Algorithm Recovery Services
All ServicesThere is nothing quite like the sinking feeling of checking your analytics and seeing a cliff-edge drop. One day you’re flying high on Page 1; the next, you’re nowhere to be found. If your traffic has tanked overnight, chances are you’ve been caught in the crossfire of a Google Algorithm Update.
Don’t panic. It feels like a disaster, but it’s usually fixable. Whether you’ve been slapped with a manual penalty or just lost out in a “Core Update” shuffle, the team at Platform81 can help you pick up the pieces and get your business back on track.
Diagnosing the drop
The first step is to stop guessing. Did you lose traffic because of a technical glitch, a seasonal dip, or did Google actually move the goalposts? We start by conducting a forensic audit of your site and your traffic data.
We look at exactly when the drop happened and cross-reference it with known Google updates (like the Helpful Content Update, Spam Updates, or Core Updates). We dig deep to find the root cause—whether it’s “thin” content that Google now deems useless, a backlink profile that looks a bit dodgy, or technical errors that are tripping up the crawlers. We get to the bottom of why Google has fallen out of love with your site.
The cleanup operation
Once we know what went wrong, we roll up our sleeves and get to work. This isn’t about quick hacks; it’s about doing the hard graft to prove to Google that your site deserves to rank.
If it’s a content issue, we’ll identify the pages that are dragging you down and either improve, consolidate, or prune them. If it’s a toxic backlink problem—maybe a previous agency bought some cheap, nasty links—we’ll perform a comprehensive link audit and manage the “disavow” process to distance your site from the bad neighbourhoods of the web. We clean the slate so recovery can begin.
Manual Actions vs. Algorithmic Shifts
There are two ways to get hit. A “Manual Action” is when a human at Google has physically pressed a button to penalise your site (usually for breaking the rules). An “Algorithmic Shift” is when the computer code changes, and your site simply doesn’t fit the new criteria for quality.
We handle both. Manual actions require a specific, formal request to Google (a Reconsideration Request) where we have to admit the fault and prove we’ve fixed it. Algorithmic drops require a strategic pivot to align with what the AI now wants. We know the protocol for both, ensuring we take the right path to get you out of the penalty box.
Building back stronger
Recovery rarely happens overnight. It’s a bit like healing a broken leg; you have to walk before you can run. We set realistic expectations and monitor the “green shoots” of recovery.
But we don’t just want to get you back to where you were; we want to future-proof you against the next update. We implement “White Hat” strategies that focus on genuine quality and user experience. By building a site that truly serves your customers, we make you much harder to knock off the top spot next time Google decides to tweak its code.
How can Platform81 help?
We’ve seen it all before. We’ve helped businesses recover from the scary “Penguin” and “Panda” updates of the past, right through to the modern “Helpful Content” shake-ups.
At Platform81, we don’t judge how you got into this mess—we just focus on getting you out of it. We provide a calm, structured roadmap to recovery. We handle the stressful communication with Google (if needed) and the technical heavy lifting, giving you the peace of mind that experts are fighting your corner to restore your rankings and your revenue.
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Algorithm Recovery FAQ
My traffic dropped 50% overnight. Is my business finished?
No, absolutely not. It’s a major setback, and it’s frightening, but it is rarely fatal. We have seen sites recover from massive drops to reach new heights. It requires patience and the right strategy, but “dead” websites can almost always be revived if the business behind them is legitimate.
How long does recovery take?
We’ll be honest: it’s not a quick fix. If it’s a manual penalty, it might take a few weeks to get the ban lifted, and then months to regain trust. If it’s an algorithmic core update, you sometimes have to wait until the next core update (which happens every few months) for Google to reassess your site and see the improvements. Anyone promising a 24-hour fix is telling porkies.
What is a 'Toxic Backlink'?
In the old days, people used to buy links from dodgy websites to trick Google. Now, Google is wise to it. A toxic link is a link from a spammy, irrelevant, or low-quality site. If you have too many of these pointing at you, Google thinks you’re trying to cheat. We use specialist tools to find these and tell Google to ignore them.
I haven't changed anything on my site, so why did I drop?
That’s often the problem! The web moves fast. What Google considered “good” three years ago might be considered “outdated” or “thin” today. Even if you haven’t done anything wrong, your competitors might have just done things better, or Google’s standards for “quality” have risen. Standing still is the same as moving backwards.
Can you guarantee I’ll get my Number 1 spot back?
No ethical SEO agency can guarantee a specific ranking, especially after a penalty. Google’s algorithm is a black box. What we can guarantee is that we will follow the recovery guidelines to the letter, remove the toxic elements, and put your site in the best possible position to climb back up.
What is the 'Helpful Content Update'?
This is a big recent change where Google started punishing sites that were written just to get clicks, rather than to help people. If your content is fluffy, repetitive, or doesn’t actually answer the user’s question, you might get hit. We fix this by injecting real expertise and value back into your pages.
Should I just delete my website and start a new one?
This is the “nuclear option” and is rarely necessary. Plus, starting a new domain means you lose all the history and authority you did build up over the years. It’s usually better to fix the house you have than to bulldoze it and sleep in a tent. We’ll only suggest a new domain in the most extreme, unrecoverable circumstances.
How do I stop this happening again?
Stick to the rules. Avoid “get rich quick” SEO tactics, buying links, or using AI to spam thousands of pages. We focus on sustainable, long-term SEO strategies. If you build a brand that users genuinely love and trust, Google will generally love you too.