Google just shook things up again. Has your ranking taken a hit?
If you’ve noticed changes in your SEO ranking, you’re definitely not alone. Digital marketing companies across world are reporting major fluctuations.
While Domain Authority (DA) isn’t a direct ranking factor in Google’s algorithm, it is a strong indicator of how healthy your site is. And with the latest update, a drop in DA might be your first sign that it’s time to tighten up your SEO strategy.
The Tegrity Marketing team has experienced this issue firsthand. We’ve figured out what has changed and what you can do about it. Let’s break down and discuss some SEO strategy and how to improve domain authority.
Ditch the Toxic Links
Your backlink profile has always been a major player in your site’s credibility, but with this latest update, Google is cracking down hard on spammy or low-quality links. If your site has backlinks from shady directories, irrelevant websites, or link farms, your domain authority is likely taking a hit.
Websites that went out and bought backlinks from disreputable companies have been impacted hard. Even websites who didn’t go out and buy links can still get smeared with toxic backlinks without even knowing it. That’s why analyzing backlink profiles is so important.
What You Need to Do:
Disavow toxic backlinks
Analyzing backlink profiles can be confusing. But an audit is your friend. Audit your website to see who is linking out to you. After the audit, send the document of shady URLs to Google Disavow Tool.
Confused about the process? Contact a digital marketing company like Tegrity Marketing to help you out.
Focus on quality over quantity
Earning links from high-authority sites in your niche is the way to bring home a win for your business. But how do you do it?
First, just ask! Reach out to a quality website that provides a similar service to you (but not a direct competitor) and simply ask for a backlink. Tell them that you’ll provide a backlink for them in return. From our experience, there’s nothing better than a little quid pro quo in the search for quality backlinks.
Second, make your content the true authority in your niche. When you provide high-quality content that is actually teaching the reader something, people will come for you for the latest info. And when they come to you to learn, they will link to your website as a trusted source.
Content Quality: AI Alone Won’t Cut It
This latest Google algorithm update is sending a strong message regarding AI and SEO: low-effort, 100% AI-generated content isn’t going to rank. If your site is full of generic, unoriginal content, expect your SEO ranking and domain authority to dip.
Let’s take a moment to break this down with the help of our experts at our digital marketing company.
When AI tools began hitting the market a few years ago, many marketers, companies, SEO managers, and the like saw it as a way to cut costs, cut employees, and get more value out of the services they provide.
And when you look at it from that perspective, it makes sense. AI tools do a decent job of writing coherent sentences and providing an informative overview of pretty much everything.
However, if everyone is using AI to create blogs, service pages, thought pieces, and more, is it actually providing the reader with new and valuable insights, or is it just regurgitating the same content over and over again? It doesn’t take a marketing genius to figure out that answer.
Let’s take this SEO strategy thought a bit further. If people can get all of the information they need from AI generators alone, they would no longer need Google and the search results it provides.
That’s exactly the reason Google has rolled out the latest algorithm update. The new update is rewarding websites that go above and beyond with the information and value they provide the reader.
So, when creating content, ask yourself, “Am I actually adding value for the reader? Am I providing more value than a basic AI query?”
If the answer is no, you need to make adjustments to improve your domain authority. That means using new and relevant statistics, real-world examples, and meaningful graphics in your content.
Now, we aren’t saying that you need to abandon AI, just adjust how you use it Here are some suggestions:
Use AI as a tool, not a replacement
AI-generated content should be a baseline—not the final product. It’s great for building outlines and first drafts.
Once it provides a baseline article, get in there and add unique insights, data, and human-driven value.
Don’t lose your critical thinking skills. Instead, use AI tools to help you think more critically. It’s during those moments when you can produce copy that makes you a true thought leader and improves your SEO rankings.
Boost your E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Websites with weak authorship are getting hit hard, and the domain authority is often the first to drop.
But what does weak authorship really mean? It means you aren’t showing the expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness in the content for your clients.
Our digital marketing company has some tips to boost your E-E-A-T. Tegrity Marketing recommends:
Listing real authors (not just "Admin")
If you’re a digital marketing company working with a local business, ask them directly to discuss some market insights.
