Checking your Google Search Console to find a graph that looks like a steep cliff is a heart-sinking moment for any business owner. Whether it was a Core Update or a sudden shift in how Google perceives 'helpful content', the reality is the same: your phone stops ringing and your lead flow dries up.
In the Brisbane market, where competition for local services is fiercer than ever, waiting for a 'miracle recovery' isn't an option. Today, we’re looking at the two most effective (and very different) ways to handle an algorithm hit. One involves a scalpel; the other involves a megaphone.
Strategy 1: The Tactical Content Purge
For many years, the advice was always "add more content." In 2026, Google has flipped the script. Often, the reason a site loses ranking isn't because it lacks information, but because it’s carrying too much 'dead weight'.
The Tactical Purge involves auditing every page on your site and asking: Does this actually help a human being?
Why this works for service-based businesses
If you’re a plumber in Chermside or an accountant in the CBD, you might have dozens of old blog posts from 2018 that are 300 words long and offer no real value. Google sees these as low-effort. By deleting or consolidating these thin pages, you concentrate your 'ranking power' into your most important service pages.Before you start deleting, it is vital to understand basic SEO fundamentals to ensure you aren't accidentally removing pages that actually assist your conversion funnel.
Actionable Step: Identify pages with zero visits over the last six months. If they don't serve a legal or vital brand purpose, redirect them to a relevant category page or delete them entirely.
Strategy 2: The Authority Pivot (The 'E-E-A-T' Boost)
If your content is already high quality but you still saw a dip, you likely have an 'Authority' problem. Google might not trust you as much as it used to compared to your competitors.
Instead of changing what is on your site, the Authority Pivot focuses on proving who is behind the site. This is particularly important for 'Your Money or Your Life' (YMYL) industries like finance, health, and law.
How to execute the pivot:
1. Author Bios: Don't post as 'Admin'. Use real names, photos, and links to LinkedIn profiles of your Brisbane-based experts. 2. Local Citations: Ensure your business details are identical across the web. Discrepancies in your address or phone number can trigger trust issues. 3. Audit Your Technical Health: Sometimes a 'content' hit is actually a technical frustration. If your site is sluggish or buggy, Google’s bots may struggle to crawl you. Avoid common technical performance mistakes that might be holding your recovery back.Which approach is right for you?
Choosing between these two depends on your specific data.
Choose the Purge if: You have thousands of pages, high bounce rates, and a lot of AI-generated or 'filler' content that hasn't aged well. Choose the Pivot if: Your content is written by experts and is genuinely helpful, but you lack external backlinks and clear 'signals' of who your experts are.
In many cases, the most resilient Brisbane businesses use a hybrid approach. They clean up the 'clutter' while simultaneously doubling down on their local reputation.
The 'Don't Panic' Checklist
If you've been hit, do these three things this week: 1. Wait for the rollout to finish: Google updates can take 14 days to settle. Don't make drastic changes on day two. 2. Check your 'Information Gain': Does your content say something new, or is it just a rehash of what's already on page one? If you're just repeating others, you're vulnerable. 3. Look at the winners: See who moved up into your spot. Are they more local? Do they have more reviews? Use a strategy of analysing market leaders to see what Google is currently rewarding in your specific niche.
Conclusion
An algorithm hit isn't a death sentence; it’s a feedback loop. It’s Google telling you that the 'value-to-noise' ratio on your website has shifted. Whether you need to prune the garden with a content purge or build a stronger fence with an authority pivot, the goal remains the same: being the most helpful result for your local customers.
Feeling overwhelmed by the technical jargon and shifting rankings? You don't have to navigate the recovery alone. At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses turn search engine setbacks into growth opportunities. Contact us today for a strategy session to get your rankings back on track.