Why is my WordPress site not ranking on Google anymore
I had a small business website on WordPress that was ranking on page 1 for my main keyword. About 2 months ago it completely dropped off. I didn't do anything to the site. I checked and there are no manual actions in Search Console. What could have happened?
1 Answer(s)
This is frustrating but it happens more often than you'd think. Since there's no manual action, it's almost certainly an algorithm update or a technical issue. Let me walk you through what to check.
First, go to Google Search Console and check the Performance report. Look for any significant drops in clicks around 2 months ago. Also check the Core Web Vitals report — Google's been using page experience as a ranking factor since 2021. If your Core Web Vitals got worse (slower LCP, higher CLS), that could tank your rankings.
Second, check if a competitor launched a better site or if Google changed the SERP features. Sometimes your ranking doesn't drop — it just gets pushed down because Google added a featured snippet, People Also Ask box, or local pack that takes up space.
Third, run a site audit using Screaming Frog or Ahrefs. Check for broken links, duplicate content, or thin pages. Also make sure your site is still mobile-friendly and loads fast.
Finally, check if your backlink profile got hit. Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to see if you lost any major referring domains. A bad link or a lost link can drop you fast.