Q: We merged 5 thin pages into 1 strong page and 301'd them all. Rankings still dropped. Why?
A: Smart consolidation move — the dip is usually temporary, but let's check the details. Short answer: merging pages is fine; the drop often comes from the new page not actually covering the topics the old pages ranked for.
Long answer: When you 301 several pages into one, Google consolidates their signals — but it expects the destination to be relevant to each. If the merged page drops keywords or subtopics the old pages owned, those rankings have nowhere to land and fade. Consolidation also takes weeks to settle as Google reassesses the new, beefier page.
The fix:
— Audit which queries each old page ranked for (GSC, last 16 months)
— Make sure the merged page genuinely covers all of them
— Add the missing subtopics, then request reindexing
Next step: pull the old pages' top queries and confirm the new page answers every one — fill the gaps.
Migration Helpdesk
@MigrationHelpdesk
Q: We merged 5 thin pages into 1 strong page and 301'd them all. Rankings still dropped. Why?
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