CriticalComplete Workflow
Algorithm Recovery
Diagnose and recover from Google algorithm updates. This workflow helps you identify issues and create an actionable recovery plan.
Recovery Phases
1
Diagnosis
- Identify which update hit you
- Analyze traffic loss patterns
- Determine affected pages/sections
2
Root Cause Analysis
- Content quality audit
- Link profile review
- Technical issues check
3
Action Plan
- Prioritize fixes
- Execute improvements
- Monitor progress
4
Recovery Monitoring
- Track rankings over 2-3 update cycles
1
Phase 1: Diagnosis
1
Identify the Update
Check these resources to identify which update hit your site:
2
Analyze Traffic Loss
In Google Analytics/Search Console, analyze your traffic patterns:
Traffic Analysis Checklist
3
Pattern Recognition
| Pattern | Likely Cause |
|---|---|
| All pages dropped | Domain-level issue |
| Specific section dropped | Category/topic issue |
| Money pages dropped | Quality/commercial intent issue |
| Info pages fine, reviews dropped | Product review update |
| New content ranks, old doesn't | Content freshness issue |
2
Phase 2: Root Cause Analysis
1
Content Quality Audit
Assess your E-E-A-T signals:
Experience
Do you show first-hand experience?
Expertise
Are authors qualified?
Authority
Is the site known in the niche?
Trust
Is there transparency about who runs the site?
💡
Pro Tip
The most common issue I see is lack of first-hand experience signals. Adding personal testing photos, specific numbers from your own use, and honest pros/cons can make a huge difference.
2
Content Issues Checklist
3
Phase 3: Action Plan
Priority Matrix
| Issue | Impact | Effort | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fix E-E-A-T issues | High | High | 1 |
| Remove/improve thin content | High | Medium | 2 |
| Disavow toxic links | Medium | Low | 3 |
| Fix technical issues | Medium | Medium | 4 |
| Build brand signals | High | High | 5 |
⚠️
Don't Rush Recovery
Algorithm recovery takes time. Expect 2-3 update cycles (6-9 months) for full recovery. Making too many changes at once can make it harder to identify what worked.
🚨
Emergency Checklist
If severely hit (90%+ traffic loss), check these immediately:
Related Workflows
🚀001 - New Site Launch
Sometimes starting fresh is the answer