core Updates are the largest and most impactful updates. They reassess the&nbsp;<strong>overall quality<\/strong>&nbsp;content across the entire web. Google doesn't target any particular site or sector: it adjusts the criteria that determine what constitutes quality content. These updates occur three or four times a year, and each one can cause dramatic variations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Helpful_Content_Update\"><\/span>Helpful Content Update<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Introduced in 2022 and integrated into Google's core system ever since, this update specifically targets content created by&nbsp;<strong>for search engines<\/strong>&nbsp;rather than&nbsp;<strong>for humans<\/strong>. If your site is full of articles written purely to capture traffic, with no real added value for the reader, this update can be devastating. In my opinion, this update has been one of the most salutary in recent years: it has forced the entire ecosystem to refocus content creation on real utility.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>After a Google update, use Google Analytics to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/google-analytics-trafic-en-baisse\/\">accurately diagnose traffic decline<\/a> and identify the causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Spam_Updates\"><\/span>Spam Updates<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These updates target manipulative techniques: keyword stuffing, cloaking (displaying different content to robots and humans), auto-generated content with no added value, misleading redirects. If your site uses legitimate techniques, these updates should not affect you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Link_Spam_Updates\"><\/span>Link Spam Updates<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>They reassess the quality of backlinks. If your link profile relies heavily on purchased links, artificially exchanged links or links from private blog networks (PBNs), these updates can drastically reduce the value of these links, and therefore your rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>When faced with a drop in traffic after a Google update, it is essential to diagnose the cause. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/perte-trafic-google\/\">loss of Google traffic<\/a> to act quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Product_Reviews_Updates\"><\/span>Product Reviews Updates<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These updates specifically target review and comparison content. Google wants to enhance the value of reviews written by people who have&nbsp;<strong>actually used<\/strong>&nbsp;the product, rather than superficial compilations based on manufacturers' data sheets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is a summary table to help you identify the type of update that may have affected you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table style=\"width:100%; border-collapse: collapse;\"> <thead> <tr style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;\"> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Update type<\/th> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Main target<\/th> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Frequency<\/th> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Typical size<\/th> <\/tr> <\/thead> <tbody> <tr> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Core Update<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Overall content quality<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">3-4 times\/year<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Strong to very strong<\/td> <\/tr> <tr> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Helpful Content<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Useful content vs. SEO content<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Integrated into the core<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Strong<\/td> <\/tr> <tr> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Spam Update<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Black hat techniques<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">2-3 times\/year<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Variable<\/td> <\/tr> <tr> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Link Spam<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Artificial backlinks<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">1-2 times\/year<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Moderate to strong<\/td> <\/tr> <tr> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Product Reviews<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Reviews and comparisons<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Integrated into the core<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">Targeted<\/td> <\/tr> <\/tbody> <\/table>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding what type of update is involved is the first step. Now let's get down to the nitty-gritty of diagnosing your situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Etape_1_confirmer_que_la_baisse_coincide_avec_une_update\"><\/span>Step 1: Confirm that the drop coincides with an update<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before embarking on a remediation plan, you need to make sure that your drop in traffic is indeed linked to a Google update. This may seem obvious, but I've seen many site owners attribute to an update what was actually a technical problem, a seasonal variation, or simply a competitor who had significantly improved their content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comment_verifier_le_calendrier_des_mises_a_jour\"><\/span>How to check the update schedule<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find the exact dates of official updates from several sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Google Search Status Dashboard<\/strong>\u00a0This is the official source. Here, Google announces the start and end of each major update.