The impact of Poor Macro Context on website rankings and how to fix it

This article was inspired by a recent post of Muhammad Hamid Khan

"Advice for website owners struggling to recover a website that has lost traffic."

https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7258765220641169408/

I encourage you to read it - it's pure gold.

?? Poor Macro Context

One part of that post grabbed my attention because it’s often forgotten:

?? Poor macro context of the website (central search intent).

?? What is Macro Context?

"Macro context" typically addresses the broad, high-level themes and topics a website covers, which should be in line with its core purpose (brand identity) and the central intent behind users' searches.

If a website has a poor macro context, its content is not cohesively reflecting a clear, central theme or entity that ties together the entire site.

This can result in poor performance because the search engine struggles to categorize and trust the website as authoritative on any specific topic.

?? Examples of Good and Bad Use of Macro Context on a Website

Imagine a website for a coffee distributor whose main business is selling different types of coffee, while also educating customers about coffee brewing methods and its health benefits. Here's how good and poor macro context might look for such a website:

? Good Macro Context:

The coffee distributor's website has a clear, central theme — coffee. All the site's content and structure are focused around this core topic:

• Product Pages: Each product page features different coffee beans, explaining their origin, flavor profiles, and how to brew them.
• Educational Content: The site includes blog posts or guides on how to brew the perfect espresso, the health benefits of coffee, and the differences between Arabica and Robusta beans.
• Related Products: The website sells accessories related to coffee, such as grinders and brewing machines, all of which are connected to the main topic — coffee.
• Brand Story: The brand’s identity emphasizes its expertise in sourcing the highest quality beans and helping customers appreciate coffee in all its forms.

In this example, the macro context is cohesive, with all parts of the website reinforcing the central entity (coffee) and satisfying the central search intent of users interested in learning about or buying coffee.

? Poor Macro Context:

Now, imagine the same website, but with the following issues:

• Unrelated Content: The website also has articles about completely unrelated topics, like “The Best Vacation Spots” or “How to Train for a Marathon,” without any connection to coffee. This dilutes the focus of the site.
• Random Product Offerings: Besides coffee, the website also sells kitchen appliances like blenders and toasters, which don’t connect directly to the main theme of coffee.
• Disorganized Content: The blog includes random posts on a wide variety of subjects (not just coffee-related ones), making it hard for search engines to determine what the website’s core focus is.

In this case, the website has poor macro context because it lacks a clear central theme. The search engine struggles to categorize it as an authority on coffee, as its content is scattered across unrelated topics. This makes it harder for the site to rank well for coffee-related queries.

?? Impact of Poor Macro Context in this case:

With poor macro context, the search engine might not understand if the website is about coffee, lifestyle, or kitchen appliances. This lack of clarity can result in lower rankings because the search engine cannot confidently match the site to relevant user queries about coffee.

Consequently, the website will likely perform poorly in search results for its intended core topics.

?? Connection Between Macro and Micro Semantics

While macro context focuses on the broad, high-level themes, micro semantics deals with how individual pieces of content are optimized.

For instance, on a coffee distributor’s site, the use of keywords related to coffee brewing in micro-level elements like headings, meta descriptions, and product descriptions should align with the macro context (coffee).

When the macro and micro semantics are mismatched (e.g., content includes unrelated micro-semantics like running shoes or vacation planning), it confuses search engines and weakens topical authority.

?? Why Should You Pay Attention to Central Search Intent?

Central search intent combines the central entity (main topic or theme, like a brand or niche focus) with the source context (how the brand or website provides value or monetizes its content).

If the macro context is unclear, it means the website isn’t effectively signaling to search engines what the site’s primary focus is, or how its content is relevant to the user's broad search intent.

This lack of clarity can stem from a website covering too many unrelated topics or not organizing its content around a clear, cohesive topical map.

?? Impact on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

Google's emphasis on E-E-A-T is another reason why a clear macro context is crucial.

A website that consistently covers coffee-related topics and provides high-quality, relevant content about coffee brewing techniques, product reviews, and health benefits will be seen as more authoritative in the eyes of Google.

On the other hand, a website with scattered topics will appear less trustworthy and authoritative, which can lead to ranking penalties.

Emphasize how maintaining a strong macro context directly supports a site's E-E-A-T, especially for YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) topics like health and wellness that might be associated with coffee.

?? Importance of Consistency in Brand Messaging

Another point to consider is how inconsistent brand messaging can dilute the macro context of a website.

If the coffee distributor's brand identity is built around artisanal, ethically-sourced coffee, but the website includes low-quality, mass-market kitchen appliances, this sends mixed signals not only to search engines but also to consumers.

Every piece of content, from product descriptions to blog posts and even ad campaigns, should align with the core brand values and strengthen the macro context.

Inconsistency here can confuse both users and algorithms, undermining the website’s authority and relevance.

?? Practical Steps for Improving Macro Context

You could suggest specific actions, such as:

• Conducting a content audit to identify irrelevant or poorly aligned content.
• Creating a topical map to organize content around the central entity.
• Ensuring that all pages, from blog posts to product descriptions, serve the overarching search intent.
• Using internal linking strategies to reinforce the relationship between different pieces of content within the same topical cluster.