Whenever Google updates their rankings, it seems inevitable that some websites will drop in rankings. To the afflicted webmaster, the news couldn’t be more devastating. These drops in Google are becoming much more commonplace, especially for low PageRank websites. Let’s take a look at what could be causing such drops, and how they can be fixed.

The problem can be caused by an error on your part. There’s no reason to adopt the mindset that you couldn’t have made a mistake. We’re all humans, and it can happen to any of us at any time. At the same time, don’t naturally assume your drop in Google rankings is something you did. It might be a glitch. Google is very good at what they do, but not infallible. They can make a mistake also.

The key is to strike a balance between not being nervous and not becoming complacent. You can be dropped from rankings for a long time, depending on what may have cause your issue in the first place. These days, Google Webmaster Tools is your friend.

Don’t forget the basics. There’s no need to suspect a vast conspiracy, the answer might be much closer to home.

Here a few things to check for when your Google rankings drop.

1) Do you still rank for anything? If you don’t even rank for your own domain name, you might be penalized. This isn’t always true, but can be an indicator. Check the site command and see if you have any pages still indexed. If not, you’re probably penalized. If you still have pages, your issue might be much simpler.

2) Check your backlinks. Has a major backlink dropped off? If so, you may have found your answer. In any event, you could very well have a problem with your link profile. Now would be the time to begin addressing the issue.

3) Does your web page suck? I know this is a very difficult question for any of us to answer. When a website makes us money, we tend to love that page, regardless of what others may think. It’s tough to be objective about our own work, but perhaps the quality of your page is not competing with others? Take a good hard look and see if you can make improvements.

4) Is your website new? If your website is younger than six months, than dropping out of the SERPs might just become a common occurrence. Don’t be alarmed. Double check your efforts, continue on with any link-building campaigns, and don’t get discouraged. A temporary down period is all just part of the game.

5) Have you been cheating? Perhaps you’ve been caught. Clean up, submit a re-inclusion request and hope for the best.

6) Adopt a winning attitude. Notice that is “winning” not “whining.” Whining can’t help, and nobody in this entire world except maybe your mommy even gives a shit about your search rankings. So you might as well toughen up and get to work. Google doesn’t owe you traffic and if they stop sending it one day it’s up to you to save the day. Focus on the long term and bring your website back.

If you have been “putting all your eggs in one basket” like many online marketers, you’ll be in huge trouble if you go “kaput” in the Big G. If you’re diversified, your emotions promise to be well balanced. Google seems to be very touchy these days, so just relax if you’ve experienced a drop. Analyze what wrong and develop a game plan for recovery.

You’ll be back on top in not time.