The 8-Step Recovery Playbook · Google Algorithm Update

Same checklist KD Digital runs on 28 retainer accounts after every confirmed Google algorithm update.

Step 1

Confirm the timeline against Google Search Status Dashboard

Don't act on a suspected update until you've checked the dashboard. Industry trackers (Mozcast, SEMrush Sensor, AccuRanker GRUMP) are a soft proxy if Google hasn't confirmed yet.

Check status.search.google.com for confirmed incident
Note start + end dates
Cross-check 3 industry volatility trackers
Document soft-confirmation status

Step 2

Identify affected pages

In GSC Performance, set "compare" date range — 28 days before update vs 28 days after. Sort by clicks-delta descending. Top 20-50 losers = your priority work-queue.

GSC Performance: 28-day before vs after compare
Sort by clicks-delta descending
Export top 50 losers as CSV
Save as priority work-queue

Step 3

Audit E-E-A-T signals page-by-page

For each top-loser page, ask: Experience (first-hand?), Expertise (qualified author byline?), Authoritativeness (recognized source?), Trustworthiness (claims sourced?). Pages failing 2+ are at risk in every future core update.

Real first-hand experience signals present
Author byline + credible bio
Inbound authority links exist
Claims sourced + statistics cited
Clear About + contact info

Step 4

Check Core Web Vitals (LCP < 2.5s, INP < 200ms, CLS < 0.1)

PageSpeed Insights field data (NOT lab data). Fix LCP first (largest image, modern format, preload). Then INP (break up long JS tasks). Then CLS (set explicit image dimensions).

LCP under 2.5s on field data
INP under 200ms on field data
CLS under 0.1 on field data
WebP/AVIF on hero image
Preload directive on LCP element

Step 5

Update stale content with substantive changes

Substantive = new data, new examples, new sections, new images, new perspective. NOT cosmetic date bumps. Pick top 5-10 stale pages, 2 hours each, ship by week 2.

5-10 priority pages selected
Each gets new substantive content
"Last meaningfully updated" line added
Specific changes documented in revision log

Step 6

Add specific, unique value

For each priority page, add at least one of: original data point, named-expert quote, first-hand example with numbers, custom diagram, reproducible step-by-step. Generic content keeps losing every cycle.

Original data point added
Named-expert quote added
First-hand example with specifics
Custom diagram or visualization
Reproducible step-by-step

Step 7

Remove thin or duplicate pages — consolidate, don't delete

Merge competing posts into the strongest, 301 the weaker ones, keep all unique content in the consolidated version. 80 mediocre posts merging into 30 strong ones typically lifts the whole site within 60-90 days.

Identify clusters of overlapping posts
Merge into the strongest version
301 redirect deprecated URLs
Update internal links to consolidated URL

Step 8

Improve user engagement (jump links, expandable sections, summaries)

Engagement signals are quality tiebreakers. Every priority page needs: jump-link TOC, section summaries, expandable deep-dives, clear CTAs that don't interrupt flow, internal links in natural reading paths.

Jump-link table of contents at top
Section summaries respect reader time
Expandable sections for deep-dive material
Clear CTAs that don't interrupt flow
Internal links within reading paths