Understanding Google Ranking Fluctuations and Their Impact

Google ranking fluctuations can be frustrating and confusing, but understanding what they are and why they happen is key to managing their impact on your website's visibility.

Google's algorithm updates can cause ranking fluctuations, with some updates affecting 1 in 10 websites, while others impact up to 50% of websites.

These fluctuations can be triggered by changes in user behavior, such as switching from desktop to mobile searches, or updates to Google's algorithm that prioritize content relevance and user experience.

A single algorithm update can result in a 20-30% change in search engine rankings, making it essential to monitor your website's performance closely.

Google's algorithm responds to up-to-the-minute data collected on your website or the web, leading to volatility.

If your website is lower on the search rankings, you'll experience higher volatility due to hundreds of competitors and Google's slight changes to the algorithm.

This inherent volatility is an unavoidable consequence of being visible on the web.

Publishing new content can have a significant impact on a site's ranking. This is because new material competes to be ranked, influencing the site itself and altering the ranking of every page.

High-quality content can boost a site's ranking for more queries, while subpar content can be detrimental. Every site alteration changes the SEO equation and should be made with consideration.

New content initiates a chain reaction within Google's indexing, and its value can make or break a site's ranking.

Inherent volatility is a natural consequence of how Google's algorithm works. It's like a living, breathing entity that responds to up-to-the-minute data collected on your website or the web.

Your website's ranking can fluctuate due to the hundreds of competitors and Google's slight changes to the algorithm. This is especially true if your website is lower on the search rankings, as you're competing with a larger pool of sites for the top spots.

A new website's appearance can have an unpredictable and violent shattering influence on the current keyword search. This is a natural event, as new websites are born every year.

The trick is to constantly try to make your website better. This can be achieved by creating high-quality content that others will want to link to, and building relationships to secure natural backlinks from various sources.

Here are some key statistics on inherent volatility:

During the March core update, Advanced Web Rankings detected high volatility with a score of 7.3 and medium volatility with a score of 4-5 on May 7-9. This shows that high volatility is often correlated with major Google algorithm updates.

A negative SEO attack can be a sneaky way to drop your rankings, but it's not as permanent as it seems. Someone can spam your site with bad backlinks, causing a sudden drop in rankings.

Google will eventually detect and disavow those links, restoring your rankings to normal. This is why it's essential to check your backlink profile immediately if you notice a sudden drop.

A disavowal report won't result in an instant increase in rankings, so be patient and give Google time to get rid of all the harmful links.

Google Algorithm Updates have a significant impact on Google ranking fluctuations. Substantial algorithm upgrades, like the Panda and Penguin updates, cause noticeable fluctuations as they're tested and implemented across the massive index.

These updates can take months to stabilize, and your keyword search results will vary. Advanced Web Rankings monitors the ranking changes of approximately 400,000 desktop keywords and 200,000 mobile keywords across various countries.

Google has rolled out numerous updates in recent years, including the December 2021 Product Reviews Update, which focused on rewarding high-quality product reviews. The update created concerns for sites with numerous low-quality thin-content reviews.

Here's a list of some notable Google Algorithm Updates:

Google's algorithm updates can be unpredictable, but by understanding the impact of these updates, you can better prepare your website for any changes that may affect your search rankings.

Google's algorithm upgrades are a big deal, and they can significantly impact your search results. These upgrades are often rolled out gradually, taking months to stabilize.

Google's algorithm upgrades are usually named, such as Panda, Penguin, or MUM (Multitask Unified Model). The MUM update, for example, was previewed at the Google I/O in May 2021 and focuses on handling multiple tasks simultaneously.

In 2021, Google rolled out several substantial algorithm upgrades. The Product Review Update, for instance, was released in December 2021 and focused on rewarding high-quality product reviews.

Here are some notable Google algorithm updates from 2021:

Google's algorithm upgrades can be unpredictable, but they often aim to improve the search experience. Take the RankBrain update, for example, which was rolled out in October 2015 and uses a machine learning system to rank webpages.

Google's algorithm upgrades can have a significant impact on your search results, so it's essential to stay informed about the latest updates.

In 2016, Google rolled out several significant algorithm updates that impacted search engine results. These updates include the Penguin Update 4.0, which integrated Penguin into the core search algorithm and refreshed data in real-time.

The Penguin Update 4.0 was released in September 2016, and it's essential to note that this update affected 100% of search results. This means that if you were ranking for a particular keyword, you may have seen changes in your position.

Another update that occurred in September 2016 was the Possum Update, which affected local SERP listings and how Google's filters work. This update began on September 1, 2016.

In April 2016, Google released the second part of its mobile-friendly update, which began rolling out on April 21, 2016. This update, known as Mobile-Friendly Update 2, built on the previous update.

