When the Phone Stops Ringing: The Reality of Google Updates
I’ve seen it happen to dozens of Brisbane businesses. One week, you’re flat out. Your team is busy, the phone is ringing off the hook for quotes, and you’re thinking about putting on another apprentice. Then, seemingly overnight, everything goes quiet.
If you’ve noticed a sudden drop in your website enquiries or you’ve disappeared from the first page of search results, you’ve likely been hit by a Google update. Marketers call these "algorithm updates," but for a business owner in Chermside or Coorparoo, it just feels like a kick in the guts.
Most of what you read online about this is rubbish. It’s filled with technical talk about "crawlers" and "indexing." But you don’t need a computer science degree to get your business back on top. You just need to understand what Google wants and how to give it to them so your customers ready to buy can actually find you again.
In this guide, I’m going to tell you exactly what happened, why Google did it, and—most importantly—how to fix it so you can get back to making money.
What Actually Happened? (The Plain English Version)
Google has one job: to give the person searching the best possible answer to their question. If someone in Brisbane searches for "best electrician near me," Google wants to show them a reliable, local business with a fast website and helpful information.
Every few months, Google changes the way it decides who gets the top spots. They do this to weed out the "cowboys"—websites that are full of fake information, copied text, or annoying ads.
If your traffic dropped, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done something "wrong" or illegal. It usually means Google has raised the bar, and your website hasn't kept up. Think of it like a building inspection. Your shop might have been up to code five years ago, but the regulations have changed, and now you need to make some upgrades to keep your license.
How to tell if you’ve been hit
Before you panic, check these three things: 1. Look at your enquiries: Are you getting fewer phone calls and emails from your website than you were a month ago? 2. Search for your services: Go to Google and type in what you do (e.g., "roof repairs Brisbane"). If you used to be at the top and now you’re on page three, you’ve been hit. 3. Check the timing: Did this happen suddenly? Google usually announces these updates. If your drop happened around the same time as a major update, that’s your culprit.
Step 1: Stop Doing the Things Google Hates
I’ll be blunt: many small business owners in Australia were sold "dodgy" marketing tactics a few years ago that are now coming back to bite them. If your website was built by someone who promised "fast results" for $200, they likely used shortcuts that Google now punishes.
Get rid of the "Robot Talk"
If your website is full of the same keywords repeated over and over—like "Plumber Brisbane, Brisbane Plumber, Best Plumber in Brisbane"—stop it. It looks desperate and it’s hard for real people to read. Google is smart enough now to know what you do without you repeating it like a broken record. Read our complete guide for businesses to see how to talk to Google the right way.Clean up copied content
I once worked with a landscaper in Morningside who had copied all the text for his services page from a competitor in Sydney. He thought it was a time-saver. Google saw it as theft and buried his site. If your content isn't original, Google won't show it. You need to write like a human being talking to a customer.Fix the "Broken" experience
If your website takes ten seconds to load on a phone, people will leave. Google tracks this. If people click your site and immediately hit the "back" button because it’s too slow or hard to use, Google assumes your business isn't a good recommendation.Step 2: Show Google You’re a Real, Trusted Local Business
Google loves businesses that they can prove are real. They don't want to send their users to a "fly-by-night" operation. This is where many local shops and tradies can actually beat the big national companies.
Your Google Business Profile is your best friend
You know that map that shows up when you search for a service? That’s your Google Business Profile. If you’ve ignored this, you’re leaving money on the table. - Keep your hours updated: Nothing annoys a customer more than driving to a shop that says it’s open but is actually closed. - Add real photos: Don't use stock photos of models in hard hats. Show your real team, your real van, and the real work you did in Indooroopilly last week. - Get reviews: This is the single most important thing you can do. Real reviews from real Brisbane locals tell Google that you are a trusted operator. For more on this, check out our guide to Google recommendations.Step 3: Focus on "Helpful" Content (Not Sales Pitching)
Most business websites are just one big digital brochure. "We are the best, we’ve been around for 20 years, call us for a quote."
Google’s recent updates have heavily favoured websites that actually help people. If you’re a mechanic, don’t just list your services. Write a short article on "5 signs your brakes need replacing before a road trip to the Gold Coast."
When you provide value, people stay on your site longer. When people stay on your site longer, Google thinks, "This is a great website," and moves you up the rankings. This is how you win more customers by proving you actually know your stuff.
The Cost of Recovery: What Should You Spend?
I’m not going to sugarcoat it: fixing a website that has been hit by an update takes time and effort. You have two choices:
1. The DIY Route (Cost: $0 + lots of your time): You can spend your evenings rewriting your website text, taking photos of your jobs, and chasing customers for reviews. If you’re just starting out, this is a great way to save money. 2. The Professional Route (Cost: $1,500 - $5,000+): If you’re busy running your business, you might hire an agency like Local Marketing Group to do the heavy lifting. This involves a deep audit of your site, rewriting content, and fixing the technical bits that make your site load fast on phones.
What’s a waste of money? Anyone who promises to "fix your rankings in 48 hours" or offers "backlink packages" for $99. These are the same tactics that got businesses into trouble in the first place. Avoid them like a dodgy subbie.
How Long Until the Calls Start Coming Again?
This is the part most business owners hate hearing: it’s not instant.
Google’s "crawlers" (the robots that read your site) don’t visit every day. Once you make changes, it can take 4 to 12 weeks for Google to notice and start moving you back up.
Think of it like a diet. You didn't get out of shape in one day, and you won't get fit in one day. But if you consistently do the right things—helpful content, fast website, great reviews—you will see the results.
Your Recovery Checklist (Do This First)
If you’ve seen your traffic drop this month, here is exactly what I’d tell my mate to do first:
1. Check your website on your phone. Is it easy to find your phone number? Does it load quickly? If not, fix that first. 2. Google yourself. See what people are saying. If you have negative reviews or no reviews, start asking your happy customers to leave some feedback today. 3. Remove the fluff. Go through your main pages. If it sounds like a generic sales pitch, rewrite it. Talk to your customers like you’re standing in their driveway. 4. Update your contact details. Ensure your address and phone number are exactly the same on your website, your Facebook page, and your Google Business Profile.
Summary: Don't Panic, Just Get Better
Google updates are frustrating, but they are also an opportunity. While your competitors are complaining on Facebook about their traffic dropping, you can be the one doing the work to improve your site.
Most Brisbane businesses have "lazy" websites. By putting in a bit of effort to be more helpful and more authentic, you won't just recover your traffic—you'll likely end up with more customers than you had before the update.
At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane small businesses navigate these changes without the jargon. We focus on one thing: getting your phone to ring.
If you’re tired of guessing why your traffic has dropped and want a clear plan to get back on top, we’d love to help.
Ready to get your business back on the map? Contact Local Marketing Group today.