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Google Search Central blog<\/strong>\u00a0Google publishes detailed articles on major updates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Google SearchLiaison's X account (Twitter)<\/strong>\u00a0Danny Sullivan communicates in real time about current updates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Third-party tools<\/strong>\u00a0Semrush Sensor, MozCast and Algoroo measure the volatility of search results and detect abnormal fluctuations, even before official announcements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Superposer_les_dates\"><\/span>Overlaying dates<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Open Google Search Console, go to the \u00abPerformance\u00bb section, and display the clicks and impressions curve over the last 3 to 6 months. Then superimpose mentally (or on a spreadsheet) the known dates of the latest updates. If the drop in your traffic coincides exactly with the start of an update, the correlation is strong. If the drop began two weeks before or three weeks after, look for another explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_faux_positifs_a_ecarter\"><\/span>False positives to be ruled out<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Don't fall into the bias confirmation trap. Here are the most common alternative causes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Seasonality<\/strong>\u00a0Your theme may have natural peaks and troughs. A site dedicated to Christmas gifts will inevitably lose traffic in January, through no fault of update.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A technical problem<\/strong>\u00a0For example, a page that suddenly returns a 500 error, an expired SSL certificate, or a noindex tag inadvertently added during a plugin update.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The rise of a competitor<\/strong>\u00a0A player in your niche may have published content far superior to yours and captured the positions you occupied.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the correlation has been confirmed, it's time to measure the precise extent of the damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Etape_2_mesurer_lampleur_des_degats\"><\/span>Step 2: Measure the extent of the damage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The temptation, when observing a drop in traffic, is to remain focused on the overall figure. \u00abI've lost 40 % of my traffic\u00bb is useful information, but it's not enough. To build an effective remediation plan, you need to get down to the details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dans_Google_Search_Console\"><\/span>In Google Search Console<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by comparing two periods: the 28 days before the update and the 28 days after the update. Analyze:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Global clicks and impressions<\/strong>\u00a0to measure overall impact.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Average position per query<\/strong>\u00a0Which keywords lost position? By how much? Did certain keywords gain positions despite the overall decline?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CTR per page<\/strong>\u00a0A drop in CTR may indicate that new elements in the SERP (featured snippets, AI results) are capturing clicks instead of you, even if your position hasn't changed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dans_Google_Analytics\"><\/span>In Google Analytics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Isolate organic traffic from other sources. Identify :<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pages most affected<\/strong>\u00a0In many cases, the decline is not uniform. Some pages plunge while others remain stable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Impacted segments<\/strong>\u00a0Is the decline affecting mobile more than desktop? A particular country? A specific type of content?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Creer_un_tableau_de_suivi\"><\/span>Create a tracking table<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I strongly recommend that you create a table listing your 20 to 50 most important pages, with, for each one, the traffic before the update, the traffic after, the main keywords, and the variation in position. This table will become your roadmap for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n.<table style=\"width:100%; border-collapse: collapse;\"> <thead> <tr style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;\"> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Page<\/th> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Main keyword<\/th> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Front position<\/th> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Position after<\/th> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Clicks before (28j)<\/th> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Clicks after (28d)<\/th> <th style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px; text-align:left;\">Variation<\/th> <\/tr> <\/thead> <tbody> <tr> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">\/guide-seo<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">referencing guide<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">4<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">12<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">850<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">210<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">-75 %<\/td> <\/tr> <tr> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">\/free-tools<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">free SEO tools<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">2<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">6<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">1 200<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">480<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">-60 %<\/td> <\/tr> <tr> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">\/advice-wordpress<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">WordPress tips<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">7<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">8<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">320<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">290<\/td> <td