#7 Recovering from Losing 80% of Your Traffic to a Google Update

In this episode of the Growth Machine Podcast Nat Eliason connects with Mike Colavita from Fat Buddha Glass. Mike heard about Nat on an Ecommerce Influence Podcast episode talking about recovering from the most recent Google Medic Update (2019). He implemented some of the tips discussed on the podcast to improve his website (after losing 89% of organic traffic). Links from the Episode Mentioned in the show Ecommerce Influence Podcast - Making A Comeback After The Google Medic Update with Nat Eliason [0:20] Austin Brawner  [0:21] Fat Buddha Glass [2:28] Ahrefs [5:21] Show Topics 2:40 – Mike describes the comfortable situation of Fat Buddha Glass, a glass pipes company founded after a hobby he shared with a friend of him. Ranking for important keywords (waterpipes, bongs, etc) and getting a lot of traffic from a lightly planned marketing campaign. How it was getting a hit from the last Google Medical Update.  4:30 – After the shock of the initial surprise, they started taking action, learning and improving the website. Step 1: Educating themselves. Step 2: in-depth SEO audit. Bad content = bad links. Getting rid of bad content and toxic backlinks. “People have problems paying for good writing, and that was us”. Step 3: Mindset, good content and paying for it. Voice and characteristics of good content. Domain authority score rising after the actions taken. 9:21 – How to evaluate bad links to disavow. Considering score and relevancy of the website linking back. Does it make sense a gardening website pointing to Fat Buddha Glass?  10:56 – Reading all articles and copy, pruning old content. New and better content through investing in industry-experienced writers. Finding good writers for this specific niche. 14:10 – Conversion rate. Structure of the website. Adding internal linking. Making people go from reading the blog to the product page. Goal: answer questions people have. Linking back to collections pages. 16:38 – “At the time we though the Google Update punch was the worst thing it could happen to us. Now that we are moving forward we feel it’s the best thing that had happened”. Future actions: adding product and “how to” videos. Improving the About Us page making people relate more to the founders.  18:34 – Good reasons to include video. Benefits: 1) keep people on the site, 2) double ranking on Google AND on YouTube. How working in a guitar retail store influenced Mike’s decision to invest in video. 20:48 – Getting friends and family audit the website. Feedback and AB testing. Finding out navigation was not optimal and reducing sessions. Contact Mike through email mike@fatbud.com or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fatbuddhaglass/  

2356 232

Suggested Podcasts

Chris Rocchio and Amanda Rocchio

Fire and Water Podcast Network

Benjamin Light and Marco Sparks

Mandi Gray and Marcus Benson

Greg Bishop

Muslim Central

Tyler and Jimmy: Off-Road Enthusiasts

Soumyadip Amin

Mohan The Storyteller