How to Recover from Google Algorithm Updates: A Case Study

In March 2024, a client of mine (a regional furniture retailer) had a 50% traffic drop almost overnight. Their site didn’t have any technical issues or obvious quality problems. They just got caught in the crossfire of Google’s increasing preference for established, nationally-recognized brands.

This is one of the biggest challenges of modern SEO. My client was a regional business competing against giants, and Google was rewarding the giants…because that’s a shortcut to eliminating some of the spam and junk while getting people right to the names they know. The March 2024 update seemed designed to hurt smaller companies with limited brand recognition.

Algorithm updates can be painful, but they don’t have to be death sentences. Google’s update sought to “reduce low-quality, unoriginal content in search results by 40%” [1] and reward “consistent publication of satisfying content.” as a top ranking factor [2]. In the months that followed, I worked on a recovery strategy that slowly restored their traffic.

The Road to Recovery

I approached the problem from several angles, including the technical foundations, content quality, authority signals, and user experience. Here’s what I did:

1. Screaming Frog Audit

I always start with a detailed crawl analysis, first to eliminate errors, then to identify and eliminate low-value pages diluting the site’s overall quality.

2. Link and Citation Analysis

I analyzed the site’s backlinks and local citations and compared it to competitors who survived the update.

3. Content Audit and Pruning

I improved existing content, mostly by consolidating thin pages and removing content that wasn’t useful to users or search engines.

4. Site Restructuring and Internal Linking

I worked with the client to reorganize the site in ways that made more contextual sense. Then I improved the relevance and organization of internal linking.

5. E-commerce Product Feed Optimization

I improved their Google Shopping feeds and optimized product Schema markup. I figured that if we couldn’t entirely recover normal search traffic, maybe we could increase our shopping results to make up for the loss…and we did.

6. Local SEO Pivot

I shifted our strategy to improve local search results, where the client could compete more effectively.

7. Contextual Content Buckets

I created topic clusters in an attempt to build authority in specific furniture categories.

8. HARO/Qwoted for E-E-A-T

I watched HARO and Qwoted for expert commentary requests and put real work into giving the best possible answers. This created authoritative citations and improved Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness signals.

9. New Content Sections (Case Studies, Inspiration Galleries)

I added content that showed real-world applications of their products and offered inspirational ideas.

10. FAQ Implementation

I built in-depth FAQ sections targeting long-tail search queries and answering common customer questions.

11. Curated Product Pages for Specific Needs

I created category pages for specific use cases like “storage furniture for small rooms” and “mirrored wardrobes under $1000” to capture niche search traffic.

12. AI Search Optimization Strategies

I optimized content for AI search engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity) to increase their share of AI search traffic.

---

What to Do if This Happens to You

Phase 1: Technical Foundation & Site Health

Site Audit with Screaming Frog

This first step is understanding what Google sees when it crawls your site. Analysis of the March 2024 algorithm update shows that sites with “wide distribution of pages with inbound links have a greater ability to rank,” a factor found in the May 2024 Google API data leak, showing this was more important than previously believed [2].

Important Areas to Analyze:

• Page Response Codes: Identify and fix 4xx/5xx errors so you’re not wasting crawl budget
• Duplicate Content: Find and resolve title tag, meta description, and content duplication
• Internal Link Structure: Make sure important pages receive adequate internal link equity and are organized contextually
• Page Speed Metrics: Identify Core Web Vitals issues that could impact rankings
• Mobile Usability: Make sure the site renders and functions well on mobile

Signal-to-Noise Ratio Assessment: Overall site quality is a major factor in modern search algorithms. Pages that don’t serve users or offer value can drag down your entire domain’s performance.

• Identify thin content pages with high bounce rates
• Find orphaned pages with no internal links
• Locate pages without much organic traffic over 12+ months
• Review pages that don’t align with user intent

Actions:

1. Export your site crawl data from Screaming Frog
2. Cross-reference with Google Analytics traffic data
3. Create a consolidation plan for thin content
4. Implement 301 redirects for removed pages
5. Update internal linking, prioritizing the strongest pages

Technical SEO Optimization

Schema Markup Implementation:

• Include product Schema for e-commerce items
• Include local business Schema for local businesses
• Include FAQ Schema for common questions
• Include review Schema in product reviews
• Include breadcrumb Schema in your breadcrumbs

Core Web Vitals Optimization:

• Optimize Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) by improving image compression and server response times
• Improve First Input Delay (FID) by reducing JavaScript execution time
• Minimize Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) by properly setting image dimensions and loading fonts early so the page doesn’t shift as it loads

Phase 2: Content Quality & Topical Authority

Content Audit Methodology

Content pruning can deliver big results. One case study documented a 23% year-over-year increase in organic traffic after systematic content pruning [3]. Another study found that removing 400 pages of low-quality content led to traffic growing from 3,000 to 10,000 organic visits per month [4]. What’s important is to build topical authority by creating comprehensive, interconnected content.

