SEO Woes for UK Elder Care Startup and Traffic Plummet

General
1

A potential client recently presented me with a challenging issue.

This UK-based startup in elder care had secured top rankings (#1-3) for keywords related to care guides and other relevant content. However, following the November 2023 Google Algorithm update, they began noticing their rankings disappearing, only to reappear inconsistently. After reviewing the client’s SEMRush account, I observed erratic behavior where several keywords would hold the #1 spot for a few days, drop to 0, then bounce back to #1. This pattern persisted from December through February.

By March, however, their rankings disappeared entirely—no gradual decline, just a dramatic drop from #1 to completely unlisted.

After a thorough analysis of the domain, I’m at a standstill.

Key concerns:

  • Total loss of all keyword rankings.
  • Numerous toxic backlinks.
  • Suspicious links originating from random websites with queries like “bra for elder women” embedded in the URL. Many of these sites are either defunct or appear to be regular WordPress business websites that were hijacked to create spammy links.
  • The content is freshly written by cited experts, with regular updates to keep it relevant.
  • The website runs on WordPress CMS and is hosted on a clean IP via a shared SiteGround server.
  • No significant warnings or alerts were flagged in Webmaster Tools or Analytics.
  • The client insists no shady SEO practices were used—no PBNs, purchased links, or other unethical tactics. The CEO, who has a nursing background, began content creation in September after securing funding.

Additionally, there’s a significant amount of hotlinking of images from their site by toxic backlinks.

Considering this was a legitimate site with strong rankings before November, could I be overlooking something?

The client’s most urgent question is whether their domain might be flagged or shadowbanned by Google, and whether they should continue to invest in this domain or consider creating a new one.

As this situation is outside my usual experience, I would greatly appreciate any advice or suggestions on what to investigate next.

Thanks in advance!

2

I had something similar happen with a client’s site last year, and it was a nightmare. The erratic rankings and sudden drop could be due to those toxic backlinks. Google’s algorithm can be brutal with spammy links, even if they’re unintentional. You might want to disavow those sketchy links ASAP and clean up the site as much as possible.

As for shadowbanning, it’s rare but not impossible. Before considering a new domain, maybe give it one more shot with a thorough cleanup and see if things stabilize. Sometimes, Google just needs to be convinced the site’s legit again.

3

While it’s possible the domain is flagged or shadowbanned, the erratic ranking behavior and toxic backlinks suggest a more complex issue.