My website used to receive a few clicks every month without any promotion, but now it has stopped getting any clicks or search appearances according to the Google search console. I suspect that the increase in Russian spam comments may have led to spammy backlinks. While the Neilpatel tool shows around 90 backlinks, the Google search console does not reflect them. Should I disavow the backlinks shown on the Neilpatel site, or should I ignore them? What other factors could be contributing to the decline in website traffic? Thank you to those who provide answers to my question.
Google Search Console does not show all backlinks to a website. A third-party tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush may provide a more comprehensive view of backlinks, including those that are flagged as low-quality. While disavowing spammy backlinks detected by a tool like Neil Patel’s could be beneficial, it’s important to note that Google is more adept at identifying and filtering out spam than third-party tools. Google prioritizes indexing valuable links and avoiding spam, so worrying excessively about low-quality backlinks may not be necessary.
Other potential factors contributing to the decline in website traffic include:
- Algorithm Updates: Google frequently updates its search algorithm, which can impact website visibility and traffic.
- On-page SEO Issues: Problems with on-page optimization, such as poor content quality or outdated meta descriptions, can negatively affect search rankings.
- Competition: Increased competition in your niche can make it harder to rank for relevant keywords.
- Technical Issues: Website speed, mobile-friendliness, and broken links can also hinder SEO performance.
- Changes in User Behavior: Shifts in user search behavior can impact which websites rank highly.