Content Quality Assessment Framework:

1. Search Intent Alignment: Does the content match what users are actually looking for?
2. Comprehensive Coverage: Does it thoroughly address the topic compared to top-ranking competitors?
3. Unique Value Proposition: What does this content offer that others don’t?
4. User Engagement Metrics: Time on page, bounce rate, internal link clicks
5. Conversion Focus: Does this content support business objectives?

Content Pruning Strategy:

• Merge: Combine related thin content into more extensive and detailed resources
• Improve: Update and expand on content that lacks depth but has potential
• Redirect: Point outdated content to more current, relevant pages
• Remove: Delete content with no value or user purpose

Building Contextual Content Buckets

Create topic clusters—individual articles interlinked to address broad user needs and demonstrate expertise.

Example for E-commerce Sites:

• “How-to” Guides: Offer installation, maintenance, and styling advice
• Buying Guides: Create detailed comparison content
• Industry Insights: Reveal trends, offer expert commentary, and show market analysis
• Customer Success Stories: Display real-world applications and results of your products
• Problem-Solution Content: Help customers with specific pain points

Content Cluster Structure:

1. Pillar Page: This is the central page covering a broad topic area and linking to the specific articles
2. Supporting Content: Detailed subtopics linked from the pillar page (and linking back)
3. User-Generated Content: Some examples are reviews, testimonials, case studies
4. Frequently Asked Questions: Answer common questions that other potential customers might have

Phase 3: Authority & Trust Signals

E-E-A-T Optimization Strategy

Google’s emphasis on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness gotten more important with each update. E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor, but it influences how Google evaluates content quality. In fact, E-E-A-T is mentioned 116 times in Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines [5]. For businesses affected negatively by algorithm changes, improving E-E-A-T signals might be the path to recovery.

Experience Signals:

• Author bylines with detailed bios
• “About Us” pages with company history and team credentials
• Customer testimonials and case studies
• Industry certifications and awards

Expertise Demonstration:

• In-depth, technical content that shows deep knowledge
• Original research and data insights
• Expert commentary on industry trends
• Professional credentials and qualifications

Authority Building:

• HARO (Help a Reporter Out): Research shows that 68% of HARO queries come from websites with domain ratings of 50 or higher, with 89% of published queries featuring high-authority domains [6]. Response acceptance rates average around 33%, meaning one in three well-crafted expert responses gets published [7].
• Qwoted: Similar platform for expert source requests
• Industry Publications: Guest posting on recognized industry websites
• Speaking Engagements: Conference presentations and webinars
• Professional Associations: Active membership in relevant industry organizations

Trust Enhancement:

• Clear contact information and physical address
• Professional website design and user experience
• Privacy policy and terms of service
• SSL certificates and security measures
• Customer service accessibility

Link Building & Citation Strategy

Local Citation Optimization: For regional and local businesses, local citations become even more critical after algorithm updates that favor established brands.

• Primary Citations: Google My Business, Bing Places, Apple Maps
• Industry-Specific Directories: Relevant trade association listings
• Local Business Directories: Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau
• Review Platforms: Yelp, industry-specific review sites

Strategic Link Building:

• Resource Page Links: Identify industry resource pages for inclusion
• Broken Link Building: Find and replace broken links on relevant sites
• Brand Mentions: Convert unlinked brand mentions into backlinks
• Partnership Links: Leverage existing business relationships
• Local Partnerships: Cross-promotion with complementary local businesses

Phase 4: User Experience & Engagement

Local SEO Pivot Strategy

When it’s hard to compete nationally, you might have more luck dominating the local results. [8] Small businesses can effectively compete with big brands by targeting location-specific audiences and leveraging local search behavior.

