Lost Keywords
Lost keywords are search terms where your website previously ranked but no longer appears in results. These keywords dropped out of Google's top 1,000 positions.
You once held visibility for these searches. Now that traffic opportunity has vanished. This guide shows you how to identify and recover lost rankings.
Why lost keywords matter
Every lost keyword represents traffic you're no longer capturing. These were proven performers—you ranked before, which means you can rank again.
Recovering lost keywords often proves easier than targeting new ones. You've already done the hard work of getting noticed. Now you need to understand what changed.
Find your lost keywords
Navigate to the Keywords dashboard. Click the Lost Keywords tab. You'll see a table listing keywords where you've lost rankings. Each row shows one search term that dropped from the results.
Read the table
The table displays up to 10 recently lost keywords. Here's what each column tells you:
Keyword — The search term where you lost visibility.
Domain — Which of your tracked websites lost the ranking.
Engine — The search engine where you dropped out (Google, Bing, or Yahoo).
Search Group — The domain set this keyword belongs to.
Current Position — Shows "Not Ranked" because you're no longer in the top 1,000 results.
Last Position — Your best ranking position before you lost visibility.
Last Seen — The date when you last appeared in results.
Interpret the data
Last position reveals impact
A keyword you ranked #3 for matters more than one where you sat at #100. Higher previous positions mean more lost traffic. Prioritise recovering keywords where you held strong positions. These deliver the biggest wins.
Last seen shows urgency
Recent drops need immediate attention. A keyword lost yesterday might recover quickly with minor fixes. Older losses may require deeper investigation. Something fundamental changed if you haven't ranked for months.
Search engine patterns
If you lost rankings across multiple engines simultaneously, the issue likely sits with your content or site. You removed a page, changed your content significantly, or technical problems emerged. Losses on a single engine might reflect algorithm updates specific to that platform.
Filter by search group
Use the search group dropdown to focus on specific domain sets. This narrows your view to relevant configuration, projects or clients. When you switch groups, the table reloads automatically. You'll see lost keywords for that selection within seconds.
Diagnose why you lost rankings
The data points you toward likely causes:
Content removed — You deleted or significantly changed the page that ranked.
Technical issues — The page became inaccessible, slow, or mobile-unfriendly.
Competition strengthened — Other sites published better content on the topic.
Algorithm changes — Search engines adjusted what they value for these queries.
Relevance drift — Your content no longer matches search intent as well as it once did.
Recover lost rankings
Audit the page
Visit the URL that previously ranked. Does it still exist? Is the content intact? Check for technical errors or broken elements. If you removed the page, consider restoring it or redirecting the URL to relevant content.
Compare to competitors
Search for your lost keyword. Study the pages that now rank. What do they offer that you don't? Look for content depth, structure, freshness, and user experience advantages. Identify gaps you can close.
Refresh your content
Update outdated information. Add new sections that address current search intent. Improve readability and visual elements. Fresh, comprehensive content often recovers rankings quickly.
Check technical health
Run your page through site speed tools. Verify mobile responsiveness. Ensure proper indexing and crawlability. Technical problems prevent even great content from ranking.
Monitor recovery
After making improvements, check the keyword again in a few days. Track whether your position improves. Recovery rarely happens instantly. Give changes time to take effect.
Prioritise your efforts
You can't tackle every lost keyword immediately. Focus strategically:
High-value losses first — Keywords with strong previous positions and recent drop dates.
Volume matters — If you have search volume data, prioritise keywords with meaningful traffic potential.
Quick wins — Simple fixes like broken links or missing content deliver fast results.
Theme clusters — If multiple related keywords dropped together, one content improvement might recover several rankings.
Prevent future losses
Regular monitoring helps you catch drops early:
Track consistently — Run keyword checks frequently to spot problems before they become severe.
Content maintenance — Schedule quarterly reviews of your top-performing pages.
Technical audits — Monitor site health to catch issues before they affect rankings.
Competitor watching — Stay aware when competitors publish new content on your key topics.
When keywords won't recover
Sometimes recovery proves impossible or unwise:
Search intent shifted — Users now want different information than your content provides.
Your business changed — The keyword no longer aligns with what you offer.
Competition dominates — Established authorities make the keyword economically unfeasible to pursue.
Accept these situations and redirect effort toward better opportunities.
Table loading
The table loads automatically when you click the Lost Keywords tab. The system fetches your most recent data. Data reflects yesterday's keyword check.
When no data appears
If you see "No lost keywords found", you're in good shape. This means:
All keywords maintain rankings — You haven't dropped from the top 100 for any tracked terms.
No historical data exists — You've just started tracking and haven't established previous positions yet.
Filter eliminates results — Your selected search group contains no lost keywords.
Get support
Need help understanding why you lost specific keywords? Contact our support team through the help icon. We'll help you diagnose issues and plan recovery strategies.