Usually because something broke, not because Google changed its mind about you. Most sudden drops we see come down to an expired domain or hosting plan, a site that is down, a setting that told Google to stop listing it, a lapsed security certificate or a hack. Rule those out before blaming a Google update.

Check the simple causes first

Any one of these can remove a site from search results on its own.

Domain name and hosting. Check that both are paid up. An expired domain stops the website and the email together, so if emails are also bouncing, this is it.
Is the site up? Open it on your phone using mobile data, not the office Wi Fi. If it is down or very slow, Google has noticed.
The noindex setting. This is a single tick box in most website systems that tells Google not to list the site, and plugin updates have been known to switch it on.
The security certificate. If browsers show a warning before the site loads, the SSL certificate (the padlock) has lapsed, and Google will not send people to a page that scares them.
Signs of a hack. Search for your business name and look for pages you did not create, often selling pharmaceuticals or designer goods.

What Google Search Console tells you

Google Search Console is a free service that reports on how Google sees your site. If you do not have it connected, set it up now, because it is the only place Google tells you directly what is wrong. Three sections matter.

Pages shows how many of your pages Google has listed and gives a reason for every page it has not. A sudden swing to “excluded by noindex tag” or “server error” points straight at a technical fault.

Manual actions is where Google tells you if a person has penalised the site. For an ordinary small business this is nearly always empty.

Security issues is where Google reports malware or hacked content. Anything here needs fixing before the rankings will move.

A quick test anyone can do

Type the following into Google, replacing the example with your own domain.

site:yourbusiness.com.au

If Google lists your pages, you have a drop in position, not a removal. If it lists nothing, the site has been removed or blocked. If it lists pages you do not recognise, it has been hacked.

Technical problem or Google update

A technical fault looks like a cliff. Clicks fall to nothing within a day or two, every page is affected, and Search Console shows errors. A Google update looks like a slope. Clicks fall over a week or two, some pages hold while others slide, and nothing in Search Console is red. Google publishes a list of its major updates, and if the timing lines up with your drop and nothing technical is wrong, that is your answer.

What to do next

Fix the technical causes first, because recovery is usually complete. Once the fault is repaired, use the “validate fix” button in Search Console and expect positions to return over one to three weeks. Keeping the domain, hosting, certificate and updates in hand is what our website care and hosting service is for.

If the checks come back clean and the drop matches a Google update, there is no switch to flick. Recovery means improving the pages that fell, which is slower work covered by our SEO services. Be wary of anyone who promises a return to the top in days.

How long does it take to get back on Google after fixing a problem?
Usually one to three weeks for a technical fix, once Google has recrawled the pages. Recovering from an update can take months.

Is my website gone forever?
No. Google does not delete sites. Pages that were removed come back once the cause is fixed and Google recrawls them.

Should I pay someone who emailed me offering to fix it?
No. Unsolicited emails claiming your site has a problem are nearly always a scam. Check Search Console yourself.

If this is happening in your business and you would like it sorted, call DM1 on (08) 6202 6012 or send us a message. We look after IT, Microsoft 365, websites and domain names for Perth small businesses.