style=\"border:1px solid #ddd; padding:10px;\">-9 %<\/td> <\/tr> <\/tbody> <\/table>\n\n\n\n<p>This type of table lets you instantly identify priority pages for processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Etape_3_identifier_le_type_de_baisse\"><\/span>Step 3: Identify the type of drop<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all downturns are the same, and it's by identifying the pattern of yours that you'll be able to correctly orient your action plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Baisse_generalisee_sur_lensemble_du_site\"><\/span>General decline across the site<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If all your pages, or the vast majority of them, have lost positions relatively uniformly, this is a signal that Google has re-evaluated the&nbsp;<strong>overall quality<\/strong>&nbsp;of your domain. This type of decline is typical of Core Updates and Helpful Content Updates. It often indicates a systemic problem: a perceived lack of expertise, too much filler content, or a poor user experience across the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Baisse_ciblee_sur_certaines_pages_ou_sections\"><\/span>Targeted drop on certain pages or sections<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While some pages have plummeted while others have remained stable or even risen, the problem is more localized. Google may have reassessed the relevance of these specific pages for the queries they were targeting. It may also indicate a cannibalization problem: several pages on your site are competing for the same keyword, and Google no longer knows which one to highlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Baisse_sur_certains_mots-cles_specifiques\"><\/span>Decline on specific keywords<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes it's not your site that's changed, it's the&nbsp;<strong>SERP itself<\/strong>. Google may have restructured the results page for certain queries: adding a featured snippet that captures clicks, introducing a People Also Ask box that pushes organic results down, or deploying AI Overviews that provide a direct answer without requiring a click. In this case, your position may not have moved, but traffic has dropped because surfers are finding their answer directly in the SERP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Disparition_complete_de_certaines_pages\"><\/span>Complete disappearance of some pages<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If some pages have simply disappeared from the results, it's probably not an algorithmic update, but a result of&nbsp;<strong>technical problem<\/strong>. Check immediately in Search Console whether these pages are still being indexed. A noindex tag added by a plugin, an intermittent server error, or a redirection problem may be to blame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Etape_4_analyser_ce_que_Google_valorise_desormais\"><\/span>Step 4: Analyze what Google now values<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is, in my opinion, the most revealing step in the whole diagnostic process. It involves typing your lost keywords into Google and studying, with relentless honesty, the pages that have replaced you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Qui_occupe_vos_anciennes_positions\"><\/span>Who occupies your former positions?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Take your five most impacted keywords, type them into Google (in private browsing to avoid personalization bias), and examine the first-page results. Ask yourself these questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Is the content of the new firsts\u00a0<strong>longer<\/strong>\u00a0than yours? Shorter? More structured?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does it demonstrate\u00a0<strong>expertise<\/strong>\u00a0more obvious? Is the author clearly identified? Are his or her qualifications mentioned?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is the format\u00a0<strong>different<\/strong>\u00a0? Perhaps Google now favors videos, infographics, interactive tools, or step-by-step guides where you used to offer a classic article.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is the user experience on the competitor's site\u00a0<strong>best<\/strong>\u00a0? Faster, easier to read, more pleasant to navigate?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Identifier_les_patterns\"><\/span>Identifying patterns<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After analyzing the results for several keywords, trends will emerge. Maybe all the winners have detailed author biographies, and you don't. Maybe they all include original data, and your content is purely theoretical. Maybe their articles are regularly updated with recent dates, while yours date back to 2021. These patterns are your guide: they tell you exactly what Google now expects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you've completed your analysis, you're ready to take action. But before you do, I must warn you about the mistakes I see being made, unfortunately, on an almost systematic basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ce_quil_ne_faut_absolument_pas_faire_apres_une_update\"><\/span>What not to do after an update<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Panic is a bad advisor. I repeat this emphatically, because the epidermal reactions I'm about to describe are extremely tempting when you see your traffic collapsing, and yet they almost always make the situation worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ne_paniquez_pas_et_ne_modifiez_pas_tout_en_urgence\"><\/span>Don't panic or change everything in a hurry<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you start frantically rewriting your pages, modifying your title tags, restructuring your site and changing your URLs, all in the space of a few days, you create a chaos that even Google will have trouble interpreting. Worse still, you lose the ability to measure the impact of each change, since you've modified everything at once. Proceed in a surgical manner, one change at a time, with