‹ View all blog articles

Why Has My Website Traffic Dropped? Key Reasons & How to Recover

Updated: Apr 28, 2025

Author:

Are you concerned that your website traffic has suddenly dropped? This can be alarming, but the good news is, most causes can be identified—and many can be fixed.

Before you panic, check your Google Analytics or GA4 dashboard and confirm whether there truly has been a drop. See which sources (e.g., Organic Search, Direct, Referral, Social) have been affected. This will help you zero in on the most likely issue.

First, Confirm It's Not a Tracking Issue

If all sources are down together:

This often points to a problem with your Google Analytics tracking code or setup (e.g., tracking code removed, GA4 tag not firing, or issues after a site update).

Action:

Double-check your analytics settings, or ask your developer/digital agency for help ensuring your tracking is functioning properly.

Sudden Drop in Organic Traffic?

If your drop is mostly in Google organic traffic, these are the most common causes:

New Website (Website Redesign / Migration)

Have you recently:

Launched a new website design?
Moved to a platform like Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, or WordPress?

Potential issues:

  • Incorrect or missing 301 redirects (old URLs no longer point to new content).
  • Important pages accidentally removed or unpublished.
  • Robots.txt file blocking Google’s crawl.
  • Meta noindex tags accidentally left in place from staging or development.
  • Loss of on-page SEO optimizations (titles, meta descriptions, schema, internal links).

Action:

Act quickly—consult an SEO specialist for a post-launch audit and redirect mapping. The faster you address these issues, the better chance you have of recovering your rankings.

If none of the above applies to you, then the following may have impacted your traffic:

Website Hacked or Compromised

Symptoms:

  • Unusual notifications from Google Search Console.
  • Site flagged as harmful or removed from Google results.
  • Spammy pages or strange redirects appear on your site.

Action:

  • Immediately check Google Search Console for warnings or security alerts.
  • Contact your web developer or hosting provider for a thorough security audit.
  • Keep your website software, plugins, and themes updated—especially if using WordPress

Google Algorithm Updates

Google makes frequent changes to its search ranking algorithms.

Sometimes a big update (a “core update”) can suddenly affect your site’s rankings, even if you haven’t made changes.

Common risk factors:

  • On-site issues like duplicate or thin content, slow site speed, poor mobile experience.
  • Off-site issues such as unnatural/spammy backlinks.
  • Content that doesn’t match user intent or is outdated.

Action:

  • Review SEO best practices.
  • Monitor SEO news (e.g., Search Engine Journal, Google Search Central Blog).
  • Consider a professional SEO audit to identify and address issues.
  • Be patient—recovery from algorithmic drops can take weeks or months.

What Should You Do Next?

Quick Steps:

  • Validate Your Analytics: Ensure tracking is working and data is accurate.
  • Check Google Search Console: Look for notifications, warnings, or manual actions.
  • Review Recent Changes: Recall any recent redesigns, migrations, or technical updates.
  • Scan for Security Issues: Make sure your site hasn’t been hacked or compromised.
  • Contact SEO Experts: Time is critical—early action may minimize traffic and revenue loss.

Need Expert Help?

A sudden drop in website traffic can cost reputation and revenue. The sooner you diagnose and resolve the issue, the faster your traffic can recover. If you need a detailed SEO audit and personalized advice, contact Adhesion and let us help get your site—and your business—back on track.

Don't just take our word for it. See what our customers have to say:

  • "We have been working with Ricki-lee from Adhesion with our online marketing for a while now and I can tell you she is full of great ideas for getting people interested and contacting our business. In fact, Ricki-lee is now a very important part of our team, and I can't recommend her, and the team behind her, highly enough."

      Kevin Downing   June 2025

  • "I've really enjoyed working with Jen and Ryan from Adhesion! They've been very responsive and knowledgeable and have gone out of their way to help when I've needed campaigns setup in short notice. Highly recommend the team at Adhesion!!!"

      Karthik Hariharan   May 2025

  • "Very efficient in getting a result."

      Oksana Fediuk   May 2025

  • "We've been with Adhesion for a couple of years now, and they've consistently provided prompt and reliable support. Thanks a lot team for your expert advice and exceptional service throughout this time. Our Google Ads have been performing much better in recent months, thanks to your hard work and dedication. Our recent experiences with Ricki-Lee and Jennifer have been fantastic—it’s such a relief to know that we can be in contact anytime we need. It truly feels personal. Thanks again, ladies! 😊"

      Sandeep Nagpal   May 2025

  • "I have been with Adhesion for a couple of years and I am very confident that they are working in my best interest. Peter Volkov communicates well with me and picks up concepts about my business quickly. I am doing well in my business as a result of Adhesion's commitment to their client. I previously had an unfortunate experience of working with a large company who promised the world, charged the earth and delivered nothing of value. The difference now is outstanding."

