Mojo
The Google Update That Destroyed 4 of Their Websites: A Harsh Wake-Up Call in the World of SEO
By Mojo
If you’ve ever dabbled in SEO or run a website, you know the terrifying power Google holds over your online existence. One day, you’re ranking at the top of search results, watching traffic roll in like waves. The next? Crickets. That’s the gut-punch reality that hit hard for one entrepreneur whose four thriving websites were brought to their knees overnight — all thanks to a single Google update.
Video Credits To: https://www.youtube.com/@AhrefsCom
List of websites killed by Google https://killedbygoogle.com/
When Algorithms Attack
Search engine optimisation isn’t just some marketing buzzword anymore. For many, it’s a livelihood. It’s the difference between a profitable business and a ghost town of forgotten URLs. And when Google rolls out one of its infamous algorithm updates, like the Core Updates, Product Review Updates, or Helpful Content Update, the ripple effects can be devastating.
In the case featured in the YouTube video “The Google Update That Destroyed 4 of Their Websites,” we see exactly how brutal the algorithm can be when your content doesn’t align with Google’s evolving priorities.
4 Websites. Gone in a Flash.
Imagine this: you’ve spent months, maybe even years, building up multiple niche websites. You’ve done everything by the book (or so you thought) — keyword research, quality content, backlinks, and user-friendly design. Everything’s humming along. Then BAM. A new Google update drops, and your analytics flatline. We’re talking 80–90% drops in traffic. Revenue collapses. Panic sets in.
That’s precisely what happened here.
These weren’t low-effort sites, either. They had real content, real traffic, and real potential. However, according to the creator, Google’s update targeted some subtle but deadly weaknesses: thin content, which refers to pages with little or no unique content, and lack of proper authority, meaning the site didn’t have enough credible sources or references, and possibly a too-aggressive SEO strategy that no longer passed Google’s sniff test.
The Changing Definition of “Quality”
So, what really changed?
Google has been moving aggressively toward favoring “E-E-A-T” — Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This means that it’s no longer enough to rank for a keyword; you have to deserve to rank. Your content needs to provide genuine value, reflect real-world experience, and ideally come from people with credentials or credibility in that space.
For the sites in question, it’s likely that they were relying too heavily on SEO mechanics and not enough on authentic value. Google’s update simply exposed that gap and penalised them hard. These aggressive SEO tactics could include keyword stuffing, buying backlinks, or creating low-quality content just to rank higher.
A Lesson in Resilience
The most powerful takeaway here isn’t the fall — it’s the recovery.
After the initial shock, the creator didn’t rage-quit or throw in the towel. Instead, they dove deep into the update, analyzed what went wrong, and began the long journey back. That meant revisiting content, scrapping low-quality articles, updating old posts with firsthand insight, and dialing back aggressive SEO tactics in favor of genuine usefulness.
It’s a hard lesson, but a valuable one: Google doesn’t owe you traffic. You have to earn it — and keep earning it.
The Bottom Line
If you run a website, blog, or online business, let this be your reminder: you’re playing in Google’s sandbox, and the rules can (and will) change.
Diversify your traffic sources. Build a brand people remember. Prioritize content that helps, not just content that ranks. And above all, don’t put all your digital eggs in one algorithmic basket.
Because when the next update hits — and it will — the only thing that’ll protect you is real value.