observation time between each intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ne_supprimez_pas_massivement_du_contenu\"><\/span>Don't delete content en masse<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The temptation to \u00abclean house\u00bb by deleting dozens of articles at once is understandable, but dangerous. Some of these pages, even if they generate little traffic, may contribute to your site's internal mesh, have backlinks, or reinforce the thematic coverage of your domain. To delete them indiscriminately is to risk destroying assets that you won't be able to recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ne_desavouez_pas_tous_vos_backlinks\"><\/span>Don't disavow all your backlinks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Google's disavow tool is a precision instrument, not a weapon of mass destruction. It is designed to neutralize specific links that you have identified as toxic or artificial. Disavowing your entire link profile because you suspect a Link Spam Update would be like cutting off your arm to treat a scratch on your finger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ne_changez_pas_de_nom_de_domaine_ou_de_CMS\"><\/span>Don't change your domain name or CMS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I've seen site owners, in a fit of desperation, decide to start all over again with a new domain or a new CMS. This is, without exaggeration, the worst possible reaction. You'd lose all your domain seniority, all your backlinks, all your crawl history, and all the SEO capital accumulated over the years. It's like moving during an earthquake: you don't run away from the problem, you amplify it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ne_sur-optimisez_pas_dans_lurgence\"><\/span>Don't over-optimize in a hurry<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hastily adding keywords to all your content, creating dozens of artificial internal links, or stuffing your title tags with high-volume terms is not only ineffective, but potentially penalizing. Google has become extraordinarily sophisticated in its detection of over-optimization, and these last-chance techniques send exactly the wrong signal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nattendez_pas_passivement_non_plus\"><\/span>Don't wait passively either<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Conversely, standing still and hoping that the next update will magically correct things is a form of inaction disguised as patience. My opinion on this point is categorical: patience is a virtue in SEO, but it must be active, not passive. You need to work methodically to improve your site in the period between updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you know what not to do. Let's see what you should do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Axe_1_ameliorer_la_qualite_globale_de_votre_contenu\"><\/span>Focus 1: Improve the overall quality of your content<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your decline is linked to a Core Update or Helpful Content Update, this is probably where the key to your recovery lies. Google is placing increasing - and in my view justified - emphasis on what it calls the&nbsp;<strong>E-E-A-T<\/strong>&nbsp;Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness. In French: Exp\u00e9rience, Expertise, Autorit\u00e9 et Fiabilit\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ce_que_le_E-E-A-T_signifie_concretement\"><\/span>What E-E-A-T means in concrete terms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It's not a technical score that Google calculates algorithmically. It's a set of qualitative signals that quality raters (human evaluators employed by Google) use to judge the quality of a site. These evaluations then influence the adjustments made to the algorithm. In other words, E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor, but it shapes the criteria that are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Experience<\/strong>\u00a0Does your content reflect real, lived experience of the subject? An article about hiking in Corsica written by someone who has actually hiked there will always be superior to a compilation of guidebooks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expertise<\/strong>\u00a0Do you have verifiable competence in your field? A medical article written by an identified doctor inspires more confidence than an anonymous text.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Authoritativeness<\/strong>\u00a0Are you recognized as a reference by other players in your sector? Quality backlinks and mentions on third-party sites are indicators of authority.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trustworthiness<\/strong>\u00a0Your website: does it inspire trust? HTTPS, legal notices, privacy policy, verifiable reviews, quoted sources - these are all signals that build trust.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Actions_concretes_pour_renforcer_votre_E-E-A-T\"><\/span>Concrete actions to strengthen your E-E-A-T<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Add detailed author biographies<\/strong>\u00a0on each article. Include the author's name, background, qualifications and why he or she is the right person to write about this topic. If you're the writer, create a complete author page and link to it from each article.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cite your sources<\/strong>. Every factual statement should ideally be supported by a link to a reliable source (study, official report, reference article). This doesn't just benefit SEO: it reinforces the credibility perceived by your readers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Incorporate elements of personal experience<\/strong>. Photos taken by you, anecdotes, results obtained, case studies from your own practice - anything that proves you're not just compiling information found elsewhere.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Update your content regularly<\/strong>. An article dated 2019 that has never been modified sends out an expiry signal. Update data, examples and links, and clearly display the date of the last update.