in3ba

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