This was the labor-intensive part of the process. It involved extensive data wrangling with index-match functions and pivot tables.
Although it was tricky, this approach enabled us to identify priority areas for deeper analysis, including:
Creating a label based on % drop following the core update
For pages with a drop in session >= 20% or conversions >=20% – High
For pages with a drop in session >= 20% or conversions >=20% – Medium
For pages with a drop in session >= 20% or conversions >=20% – Low/None
Key event + keyword volume
Priority based on conversions >10 + volume
While not foolproof, this analysis provided us with an initial list of 42 pages to examine more closely.
It’s important to note that all the metrics involved depend on various factors, one of which is the publication date of the posts.
Newer blogs may not have built up enough authority, and they could have been initially boosted after publishing but later declined due to a lack of user signals, such as click behavior – something we suspect is related to NavBoost.
Conversely, knowing which pages were older helped us identify those that needed refreshing.
By default, Screaming Frog does not extract blog publish dates, so we needed to set up a custom extraction. This involved copying the selector from the date element using a tool like Google Chrome’s Inspect feature.
Once we had the publication dates alongside our list of pages, we could conduct a more in-depth analysis.
Deep dive into the most affected pages and sections of the website
This is where the process becomes manual. We examined the affected pages to identify any patterns, and it quickly became apparent that one existed.
Unfortunately, our suspicions were confirmed: the primary cause of the traffic drop was the change in the SERPs in the U.S. and U.K., driven by the rise of Reddit and the inclusion of AI Overviews.
Reddit emerged as a clear winner from the recent core update, significantly impacting many of the client’s keywords.
Additionally, the expansion of AIO to cover even more queries – particularly in the client’s sector, where research indicates over 20% coverage – has worsened the situation.
AIO tends to impact informational queries more than commercial ones, which explains the loss of visibility in the blog sections.
Like many others, our client is losing valuable traffic due to Reddit and AIO, not because their website is any less helpful. Unfortunately, this is not an easy fix.
Another area we examined closely was the templates directory. Although this section wasn’t driving much traffic or conversions, it was worth investigating for two reasons:
The client had invested significant time in deploying it.
The initial analysis indicated issues with its implementation.
Similar to the priority blog pages, we noticed a pattern after reviewing a few template pages.
These pages conflicted with search intent, and their content could be improved.
While search intent is typically categorized into four main groups, I believe in taking a broader and more nuanced approach to understanding it.
Someone searching for a template typically wants to see several options to choose from. They intend to find a few templates, pick one they like and use it.
Google recognizes this. For instance, if I search for “Instagram template” or “Instagram templates,” the top results come from companies offering a collection of options.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t taken into full consideration before the pages were launched.
Rather than optimizing collection pages that speak to the intent, the client optimized the individual template pages.
Additionally, the individual pages had very sparse information for users. Not that tweaking this would make a difference in situations where the intent is not aligned.
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
Fixing the ‘unfixable’
It was clear that our initial recommendations to the client needed a holistic approach, as there was no quick fix for the issues we identified.
To address these challenges, we recommended:
A few quick wins and tests.
Developing an improved strategy that considers these shifts.
Closely measuring AIO and rethinking SEO KPIs.
Quick wins and tests
Everyone seeks the ideal “low effort, high impact” solution. So, before tackling the complex issues, let’s focus on the quick wins.
The analysis revealed some interesting tests we could try, specific areas for improvement and several technical recommendations.
We suggested that the client optimize an initial content piece by reviewing and adjusting it to better align with E-E-A-T guidelines.
I’ve also become increasingly interested in the concept of information gain as a factor in Google’s ranking system.
This makes sense, especially in the age of AI, where new data for training models is highly valuable. We will consider all of these elements when running the test.
The audit clearly showed that the template directory needed a rethink. With a few adjustments, it could become a valuable source of traffic and conversions.
We first suggested revisiting the keyword strategy to better align with user intent, which would set the stage for optimizing those pages.
The audit also identified a few quick wins on the technical side, particularly in Schema markup.
Rather than marking up everything on the site, being strategic about which Schema to implement is key.
For instance, if you’re a SaaS product with excellent reviews, using Review Schema is essential. Our client had several opportunities to use this Schema to enhance their content.
Developing an improved strategy that considers these shifts
The client needs to rethink their strategy, though the details aren’t fully clear yet, despite some initial ideas.
One option is focusing on user-generated content (UGC). Reddit thrives on UGC and Google seems to favor it.
However, UGC is not enough for the client to compete with Reddit. It should be part of the strategy, but not the main tactic.
Another option is diversifying the keyword strategy. While expanding into less competitive search terms where Reddit and AI-generated content don’t dominate might help, it’s a short-term fix.
Even though I’m skeptical about AI hype, it’s clear AIO isn’t going away and may actually become more prominent.
The real question is whether this shift is good or bad for users and companies. Ultimately, any strategy must account for how search is evolving.
As AI plays a bigger role in the early stages of the user journey, our client – and others – will need to rethink the kind of content they produce.
Whether AIO guides searchers or they directly use chatbots like ChatGPT, many will only reach your website during the decision stage. This changes how we approach strategy and SEO overall.
While targeting commercial keywords remains important, the focus will shift more toward building a brand and creating diverse content, like video, to rank in video SERPs and on YouTube.
Some of the content that’s lost rankings for our client could perform well in video format.
I don’t see these changes as negative. Relying solely on Google was never a good strategy.
Now, strategies must go beyond SEO and integrate with broader digital marketing efforts. As someone who values full-stack marketers, I believe this shift opens up exciting opportunities.
Dig deeper: Search everywhere optimization: 7 platforms SEOs need to optimize for beyond Google
Closely measuring AIO and rethinking SEO KPIs
Our client already ranks in AIO for some terms, but we can’t measure the impact on CTR since it’s not trackable in GSC or GA4 – and likely never will be.
According to Liz Reid, the Head of Google Search:
“And we see that the links included in AI Overviews get more clicks than if the page had appeared as a traditional web listing for that query.”
This may or may not be true overall. We know our client was losing clicks and that AIO clicks are, in any case, a different user experience.
Measuring AIO clicks has been a gray area, but it’s crucial to address.
We recommended expanding the client’s SEO tech stack to include platforms that help with tracking.
While they currently use Ahrefs, which doesn’t yet support AIO tracking (though it likely will soon), switching to a tool like Semrush would be a logistical challenge for such a large site. Instead, we suggested supplementing with ZipTie.
However, measurement goes beyond tools – it’s about rethinking KPIs.
While traffic, conversions and revenue remain important, brand KPIs and micro conversions are needed now more than ever.
With search and data privacy changes, tracking every click isn’t feasible.
Building brand resilience and focusing on smaller touchpoints, like newsletter signups and engagement rates, can help fill the gap. As the market evolves, so must our KPIs.
Contributing authors are invited to create content for Search Engine Land and are chosen for their expertise and contribution to the search community. Our contributors work under the oversight of the editorial staff and contributions are checked for quality and relevance to our readers. The opinions they express are their own.