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Axe_2_auditer_et_reecrire_les_contenus_sous-performants\"><\/span>Focus 2: Audit and rewrite underperforming content<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Go back to your tracking table. The pages that have lost the most traffic and positions are your top priorities. But before rewriting them, you need to evaluate them with sometimes painful honesty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"La_question_fondamentale_a_vous_poser\"><\/span>The fundamental question to ask yourself<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For each page affected, ask yourself: if I were an Internet user typing this keyword into Google, would my page be&nbsp;<strong>the best possible answer<\/strong>&nbsp;to my question? Not a good answer. Not an acceptable answer. The&nbsp;<strong>best<\/strong>. If the answer is no, you know what you have to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"La_methode_de_reecriture\"><\/span>The rewriting method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Analyze the current top five results for the targeted query. Study their structure, length, angle, differentiating elements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify what they do better than you. Maybe they're more complete, more concrete, more up-to-date, or they include elements you don't have (videos, tables, tools, practical examples).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rewrite your content\u00a0<strong>further<\/strong>\u00a0than today's best results. Not just longer, but more useful, more precise, more actionable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enrich with elements that no one else offers: your personal experience, data you've collected, original screenshots, strong opinions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>I'd like to stress one essential point: rewriting doesn't mean artificially lengthening. A 1,500-word article that answers the question perfectly will always be superior to a watered-down, chatty 5,000-word article. Value always takes precedence over volume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Axe_3_elaguer_le_contenu_de_faible_qualite\"><\/span>3: Prune low-quality content<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Content pruning is the practice of identifying and dealing with the \u00abzombie\u00bb content on your site - those pages that generate no traffic, no backlinks, no engagement, and add no value to your editorial ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pourquoi_lelagage_peut_aider_apres_une_update\"><\/span>Why pruning can help after an update<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Google evaluates the quality of your site by&nbsp;<strong>global<\/strong>. If 30 % of your content is mediocre, superficial or obsolete, it drags down the qualitative perception of your entire domain, including your best articles. By pruning weak content, you focus your site's perceived value on your best assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_trois_options_pour_chaque_contenu_faible\"><\/span>The three options for each weak content<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For each page identified as underperforming, you have three choices:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Improve<\/strong>\u00a0If the topic is relevant and the keyword has potential, rewrite the content in depth using the method described above.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Merge<\/strong>\u00a0If two or three articles deal with similar subjects and cannibalize each other, combine them into one comprehensive article. Keep the best-performing URL and redirect the others in 301.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Delete<\/strong>\u00a0(with 301 redirect): if the content is irredeemably weak, off-topic, or obsolete to the point of being irretrievable, delete it and redirect the URL to the most relevant page on your site.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A word of warning: pruning should be done with discretion, not with an axe. Never delete a page with quality backlinks without setting up a redirect. And take the time to evaluate each page individually, rather than applying an arbitrary criterion such as \u00abany page with fewer than 10 visits per month is deleted\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Axe_4_renforcer_lexperience_utilisateur\"><\/span>Area 4: Enhance the user experience<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Core Web Vitals and page experience have become official ranking factors. If your site is slow, poorly adapted to mobile, or cluttered with intrusive elements, a Core Update can amplify the negative impact of these shortcomings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"La_vitesse_de_chargement\"><\/span>Loading speed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Test each of your main pages with Google PageSpeed Insights. If your mobile score is below 50, you have a serious problem. The usual causes are uncompressed images, insufficient hosting, a heavy WordPress theme, and too many plugins. I&#039;ve detailed the solutions in my article on&nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;\/en\/&nbsp;&raquo;&nbsp;&raquo;\/&quot;&gt;how to improve your site&#039;s SEO&lt;\/a&gt;, But to sum up: compress your images in WebP, enable caching, use a CDN, and consider higher-performance hosting if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"La_compatibilite_mobile\"><\/span>Mobile compatibility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Google has been using mobile-first indexing for several years now. This means that it's the mobile version of your site that determines your ranking, even for searches made from a computer. Test your site on different smartphones, checking that buttons are easy to click, text is readable without zooming, and content doesn't overflow the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_elements_intrusifs\"><\/span>Intrusive elements<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Popups that cover content as soon as you arrive on the page, interstitial ads, auto-playing videos - all these elements degrade