Then, create a blog post or article based on what they had to say. Now, we already know your objection. You’re going to say that the business owners you work with don’t have time to write blog posts.
You’re right! Most small business owners are too busy to write an entire blog, so why not ghostwrite it for them and have them approve it. Once approved, list them as the author.
Adding quotes from experts (especially for service businesses)
Get some quotes right from the mouths of the professionals your digital marketing company is providing content for. Get those quotes integrated into the service pages with the help of your web designers. Make them “pop” and easy to read.
Relevant quotes draw the attention of readers and elevate your service page to a go-to source of relevant and useful information.
Making sure your content reflects actual expertise in the industry
This is where AI generators really fall short. Sure, they give the basic overview of services provided in almost any field, but they don’t offer professional insights from people who really know their stuff. It’s those professional insights that should be driving your SEO strategy.
Improved domain authority is all about making your content reflect your expertise. Show what you know and offer insights that your competitors don’t.
Tegrity Marketing is a leader in this approach. We’re already helping businesses like SlopePro strengthen their author signals by integrating more owner insights into their content.
If you’re in a competitive industry, like roofing, HVAC, or plumbing, these steps are absolutely necessary.
Page Speed & User Experience Are More Important Than Ever
Google isn’t just looking at what’s on your site—it’s evaluating how well your site functions. If your site is slow, clunky, or difficult to navigate, you’re going to feel the impact of the latest algorithm update.
Step one in how to improve your domain authority: Check your page speed. Slow-loading sites are getting penalized. Run a page speed test and optimize images, code, and server performance.
Next, optimize the user experience. Google is prioritizing sites that are easy to navigate. This means clear menus, intuitive layouts, and mobile-friendly designs.
Furthermore, focus on internal linking. Strong site maps signal easy to navigate websites.
So, what about user experience and engagement?
Even if you have great page speed, an easy-to-navigate website, and a strong backlink profile, Google is watching how users interact with your website. Poor engagement signals, like high bounce rates and low time-on-page, suggest to Google that your content isn’t valuable to the reader.
So, what can you do to improve user experience and engagement? At Tegrity Marketing, our digital marketing company has been taking these steps:
Analyze your top pages
Check bounce rates, time-on-page, and click-through rates of your lower ranking pages. These pages need a content and design refresh.
To create your optimization strategy for these low SEO ranking pages, take a look at your top performing pages. Ask yourself what you are doing on those pages that are keeping the user on the page, both in terms of content and design? Then, duplicate that strategy on your lower ranking pages.
Make your pages more engaging
For improving domain authority, It’s all about doing the little thing correctly. Continue focusing on improving readability, adding strong calls-to-action, and make sure your content is actually answering user questions. Fluff content isn’t going to cut it.
Adding Frequently Asked Questions sections that provide clear and concise answers to your landing page is a good starting point. It boosts your on-page SEO rankings and also sets you up for SERP snippets.
Test different headlines and layouts
Sometimes, small tweaks to a landing page can make a big difference in how long users stay on your site and its impact on your SEO rankings. Have your design and content team to work together. Schedule meetings to discuss how your designers can make your content “pop.”
Try different strategies. Instead of having your copywriters write the copy first then hand it off to design, maybe try having your designers build out the website wireframes first and your writers produce their content to fit their design.
Take the time to test out what works best for your team and their workflow.
What this means for your digital marketing strategy
This latest Google update makes one thing clear — businesses that adapt quickly will have a leg up in building domain authority. You need to be strategic. Now is the time to innovate in SEO, not follow the old strategies that are quickly becoming obsolete.
Tegrity Marketing has been tracking these changes and how they are impacting SEO rankings. We aren’t afraid to be innovators in SEO strategy, and we want to work with businesses that aren’t afraid of being great.
If your SEO rankings have dropped—or if you want to get ahead before they do—let’s set up a time to discuss your needs. We’ll audit your site, pinpoint problem areas, and develop a plan to strengthen your domain authority.
Your website deserves some Tegrity. Contact us today to get started.