There were also two Core updates that occurred in January 2016, which focused on overall core ranking algorithm updates. These updates happened on January 10 and January 17, 2016.

Here's a summary of the 2016 Google algorithm updates:

Mobile-First Indexing was launched on July 1, 2019, and its rollouts continued until September 2020.

This change means that Googlebot primarily crawls and indexes pages with the smartphone user-agent going forward. This shift was made because most users now search on Google from mobile devices.

Inconsistent mobile and desktop versions of your site can cause issues with mobile-first indexing. Poor performance of the mobile version is also a problem.

To stay safe with Mobile-First Indexing, it's recommended to use responsive design for newly launched websites instead of a separate mobile version.

If you choose to serve separate site versions, make sure information is consistent in both desktop and mobile, including content, images, links, meta data, and structured data.

You should also audit your site and fix errors, such as duplicate issues, restricted or blocked content, missing alt texts, low quality images, and page speed issues.

Algoroo is another tool to track Google's algorithm updates, built and maintained by Dejan. It tracks selected keywords and calculates their ranking movements, providing a simple way to read data. Bars in red indicate high fluctuations.

Algoroo doesn't disclose how it tracks changes, but it's effective in detecting volatility. During the March core update, medium volatility was detected, and on May 7-9, nothing unusual but normal activity was observed.

To get the most out of Algoroo, consider tracking your keywords regularly. This will help you stay on top of any changes and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.

Google's Pigeon update was launched in the US on July 24, 2014, and rolled out to the UK, Canada, and Australia on December 22, 2014. This update significantly altered the way Google returns local search results.

The Pigeon update created closer ties between the local algorithm and the core search algorithm, using location and distance as key factors in ranking results. This led to a significant decline in local packs being returned for queries.

Poorly optimized pages and improper setup of a Google My Business page can harm your local search rankings. Make sure to categorize your business correctly and use your local area code in the phone number.

Consistency is key when it comes to your business's name, address, and phone number (NAP). Ensure that your NAP is consistent across all local listings, including Google My Business and other directories.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Getting featured in relevant local directories can also boost your local search rankings. After the Pigeon update, local directories like Yelp and TripAdvisor saw a major ranking boost.

The Penguin update was a significant algorithm change launched by Google on April 24, 2012. Its goal was to de-rank sites with spammy, manipulative link profiles.

The update aimed to identify and down-rank sites with unnatural link profiles, deemed to be spamming the search results by using manipulative link tactics. This included low-quality links coming from "spammy" sites, links coming from sites created purely for SEO link building (PBNs), links coming from topically irrelevant sites, paid links, and links with overly optimized anchor text.

Google rolled out Penguin updates once or twice a year until 2016, when Penguin became part of Google's core ranking algorithm. Now it operates in real-time, which means that algorithm penalties are applied faster, and recovery also takes less time.

Here are some key characteristics of the Penguin update:

To avoid being affected by the Penguin update, it's essential to use SEO tools like SEO SpyGlass to check your backlink profile for penalty risks. You should also avoid black-hat link-building and observe Google Webmaster guidelines to ensure that you don't have bad linking practices in your website's link profile.

November 2021 was a busy month for Google algorithm updates. Google announced a broad core update that rolled out from November 17 and two weeks onward, giving a boost to reference materials like dictionaries, Wikipedia, some popular directories, law and government resources.

This core update also resulted in a decline in the visibility of news websites and a noticeable shakedown in the health category. These stats were measured while the update was still rolling out.

In addition to the core update, Google also launched a spam update aimed at hitting spam content. This update started on November 3 and rolled out within a week, targeting cloaked content injected with links.

The spam update was a response to Google's previous efforts to prevent slanderous websites from appearing in search results. It's worth noting that this update made a more tangible impact on SERPs.

Here's a summary of the November 2021 Google algorithm updates:

The June 2021 Core Update was a regular update that happens several times a year. Google reported that it was the first part of a two-series update, with the second part planned to take place in July.

Google confirmed that this update was a 10-day update, which is a standard duration for their Core updates. There were mixed reports on SERPs fluctuation and rankings changes after the update.

The second part of the update was expected to reverse the impact of the June changes, according to some reports.

In 2017, Google made several significant updates to its algorithm. These updates aimed to improve the user experience and increase the quality of search results.

One of the notable updates was the December 2017 update, which rolled out between December 14-19, 2017, and focused on improving relevancy in search.

Google also made a correction with the August 2017 Local Update, which rolled out on August 22, 2017, and aimed to address issues caused by the Possum update.

The March 2017 Fred Update began rolling out on March 7, 2017, and was jokingly referred to as "Fred" by Gary Illyes.

The January 2017 Intrusive Interstitials Update was rolled out on January 10, 2017, and targeted intrusive interstitials and pop-ups that made it difficult for mobile users to navigate.