the user experience and are explicitly penalized by Google, especially on mobile. I'm not saying we should do away with all monetization, but we should make it non-invasive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Axe_5_diversifier_vos_sources_de_trafic\"><\/span>5: Diversify your traffic sources<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This axis won't directly help you recover your positions on Google, but it is strategically vital. If 90 % of your traffic comes from organic referencing, every update represents an existential risk for your business. This single-channel dependency is an Achilles' heel that you absolutely must correct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_canaux_a_developper\"><\/span>Channels to develop<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Email marketing<\/strong>\u00a0A regular newsletter creates a direct link with your audience, independent of any algorithm. In my opinion, it's the most profitable investment a content creator can make.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social networks<\/strong>\u00a0not for their SEO impact (which is indirect), but to generate independent traffic and increase your brand awareness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>YouTube<\/strong>\u00a0Video is a considerable growth channel, and YouTube videos themselves appear in Google results.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Niche communities and forums<\/strong>\u00a0Participate actively in discussions on Reddit, specialized Facebook groups or thematic forums to generate qualified traffic and backlink opportunities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Partnerships<\/strong>\u00a0co-marketing, cross-articles, mutual interviews with other players in your niche amplify your reach without depending on an algorithm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In my opinion, diversifying traffic sources is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. Every Google update is a painful reminder of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Axe_6_consolider_et_nettoyer_votre_profil_de_backlinks\"><\/span>6: Consolidate and clean up your backlink profile<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you suspect that a Link Spam Update has impacted your site, or if your link profile contains dubious elements inherited from the past, an audit of your backlinks is in order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comment_auditer_vos_backlinks\"><\/span>How to audit your backlinks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Use Google Search Console (\u00abLinks\u00bb section), Ahrefs, or Semrush to get a complete list of sites linking to yours. Examine this list for problematic patterns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Links from obviously spammy sites, link farms, or sites that have nothing to do with your site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An abnormally high number of links with the same exact anchor (typical sign of an artificial link profile).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Links from private blog networks (PBNs), recognizable by their identical structure, generic content and lack of real traffic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Loutil_de_desaveu_a_utiliser_avec_une_extreme_prudence\"><\/span>The disavow tool: use with extreme caution<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you identify truly toxic links, you can submit them to Google's disavow tool and ask it to ignore them. But let me repeat: this tool is a scalpel, not a chainsaw. Only disavow links you're certain are harmful. If in doubt, refrain from doing so, or consult a professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Relancer_lacquisition_de_liens_de_qualite\"><\/span>Boost quality link acquisition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time as cleaning up, invest in acquiring new quality links. Create content that's remarkable enough to be cited spontaneously. Offer guest articles on recognized sites in your sector. Develop editorial partnerships. Quality links remain one of the most powerful ranking factors, and a solid link profile is an effective bulwark against algorithmic fluctuations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Axe_7_optimiser_pour_les_nouvelles_fonctionnalites_de_la_SERP\"><\/span>Focus 7: Optimize for new SERP features<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This last point is often overlooked, yet it accounts for a growing proportion of the traffic declines observed in recent years. The Google results page is no longer a simple list of ten blue links. It's a rich and complex environment, populated by featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, video carousels, Knowledge Panels, and now AI Overviews that provide synthetic answers generated by artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Le_probleme_du_%C2%AB_zero_clic_%C2%BB\"><\/span>The \u00abzero click\u00bb problem\u00bb<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These elements capture a growing share of clicks, or even render the click useless. If a featured snippet displays the answer to the surfer's question directly in the SERP, he no longer needs to visit your site. Your page may be in position 1 and see its traffic drop, not because it's been downgraded, but because the surfer has found the answer without clicking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comment_sadapter\"><\/span>How to adapt<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Aim for featured snippets<\/strong>\u00a0Structure your content to answer questions directly at the start of a paragraph, using bulleted lists, tables and clear definitions. Google uses these formats to feed its snippets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Implement structured data<\/strong>\u00a0(Schema.org): they help Google to understand the nature of your content and increase your chances of appearing in enhanced results.