By Shad Super in Questions —

What Steps Should Be Taken if There Is a Sudden Drop in the Number of External Links as Reported in GSC?

Summary

A sudden drop in the number of external links as reported in Google Search Console (GSC) can be concerning. To address this issue, one should perform an in-depth analysis including checking for manual actions, verifying site security, assessing changes in content management, and performing a comprehensive backlink audit. Below is a detailed guide on the steps to take.

Identify Manual Actions

The first step is to check whether Google has taken any manual action against your site.

  • Google Search Console Manual Actions: Navigate to the Manual Actions report in GSC to see if any penalties have been applied. Manual actions can significantly impact your backlink profile. Learn more about manual actions here.

Verify Site Security

Security breaches can result in a loss of backlinks.

  • Check for Hacking: Ensure that your site has not been compromised. Hacked sites can lose backlinks as other sites avoid linking to compromised content. Google provides a detailed guide on how to recover from hacking.
  • HTTPS Status: Verify that your SSL certificates are up-to-date and working correctly. Secure sites (HTTPS) are preferred by users and search engines alike. Learn more about the importance of HTTPS here.

Analyze Content and Site Changes

Recent changes to the site, such as content updates or structural modifications, can affect external links.

  • Content Review: Review recent content modifications to see if valuable content that attracted backlinks was removed or updated. Ensure that cornerstone content remains accessible and updated. A detailed approach to content review can be found here.
  • Site Architecture and URLs: Examine whether recent site reorganization or URL structure changes might have disrupted external links. Implement proper redirects to maintain backlink equity. More on URL structure best practices here.

A comprehensive backlink audit will help identify the sources of lost links and potential areas for recovery.

  • Backlink Analysis Tools: Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to audit your backlink profile. These tools can identify the backlinks you lost, their original sources, and the reasons they might have been removed. More on using these tools can be found here.
  • Reach Out to Webmasters: If high-quality backlinks have been lost, consider reaching out to the webmasters to understand why and see if re-establishing the links is possible. Tips on outreach can be found here.

Maintaining a healthy backlink profile is an ongoing process.

  • Regular Backlink Monitoring: Schedule regular checks on GSC and third-party tools for any significant changes in your backlink profiles. Learn effective backlink monitoring strategies here.
  • Quality Content Creation: Continuously create high-quality, link-worthy content to attract new backlinks naturally. Strategies for content marketing can be found here.

Conclusion

A sudden drop in external links in GSC requires coordinated efforts across multiple areas including site security, content management, and backlink audits. Identifying the root cause and taking corrective actions promptly will help in restoring and maintaining a healthy backlink profile.

References