Sitemap > 404 plus impressions dropped to close to zero

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • Plugin Support Jeremy

    (@jeremrm)

    1 month ago

    Hi @in3ba,

    Thank you for reaching out.

    1. From your description, it looks like your sitemap is being cached intermittently. Please try the following steps to resolve it:

      add_filter( 'rank_math/sitemap/enable_caching', '__return_false');

      Guide: https://rankmath.com/kb/wordpress-hooks-actions-filters/

      If the issue persists, please share a screenshot of the specific sitemap error in GSC.

      2. The drop in impressions is unrelated to the sitemap issue. Sitemaps only help Google discover URLs. Ranking fluctuations are often caused by Google algorithm updates or competition. You can learn more here:

        We hope this helps!

        Thread Starter in3ba

        (@in3ba)

        1 month ago

        Thanks a bunch for the helpful infos and links, Jeremy.

        Re. the sitemap. Towards the end of last week (after posting here), I discovered that the error_log showed several infinite loops and was advised to look for other .httacess files besides the one in the main website folder. There was one 2 levels above. Yikes, prob a manual error.

        Deleted that file, deleted the (one) sitemap in GSC and resubmitted. All‘s been and stayed green so far. Didn’t want to change too much at once to follow what‘s actually doing what.

        But I’ll circle back to your lines here and take next steps if and when needed…

        Thanks again!
        Inge

        Plugin Support Jeremy

        (@jeremrm)

        1 month ago

        Hello @in3ba,

        Glad to hear everything’s been running smoothly.

        You’re absolutely right to take it step by step. Please keep an eye on it, and if the issue resurfaces or you notice any other sitemap irregularities, feel free to reach back out anytime.

        Thank you.

        Thread Starter in3ba

        (@in3ba)

        3 weeks, 3 days ago

        Hello @jeremrm,

        An update. It looks like the sitemap issue is resolved. I get something like a green bar feeling when I look at GSC and the error log has remained empty, too. I’ve now bookmarked this thread to have quick access to your suggestions above should problems resurface. Thanks again.

        Re. the sudden drop in impressions. Yes, there was a Google update 2 days after switching to Slim SEO (what bad timing that experiment of mine turned out to be). But I’m still not convinced that was the cause. It’s a small site about UX, Content Design, and Usability. Why would Google crash a niche website like that?! Furthermore, the 2 plugins seem to organize information differently, starting with how the sitemap is actually named. But this is just a gut feeling, and I could be entirely wrong.

        The past few months, AI Overviews have had an impact on impressions and clicks. However, the drop for my website was Dec 24, so quite a while before this big change. I’ve been in touch with other bloggers; some are now more affected than others. I continued publishing content every week until July 25 but have now taken a break. I’ll see if I pick it up again…

        Thanks a bunch for your support!
        Inge

        Plugin Support Jeremy

        (@jeremrm)

        3 weeks, 2 days ago

        Hello @in3ba,

        I’s completely understandable to question the timing, but switching SEO plugins does not directly cause ranking loss or penalties. Google focuses on the content and overall site signals, not which plugin is generating the metadata. The December drop aligns much more closely with the core update at the time, which impacted many smaller niche sites across the board.

        Even if impressions remain low, continuing to publish helpful, topic-focused content and updating older articles can gradually restore visibility as Google recalibrates.

        Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any other questions.

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