I recently made significant updates to my website on May 22, including adding subscriptions, payment options, and paywalls. Shortly after, I got my first paying customers, which was incredibly exciting since these weren't people I know! However, since then, my organic traffic has been steadily decreasing, and I haven't seen any new paying customers for over two months. I haven't actively marketed the site yet, which adds to the mystery. I'm puzzled whether my initial success was just a coincidence, or if search engines generally favor sites that frequently change. What's the deal?
3 Answers
It's a known fact that search engines really appreciate fresh content. While we don't know the exact mechanics, making regular updates can help improve rankings. To get better insights, consider using tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics. They can give you a clearer picture of how your changes are affecting your site.
Search engines don't necessarily 'like' changes; they notice them. Sometimes, a site can get a temporary ranking boost if it's crawled and appears more dynamic, but that boost won't last long without ongoing content updates or backlinks. Since you implemented paywalls, remember that they might hinder discoverability if content was previously accessible. Regular content updates and link-building are key!
Google tends to favor updated content likely because it shows that publishers are active and improving their sites. This could explain your initial customer surge, but without continued updates or strong marketing, traffic can drop off. Just stay proactive with content!
Thanks for the insights, I’ll check out those strategies!