Discover & Diagnose

Why Did My Organic Traffic Change?

Interpret the change by metric, source and comparison window before deciding whether it is good, bad or only contextual.

Use the metric definition and semantic impact contract to distinguish beneficial movement, harmful movement and context-only change.

Connected workflow

From the current state to the next verified decision

You identify the metric's contract first - what direction means what for that specific metric - then read the change inside its source and observation window, then link the impact to an action. A rise in impressions with a falling position is not read as improvement, because the contract for each metric is applied separately rather than assuming that up is good.

  1. 1

    Identify the metric contract

    Confirm what the metric measures, its source and whether higher or lower is better.

  2. 2

    Read the change in context

    Compare the correct windows and keep context-only changes separate from performance verdicts.

  3. 3

    Open the pages, queries or findings behind the movement before deciding what to do.

A practical place to start

Check the metric source, direction contract and observation window before reading color or trend.

Take the next step

Start with the evidence this problem needs

Open the workflow or guidance that supplies the evidence for the next supported action.

Questions

What to know before you begin

What outcome does this solution support?

Use the metric definition and semantic impact contract to distinguish beneficial movement, harmful movement and context-only change.

What evidence should I review before I act?

Review these signals before choosing the next action: Metric-specific direction rules, Source and observation window, Positive, caution, negative, information or neutral impact.

What should I start with?

Check the metric source, direction contract and observation window before reading color or trend.

What are the evidence boundaries?

A direction alone is not a verdict; Novaverb does not label an unmeasured or context-only change as success.