"We recently added 200 new content pages, which resulted in a significant increase in leads. Encouraged by this success, we created an additional 695 pages targeting very specific keywords, which further boosted our website traffic. In an effort to optimize our SEO, I reorganized our URLs to a more logical structure, but this unfortunately led to a decrease in traffic and indexing errors in Google Search Console.While one directory has been fixed, the largest one still has over 900 URLs awaiting validation after four days, with some errors still appearing. Our traffic has decreased, and I am eager to resolve this issue.
I am wondering how long the validation process typically takes in Google Search Console. Do you have any advice on steps we can take while waiting for validation? Our business was thriving, but now it has come to a halt with no leads for over a week.
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It’s normal to experience a drop in traffic after a major URL restructure. Google needs time to crawl and re-index your updated website. While waiting for validation in Google Search Console, consider these tips to help recover your traffic:
- Patience is Key: Google Search Console validation can take time, especially with a large number of URLs. Allow ample time for Google to re-crawl and index your updated site.
- Submit Sitemap: Ensure your sitemap is up-to-date and submitted to Google Search Console. This will help Google discover and index your new URLs.
- Check for 301 Redirects: Verify that all your old URLs have proper 301 redirects pointing to the new ones.
- Monitor Search Console: Regularly monitor your Search Console for any errors or warnings. Address these issues promptly to ensure smooth indexing.
- Internal Linking: Review your internal linking structure, ensuring that relevant pages are interconnected and pointing to the new URLs.
- Content Quality: Make sure your content is high-quality, relevant, and optimized for the new URLs.
- Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor your traffic and search engine rankings. If you notice any persistent issues, you can adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.
While the wait for full re-indexing can be frustrating, focusing on these steps can help accelerate the process and minimize the impact on your traffic. Remember, consistency and patience are key to recovering from a URL restructure.