Top Declining Keywords

What Are Declining Keywords?

Declining keywords are search terms where your website's ranking position has recently dropped, though still appearing within search results. These keywords represent areas where your search visibility is decreasing, potentially leading to traffic loss if not addressed.

In technical terms, declining keywords are those where:

1. The current position is worse (higher number) than the previous position
2. Both current and previous positions are still within the top 100 search results
3. The keyword is actively tracked for your domain

Why Declining Keywords Matter for Your Business

Monitoring declining keywords is crucial for several reasons:

• Prevent Traffic Loss: Drops in ranking often lead to reduced website visitors
• Early Warning System: Identifies potential issues before they become major problems
• Competitive Intelligence: Shows where competitors might be gaining ground
• Content Freshness: Indicates when content needs updating or enhancement
• Algorithm Impact: Helps identify how search engine updates affect your site

Accessing the Declining Keywords Table

The Declining Keywords Table automatically loads when you:

1. Log in to your SEO dashboard
2. Scroll down to the "Search Engine Visibility" section

Understanding the Declining Keywords Table

The Declining Keywords Table provides comprehensive information about each keyword showing negative movement:

How to Interpret Declining Keywords Data

Patterns to Look For

When analyzing your declining keywords, watch for these important patterns:

1. Large position drops: Keywords that fell many positions (10+) may indicate significant issues
2. Movements out of top positions: Terms dropping from top 10 represent potential immediate traffic loss
3. Patterns across search engines: Declines in multiple search engines suggest universal quality issues
4. Clusters of related keywords: When several related terms decline simultaneously, it indicates topical weakness
5. URL patterns: Multiple keywords declining for the same URL shows that page needs attention

Significance of Position Changes

Not all declines have equal impact:

• Movement from position 20 to 80: Significant decline but limited immediate traffic impact
• Movement from position 5 to 11: Major traffic loss (dropping off first page)
• Movement from position 1 to 5: Still on first page but potential significant traffic reduction
• Small fluctuations (1-3 positions): May be normal ranking volatility rather than true issues

Addressing Declining Keywords to Recover Your Rankings

Immediate Investigation Steps

For each declining keyword, follow this troubleshooting process:

1. Check technical health: Verify the page loads correctly with no errors
2. Compare to competitors: See if competing pages have improved their content
3. Content evaluation: Assess if your content still answers the search intent
4. Check for algorithm updates: Research if recent search engine updates might be responsible

Recovery Strategies

Based on your findings, implement these recovery tactics:

For Content Issues:

• Update and expand: Add fresh information and more comprehensive coverage
• Enhance relevance: Better align content with search intent
• Improve readability: Break up text, add subheadings, bullet points, and images
• Fix accuracy: Correct any outdated information or errors

For Technical Issues:

• Speed optimization: Make sure the page loads quickly
• Mobile-friendliness: Ensure perfect rendering on mobile devices
• Fix broken elements: Repair any broken images, videos, or links
• Improve metadata: Update title tags, meta descriptions, and schema markup

For Authority Issues:

• Internal linking: Add links from high-authority pages on your site
• Content promotion: Share through social media and other channels
• Backlink outreach: Seek quality links from relevant websites
• Update frequency: Implement a regular content refresh schedule

Common Causes of Ranking Declines

Understanding why keywords decline helps you develop the right recovery strategy:

Content Issues

• Content staleness: Information has become outdated
• Competitor improvements: Other sites have published better content
• Relevance drift: Search intent has evolved but your content hasn't
• Thin content: Your page lacks depth compared to competitors

Technical Problems

• Page speed issues: Site has slowed down
• Mobile experience: Poor performance on mobile devices
• Crawlability problems: Search engines can't properly access content
• User experience issues: High bounce rates or other negative user signals

External Factors

• Algorithm updates: Search engines changed their ranking criteria
• Competitor gains: Other sites gained authority or improved content
• Seasonal changes: Normal fluctuations based on time of year
• Market shifts: Changes in how people search for this topic

Best Practices for Keyword Recovery

Prioritization Strategy

Not all declining keywords deserve equal attention:

1. Business impact: Focus first on keywords that drive conversions
2. Traffic potential: Prioritize terms with high search volume
3. Severity of decline: Address keywords with the largest drops
4. Recovery potential: Target keywords where quick fixes can make a difference

Systematic Approach

Follow this structured process for addressing declining keywords:

1. Group related keywords: Address clusters of related terms together
2. Identify common patterns: Look for shared characteristics among declining terms
3. Implement fixes: Make targeted improvements based on your findings
4. Monitor results: Track ranking changes following your updates
5. Iterate as needed: If initial changes don't work, try different approaches

Prevention Measures

Implement these practices to prevent future declines:

• Regular content audits: Systematically review and update existing content
• Competitive monitoring: Keep an eye on competitor content improvements
• Technical maintenance: Conduct regular technical SEO checks
• User feedback: Collect and act on user feedback about your content

Measuring Recovery Success

Track these metrics to evaluate recovery efforts:

1. Ranking rebounds: Have positions improved after your interventions?
2. Traffic recovery: Has organic traffic to affected pages increased?
3. Engagement metrics: Have bounce rates decreased and time on page increased?
4. Conversion recovery: Have conversions from these keywords returned?
5. Overall visibility: Has your overall search visibility stabilized?

FAQ About Declining Keywords

How quickly should I address declining keywords?

Prioritize based on business impact:

• High-value keywords: Address within 1-2 weeks
• Medium-value keywords: Review within 2-4 weeks
• Low-value keywords: Assess during regular content updates

The longer ranking declines persist, the harder they can be to recover.

Is it normal to see ranking fluctuations?

Yes, some ranking fluctuation is normal due to:

• Search algorithm testing
• Competitor activities
• Seasonal factors
• Normal search engine volatility

Focus on persistent declines (lasting 2+ weeks) or significant drops rather than minor fluctuations.

How long does recovery typically take?

Recovery time varies based on:

• The reason for the decline
• The extent of your improvements
• Your site's crawl frequency
• The competitiveness of the keyword

Generally, expect to see initial improvements within 2-8 weeks after implementing changes.

What if my rankings continue to decline after making changes?

If rankings continue to decline despite your efforts:

1. Re-evaluate your approach: You may be addressing the wrong issue
2. Look for technical problems: More serious technical issues might be present
3. Consider search intent: The way people search for this topic may have changed
4. Evaluate competitors: Competitors might be making ongoing improvements

Should I create new content or fix existing content?

It depends on the situation:

• Minor declines: Usually best to update existing content
• Major shifts in search intent: May require new content
• Outdated approaches: Sometimes a fresh start with new content works better

In some cases, combining approaches—updating existing content while creating supplementary new content—yields the best results.

Conclusion

The Declining Keywords Table provides valuable early warnings about potential SEO issues that could impact your website's traffic and conversions. By systematically identifying patterns in declining keywords and addressing the root causes, you can recover lost rankings and prevent future declines.

Remember that search rankings naturally fluctuate, but persistent or significant declines require prompt attention. Use the insights from your declining keywords analysis to strengthen not just the affected pages but your overall content strategy and technical SEO foundation.