Google My Business Optimization:

• Complete profile with all relevant information
• Regular posting with updates and offers
• Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across all platforms
• Encourage and respond to customer reviews
• Upload high-quality photos and videos

Local Content Strategy:

• Location-specific landing pages
• Local event participation and coverage
• Community involvement and partnerships
• Local customer case studies and testimonials
• Geo-targeted blog content

Enhanced Product Experience

Product Feed Optimization:

• Detailed, keyword-rich product titles
• Comprehensive product descriptions
• High-quality product images with alt text
• Accurate pricing and availability information
• Product category optimization for Google Shopping

User-Generated Content Integration:

• Customer photo submissions
• Product review integration
• Social media content curation
• User-submitted installation photos
• Community forums or Q&A sections

Phase 5: Future-Proofing with AI Optimization

AI Search Engine Optimization

As AI-powered search grows, business are going to have to start optimizing for conversational AI platforms. Businesses that do this now will have early advantages.

Content Formatting for AI:

• Clear, structured information that AI can easily parse
• Direct answers to common questions
• Conversational tone that matches AI query patterns
• Comprehensive coverage of topics in single resources
• Contextual information that helps AI understand expertise

AI-Friendly Content Elements:

• FAQ sections with natural language questions
• Step-by-step guides and tutorials
• Comparative information and recommendations
• Expert opinions and commentary
• Real-world examples and case studies

Learn more about AI search optimization from my full guide

Lessons Learned: Building Algorithm-Resistant SEO

Diversification Strategies

The businesses most affected by algorithm updates often over-rely on specific ranking factors or traffic sources. Diversification offers resiliance:

Traffic Source Diversification:

• Organic search (multiple keyword themes)
• Direct traffic (brand awareness)
• Referral traffic (partnerships and PR)
• Social media traffic
• Email marketing traffic

Content Format Diversification:

• Written content (blogs, guides, resources)
• Visual content (infographics, images, videos)
• Interactive content (tools, calculators, quizzes)
• User-generated content (reviews, testimonials)

Keyword Strategy Diversification:

• Head terms and brand keywords
• Long-tail conversational queries
• Local search terms
• Voice search optimization
• AI search query patterns

Long-Term Factors for Resiliance

Brand Building Over Rankings: Focus on building a recognizable brand that users actively search for.

User-First Content Strategy: Create content that genuinely serves user needs, regardless of search engine preferences. Quality content is more likely to survive algorithm changes.

Technical Excellence: Maintain technical SEO best practices consistently. Crawl your site regularly with Screaming Frog or a similar tool.

Community Building: Develop relationships with customers, industry peers, and journalists.

---

References

[1] Tucker, E. (2024). “March 2024 Core Update and Spam Update.” RebelMouse. “A Guide to Google’s Algorithm Updates and Changes in 2024.” Retrieved from: https://www.rebelmouse.com/google-updates-2024

[2] First Page Sage. (2025). “The 2025 Google Algorithm Ranking Factors.” First Page Sage SEO Blog. Retrieved from: https://firstpagesage.com/seo-blog/the-google-algorithm-ranking-factors/

[3] Seer Interactive. (2023). “+23% in Organic Traffic YoY from Content Pruning.” Seer Interactive Case Studies. Retrieved from: https://www.seerinteractive.com/work/case-studies/content-pruning-efforts-help-reverse-traffic-loss

[4] Ahrefs. (2024). “Content Pruning: Why It Works, and How to Do It.” Ahrefs Blog. Retrieved from: https://ahrefs.com/blog/content-pruning/

[5] Boostability. (2025). “Google E-E-A-T (2024 Ultimate Guide).” Boostability Resources. Retrieved from: https://www.boostability.com/resources/google-e-e-a-t-guide/

[6] Promodo. (2024). “Link Building with HARO: A Strategic Guide.” Promodo Blog. Retrieved from: https://www.promodo.com/blog/how-to-use-haro-for-effective-link-building-and-media-placement

[7] Passive Income Superstars. (2021). “HARO Link Building Case Study - Does It Actually Work?” Retrieved from: https://www.passiveincomesuperstars.com/haro-link-building/

[8] PageTraffic. (2023). “Local SEO vs National SEO - What’s the Difference.” PageTraffic Blog. Retrieved from: https://www.pagetraffic.com/blog/local-seo-vs-national-seo/