?? How We Recovered Rankings After a Negative SEO Attack

In the highly competitive website and app development niche, one of our long-term SEO projects faced an unexpected challenge—a CTR manipulation attack by a competitor. Here’s how we tackled the issue and got back on track:

The Challenge

For over 8–10 months, the project enjoyed consistent rankings and traffic growth, even during Google’s algorithm updates. But in September, we noticed:

• A sudden drop in traffic and keyword rankings.
• Contradictory Google Search Console (GSC) data showing increased clicks and impressions.

Initially, we attributed this to continuous Google updates, expecting stabilization. However, the trend persisted into October, requiring immediate action.

Our Investigation

A deeper audit revealed:

• Keyword Manipulation: Targeted keywords combined with competitor names, creating misleading CTR signals.
• These false signals distorted metrics while harming our rankings.

This was a clear Negative SEO tactic designed to disrupt our progress.

Our Recovery Strategy

?? Identifying the Source We tracked down the tools responsible for the manipulation, revoked their influence, and reported the activity.

?? Reinforcing On-Page SEO We made significant updates to the site’s user experience (UX) and optimized content for better relevance and authority.

?? Rebuilding Trust Signals Using a combination of content refreshes and high-quality link building, we focused on restoring organic rankings.

The Results

After implementing these measures, we’re seeing:

• Steady recovery in keyword rankings.
• Positive growth in organic traffic.
• A stronger, more resilient SEO foundation.

Throughout the process, we ensured full transparency, keeping the client informed with weekly updates on our actions and progress.

Lessons Learned

?? Stay Vigilant: Monitor your data for unusual patterns that may indicate manipulation. ?? Act Quickly: Identify and address Negative SEO tactics early. ?? Communicate Clearly: Keeping clients in the loop is essential during recovery efforts. ?? Build Resilience: Challenges like this prove the value of strategic and consistent SEO efforts.

?? Facing SEO Challenges? Let’s Talk!

If your website has been impacted by Negative SEO or needs a growth boost, we can help you turn things around. ??

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