      Karen @ Child Behaviour Service   April 2025

  • "Peter has done a great job running my google ads - highly recommended."

      Alex Patten   April 2025

  • "Working with Adhesion I have found them to not only be very helpful but also reasonable and fair on pricing"

      Rita Patel-Kumar   April 2025

  • "After years of watching clients get burned by faceless agencies and one-person marketers who vanish overnight, finding Phillippa at Adhesion felt like a revelation."

      Alex Mann   April 2025

  • "Ricki-Lee was an amazing account manager. Always pro-active and looking for improvements to my campaign. Would highly recommend!"

      Chris   April 2025

  • "A huge thank you to Adhesion, and especially to Ricki-lee, for being an absolute rockstar with my ad campaigns! From the very start, she’s been incredibly responsive—always quick to answer any questions and on top of everything to make sure my ads are running smoothly. I love how creative she is, the way she puts the ads together is just perfect! She continuously monitors and optimizes them, making sure they perform at their best. If you're looking for someone who truly cares about your success and delivers amazing results, Ricki-lee is the one!"

      Picnique Queenstown   February 2025

  • "I've had the pleasure of working with the Adhesion team for years, and they have consistently provided professional and valuable services. The entire team is fantastic to work with, and Courteney, in particular, stands out for her attentiveness and responsiveness. Her keen attention to detail and dedication to delivering top-quality service have greatly benefited our projects. I highly recommend Adhesion for their expertise, reliability, and outstanding customer support."

      Frank Krieger   January 2025

  • "Adhesion, Jen & Court have taken our online marketing strategy from strength to strength over the many years we have been using them for Gordon Harris. Courteney is an absolute star! Their knowledge is deep and broad, keeping us up to date with the latest opportunities to make our campaigns work better. Highly recommend."

      Laura Budd   January 2025

  • "I worked with Reuben @ Adhesion through a previous business which was sold and a new start up business of mine. Very prompt at setting up new campaigns, sorting issues and implementing changes. Nothing was ever an issue and all campaigns delivered acceptable results. Would recommend to any small business owner looking for a more personal agency."

      Kyle Simpson   December 2024

  • "We love working with the team at Adhesion, they did an outstanding job with our website—The Lodge at 58 North. Not only did they understand our unique needs as small business owners, but they also perfectly blended creativity and functionality, crafting a site that captures the spirit of our lodge while providing an intuitive, user-friendly experience for our guests. The team's attention to detail and expertise brought our vision to life, showcasing our lodge's unique charm and commitment to authentic experiences.The whole team is professional, highly responsive, and genuinely invested in our success—making us feel supported every step of the way. The result is a beautiful, functional website that reflects our lodge and makes it easy for visitors to explore, book, and get excited about their stay.We highly recommend the Adhesion Team—it's a joy to work with them!"

      Administrative Assistant   October 2024

  • "I would like to say that Reuben Nel from Adhesion has been of excellent assistance with our google words campaign. He has excellent knowledge and insight and could communicate that in an easy and understandable way. I would certainly recommend Reuben to you"

      Leave Calendar   October 2024

  • "We've been working with Courteney from Adhesion for a year now and it's one of the best business decisions we've made. The growth in online sales, as well as in-store referrals, is testament to Courteney’s expertise. Her communication is superb, she offers practical advice, and nothing is a problem. Highly recommend!"

      Velo Ronny's Bicycle Store   September 2024

  • "I have been using adhesion for about 2 months now and my ads and revenue has increased significantly, not too mention there customer service is 5 star. I will carry on working with this company and Rueben Thank you for great work. I highly recommend after using many different agency’s over the last 2 years in NZ and AU. Thanks Again James Roberts SPORTZONE"

      James   August 2024

Don't just take our word for it. See what our customers have to say:

"We have been working with Ricki-lee from Adhesion with our online marketing for a while now and I can tell you she is full of great ideas for getting people interested and contacting our business. In fact, Ricki-lee is now a very important part of our team, and I can't recommend her, and the team behind her, highly enough."
  Kevin Downing   June 2025

"I've really enjoyed working with Jen and Ryan from Adhesion! They've been very responsive and knowledgeable and have gone out of their way to help when I've needed campaigns setup in short notice. Highly recommend the team at Adhesion!!!"
  Karthik Hariharan   May 2025