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integrate structured FAQs<\/strong>\u00a0They can appear directly in the results and increase your visibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Get ready for AI Overviews<\/strong>\u00a0Although the subject is still evolving, the sites cited in Google's AI responses are generally those that demonstrate the greatest expertise and authority. Once again, E-E-A-T is your best ally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The storm has passed. Let's talk about what happens next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Combien_de_temps_faut-il_pour_recuperer_apres_une_update\"><\/span>How long does it take to recover from an update?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I'll be honest with you, because false promises serve no one: there's no magic button to instantly recover traffic lost after an update. The reality is that significant recoveries most often occur during the&nbsp;<strong>next Core Update<\/strong>, which means within 3 to 6 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This doesn't mean you should wait passively for the next update. On the contrary: it's during this interim period that you should be working hardest to improve your site. When the next update arrives, Google will re-evaluate your site in the light of the changes you've made. If these changes are in the right direction, you'll regain some or all of your positions. If you've done nothing, nothing will change, and the situation could even get worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_facteurs_qui_influencent_la_vitesse_de_recuperation\"><\/span>Factors influencing recovery speed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The scope of the improvements<\/strong>\u00a0Cosmetic changes produce cosmetic results. Profound, structural improvements will have a proportional impact.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The nature of the update<\/strong>\u00a0A drop linked to a content problem can be corrected by rewriting the pages concerned. A drop linked to a lack of authority requires more time-consuming backlink building.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Competition<\/strong>\u00a0If your competitors are also working to improve, the bar is continually being raised. It's not enough to get back to where you were before the update: you need to aim higher.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The age and history of your domain<\/strong>\u00a0A site with a long history of consistent quality generally recovers faster than a young site or one whose quality has always been irregular.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comment_se_proteger_des_futures_mises_a_jour\"><\/span>How to protect yourself from future updates<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The question is not whether Google will launch new updates. It will, inevitably, several times a year. The question is how to build a site resilient enough to weather these storms without major damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_principes_de_resilience\"><\/span>The principles of resilience<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Create content for people, not engines<\/strong>. If your content is truly useful, original and well-researched, it will stand up to most updates, whatever the algorithmic adjustment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make E-E-A-T a philosophy<\/strong>, not a checklist of boxes to tick. Demonstrate your expertise authentically, share your real-life experiences, build your authority organically.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diversify your traffic sources<\/strong>. A site that depends 100 % on Google is a vulnerable site. Develop your newsletter, your social networks, your partnerships.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keep a constant watch<\/strong>. Follow Google's official announcements, subscribe to specialized newsletters (Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land), participate in active SEO communities on X, Reddit or specialized forums.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Perform a quarterly audit<\/strong>\u00a0the quality of your content. Don't wait for an update to hit you before identifying and correcting your weak points.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_outils_de_veille_a_configurer\"><\/span>Watch tools to configure<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Google Search Status Dashboard<\/strong>\u00a0Check it regularly to be alerted when an update is being deployed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Semrush Sensor or MozCast<\/strong>\u00a0These tools measure the daily volatility of search results. A spike in volatility can signal an update even before it is officially announced.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Google Analytics alerts<\/strong>\u00a0Set up automatic alerts to warn you of any sudden drop in your organic traffic. The earlier you detect the problem, the faster you can react.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_reponses_aux_questions_les_plus_frequentes\"><\/span>Answers to the most frequently asked questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Une_baisse_de_trafic_apres_une_update_est-elle_toujours_definitive\"><\/span>Is a drop in traffic after an update always permanent?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No, absolutely not. Many sites recover all or part of their traffic, either with the next Core Update, or gradually with the improvements made between updates. On the other hand, if you don't change anything, the decline is likely to become permanent, or even worsen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Google_peut-il_cibler_un_site_specifique_lors_dune_update\"><\/span>Can Google target a specific site in an update?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Core Updates don't target individual sites. They adjust global criteria that affect all results. On the other hand, manual actions (different from algorithmic updates) can target a specific site. Check the \u00abManual Actions\u00bb section of Search Console to see if your site is affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Faut-il_contacter_Google_apres_une_baisse_liee_a_une_update\"><\/span>Should I contact Google after an update-related drop?