Google Rich Information Snippets Can Sometimes Hinder Organic SEO Efforts

An SEO marketer noticed that they have lost traffic, and they think it is due to Google Snippets. They worked hard in order to move niche site articles from the fifth spot on SERPs to the second on mobile search and the fourth on desktop searches. They answered with detailed information, using a numbered list. They were ranked as number one for that term. This person was happy and getting traffic. They ranked for a term with a Snippet such as, "top shoes to buy on Amazon."

Later, they optimized their niche site more with a more specific Snippet, such as "top three selling Amazon shoes." A few days after making that change, they lost ranking for that featured Snippet. They lost it to a competitor whose listicle was not as detailed as theirs. They want to know what went wrong with their content or the Google algorithm. They wondered if the bot may have been confused about their answer.

The person did explain that is how they lost their rank. They noted that they are still in the top three and trying to recapture their first spot. They are experimenting with different optimization options. This marketer wanted to know if anything similar had happened to anyone else, and if so, what they did in order to recover their ranking.

One person replied with an idea that including the number "3" in the title may have made the content too specific. Someone else guessed that it was using the word "buy" versus the word "selling." The word "buy" refers to what a customer does, and the word "selling" is closer to what a vendor or Amazon shop owner would do. The consumer does not care about which shoes are selling quickly on Amazon. They want to know which shoes are the best ones to buy.

A few other people had comments to share. One suggested that the original poster revert it back. They think this will get their Snippet back to where they want it and restore their level of traffic. Several people agreed that doing this should work quickly. For more information click here https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/hnc0ks/seogonewronghowilosttrafficwithsnippets/.