"Very efficient in getting a result."
  Oksana Fediuk   May 2025

"We've been with Adhesion for a couple of years now, and they've consistently provided prompt and reliable support. Thanks a lot team for your expert advice and exceptional service throughout this time. Our Google Ads have been performing much better in recent months, thanks to your hard work and dedication. Our recent experiences with Ricki-Lee and Jennifer have been fantastic—it’s such a relief to know that we can be in contact anytime we need. It truly feels personal. Thanks again, ladies! 😊"
  Sandeep Nagpal   May 2025

"I have been with Adhesion for a couple of years and I am very confident that they are working in my best interest. Peter Volkov communicates well with me and picks up concepts about my business quickly. I am doing well in my business as a result of Adhesion's commitment to their client. I previously had an unfortunate experience of working with a large company who promised the world, charged the earth and delivered nothing of value. The difference now is outstanding."
  Karen @ Child Behaviour Service   April 2025

"Peter has done a great job running my google ads - highly recommended."
  Alex Patten   April 2025

"Working with Adhesion I have found them to not only be very helpful but also reasonable and fair on pricing"
  Rita Patel-Kumar   April 2025

"After years of watching clients get burned by faceless agencies and one-person marketers who vanish overnight, finding Phillippa at Adhesion felt like a revelation."
  Alex Mann   April 2025

"Ricki-Lee was an amazing account manager. Always pro-active and looking for improvements to my campaign. Would highly recommend!"
  Chris   April 2025

"A huge thank you to Adhesion, and especially to Ricki-lee, for being an absolute rockstar with my ad campaigns! From the very start, she’s been incredibly responsive—always quick to answer any questions and on top of everything to make sure my ads are running smoothly. I love how creative she is, the way she puts the ads together is just perfect! She continuously monitors and optimizes them, making sure they perform at their best. If you're looking for someone who truly cares about your success and delivers amazing results, Ricki-lee is the one!"
  Picnique Queenstown   February 2025

"I've had the pleasure of working with the Adhesion team for years, and they have consistently provided professional and valuable services. The entire team is fantastic to work with, and Courteney, in particular, stands out for her attentiveness and responsiveness. Her keen attention to detail and dedication to delivering top-quality service have greatly benefited our projects. I highly recommend Adhesion for their expertise, reliability, and outstanding customer support."
  Frank Krieger   January 2025

"Adhesion, Jen & Court have taken our online marketing strategy from strength to strength over the many years we have been using them for Gordon Harris. Courteney is an absolute star! Their knowledge is deep and broad, keeping us up to date with the latest opportunities to make our campaigns work better. Highly recommend."
  Laura Budd   January 2025

"I worked with Reuben @ Adhesion through a previous business which was sold and a new start up business of mine. Very prompt at setting up new campaigns, sorting issues and implementing changes. Nothing was ever an issue and all campaigns delivered acceptable results. Would recommend to any small business owner looking for a more personal agency."
  Kyle Simpson   December 2024

"We love working with the team at Adhesion, they did an outstanding job with our website—The Lodge at 58 North. Not only did they understand our unique needs as small business owners, but they also perfectly blended creativity and functionality, crafting a site that captures the spirit of our lodge while providing an intuitive, user-friendly experience for our guests. The team's attention to detail and expertise brought our vision to life, showcasing our lodge's unique charm and commitment to authentic experiences.The whole team is professional, highly responsive, and genuinely invested in our success—making us feel supported every step of the way. The result is a beautiful, functional website that reflects our lodge and makes it easy for visitors to explore, book, and get excited about their stay.We highly recommend the Adhesion Team—it's a joy to work with them!"
  Administrative Assistant   October 2024

"I would like to say that Reuben Nel from Adhesion has been of excellent assistance with our google words campaign. He has excellent knowledge and insight and could communicate that in an easy and understandable way. I would certainly recommend Reuben to you"
  Leave Calendar   October 2024

"We've been working with Courteney from Adhesion for a year now and it's one of the best business decisions we've made. The growth in online sales, as well as in-store referrals, is testament to Courteney’s expertise. Her communication is superb, she offers practical advice, and nothing is a problem. Highly recommend!"
  Velo Ronny's Bicycle Store   September 2024

"I have been using adhesion for about 2 months now and my ads and revenue has increased significantly, not too mention there customer service is 5 star. I will carry on working with this company and Rueben Thank you for great work. I highly recommend after using many different agency’s over the last 2 years in NZ and AU. Thanks Again James Roberts SPORTZONE"
  James   August 2024

See all Google Reviews for Adhesion