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Contacting Google to contest an algorithmic downgrade is not possible and would be pointless. Google does not deal with algorithmic updates on an individual basis. The only thing to do is to improve your site and wait for the re-evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mon_concurrent_a_monte_apres_lupdate_que_fait-il_de_mieux\"><\/span>My competitor went up after the update: what's he doing better?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>That's precisely the question you need to ask yourself. Analyze his site objectively. Compare the quality of its content, the depth of its expertise, the strength of its backlink profile, the speed of its site, its mobile experience. The answers are almost always there, visible to anyone willing to look without complacency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"La_refonte_de_mon_site_peut-elle_aider_a_recuperer\"><\/span>Can redesigning my site help me recover?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Potentially, but it's a lever to be wielded with extreme caution. A poorly executed redesign (URL changes without redirects, loss of content, structural changes) can make the situation much worse. If you're considering a redesign, plan it carefully, keep all existing URLs (or 301 redirect them), and don't change everything at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_mises_a_jour_de_Google_affectent-elles_le_SEO_local_differemment\"><\/span>Do Google updates affect local SEO differently?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some updates have a specific impact on local results, but this is quite rare. Most Core Updates affect classic organic results and local results in parallel. If your Google Business Profile is well optimized and your local citations are consistent, you're already better protected than average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Faut-il_faire_appel_a_un_consultant_SEO_apres_une_chute_de_trafic\"><\/span>Should you call in an SEO consultant after a drop in traffic?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This depends on the extent of the drop and your ability to diagnose and correct it yourself. If the fall is moderate (10-20 %) and you feel able to apply the recommendations in this article, you can manage the situation independently. If the drop is severe (40 % or more), if your business depends on it financially, or if you don't understand the causes despite your analysis, an experienced professional can identify problems you may have missed and significantly speed up recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ce_quil_faut_retenir_pour_traverser_la_tempete\"><\/span>What you need to remember to weather the storm<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If I had to condense everything we've covered into three priority actions to be launched immediately, here's what I'd say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First,&nbsp;<strong>diagnose before you act<\/strong>. Confirm that the drop is indeed linked to an update, identify the impacted pages and keywords, analyze what Google now values for your lost queries. This diagnosis is the foundation for everything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Secondly,&nbsp;<strong>improve the quality of your content without compromise<\/strong>. Rewrite underperforming pages by aiming for excellence, prune weak content, strengthen your E-E-A-T, and update anything obsolete. This is the most powerful lever you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Third,&nbsp;<strong>diversify your traffic sources<\/strong>&nbsp;so you're never again entirely dependent on an algorithm you can't control. Build your newsletter, develop your presence on other channels, and build an audience that belongs to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A drop in traffic after a Google update is not a definitive sentence. It's a signal, sometimes brutal, that something needs to change in your approach. The sites that come through these episodes best are not those that chase after every algorithm change, but those that build, day after day, content so useful, so authentic and so well executed that Google has no choice but to highlight it. It's a demanding ideal, I won't deny it. But it's also the only one that stands the test of time, of updates, and of the permanent unpredictability of SEO.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vous ouvrez Google Analytics ce matin, et c&rsquo;est la douche froide. Votre courbe de trafic, habituellement stable ou en croissance, ressemble soudainement \u00e0 une falaise. Les clics ont chut\u00e9, les impressions se sont effondr\u00e9es, et certaines pages qui vous rapportaient des centaines de visiteurs par jour sont devenues fantomatiques. Je connais ce sentiment de sid\u00e9ration,&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":261535,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"Update Google et trafic en baisse ? \ud83e\udde0 Diagnostic complet, erreurs \u00e0 \u00e9viter et plan d'action concret pour r\u00e9cup\u00e9rer vos positions perdues.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_robots":"","saswp_custom_schema_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-261534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"rank_math_description":"Update Google et trafic en baisse ? \ud83e\udde0 Diagnostic complet, erreurs \u00e0 \u00e9viter et plan d'action concret pour r\u00e9cup\u00e9rer vos positions perdues.","rank_math_title":"","modified_by":"Jos\u00e9 PEREZ","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=261534"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261534\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":261770,"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261534\/revisions\/261770"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/261535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=261534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=261534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.joseperez.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=261534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}