Here's a quick rundown of the 2017 updates:

Tracking Google algorithm updates is crucial to understanding the impact on your website's organic visibility. You can track updates to adjust for sudden performance instability and create effective SEO strategies.

Google isn't a fan of third-party tools that track algorithm updates, as they can be prone to errors and false positive detections. However, some tools like MozCast, Semrush Sensor, and Similarweb can provide accurate data on SERP volatility levels.

Here are the SERP volatility levels for various tools:

You can also use Google's Search Status Dashboard to track indexing and crawling incidents alongside algorithm updates.

Google's Speed Update was launched on July 9, 2018, with the goal of boosting faster mobile pages.

This update officially confirmed that page speed became a ranking factor for mobile pages, giving a boost to sites that prioritize mobile experience.

Slow-loading mobile pages are a major issue, and Google's algorithm update aimed to address this by incorporating page speed as a ranking signal.

Google's Page Experience Update for Desktops rolled out on February 28, 2022, and was completed on March 6, 2022.

The update built on top of the page experience update for mobiles and covers the same page experience signals, including Core Web Vitals metrics: LCP, FID, and CLS.

The Page Experience report in Search Console now includes two separate dashboards to show the percentage of good URLs and the number of their total impressions.

To stay safe with the Page Experience Update, webmasters should focus on Core Web Vitals, HTTPS security, and no intrusive interstitials.

Here are some key factors to consider:

The Page Speed Insights API is a free tool that allows checking 25,000 pages a day, providing Lab data and Field data to analyze page performance.

WebSite Auditor is another tool that can detect pages speed issues for both desktop and mobile devices, and grant access to the PageSpeed API for more detailed data.

Tracking benefits are numerous, and understanding Google's algorithm updates is a crucial part of any SEO strategy. By tracking updates, you can adjust for sudden performance instability and create SEO strategies that will be effective in the long term.

You can track Google updates using various tools, such as MozCast, which makes rank tracking fun in the style of a weather report. MozCast compares the rankings of the same set of keywords on two consecutive days and calculates how much the positions of these keywords have moved up or down, translating into a temperature scale.

Google makes an average of nine changes per day to their algorithm, the equivalent of over 3,200 changes in a year. These changes can range from small search query updates to major algorithm shifts, like broad core algorithm updates, which roll out each year.

To stay informed about the latest updates, monitor Google's Search Central Blog and set up Google Alerts for "Google algorithm update." Tools like Moz, Semrush, and Google Search Console can also alert you to fluctuations that may signal an update.

Here are some tools you can use to track Google's algorithm updates:

By tracking Google updates, you can avoid risky SEO practices and reduce the risk of an update significantly impacting your website.

September was a busy month for Google algorithm updates. The September 2022 Product Review Algorithm Update was rolled out on September 20, 2022, and aimed to improve the accuracy and relevance of product reviews in SERPs.

This update evaluated the trustworthiness of product reviews, considering factors such as user ratings, review content, and expert opinions. The update only affected English-language searches, but plans are underway to expand it to other languages soon.

Google also rolled out a significant Broad Core Algorithm Update on September 12, 2022, which impacted all languages globally. This update focused on improving user experiences and emphasized helpful content as a ranking signal.

The Broad Core Algorithm Update had a smaller overall impact than the May 2022 Core Update, but its effects were still felt by many site owners.

Google updates take place every day, with 5,150 improvements made to search in 2021 alone. This constant evolution can cause fluctuations in your website's rankings.

A change in traffic due to moving search ranking positions can be a significant challenge. To recover from this, it's essential to prioritize user experience.

Data analysis and SEO tactics are valuable tools for recovering from a drop in rankings, but they're not enough on their own. You need to create content that genuinely serves your audience's needs.

Creating content that resonates with your audience, answers their questions comprehensively, and improves their overall experience on your site is crucial. This will help you build a foundation that withstands the ebb and flow of algorithm changes.

Here are some key factors to focus on for recovery and growth:

By focusing on these factors, you can create a strong foundation for your website and improve your site's authority and trustworthiness in the eyes of users and search engines.

Google's algorithm updates can cause ranking fluctuations, and Advanced Web Rankings monitors these changes across various countries and devices. They track approximately 400,000 desktop keywords and 200,000 mobile keywords.

High volatility in SERPs is often correlated with major Google algorithm updates, which can have a significant impact on rankings. Advanced Web Rankings detected high volatility with a score of 7.3 during the March core update.

A key aspect of understanding Google rankings is evaluating content quality. A thorough content audit should assess pages for alignment with Google's E-E-A-T principles, including Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

Here are the volatility levels detected by Advanced Web Rankings:

The December 2022 Helpful Content Update was designed to reward helpful content in search results and penalize websites with low-quality or spammy content.

This can cause servers to crash, resulting in a "downed website" status that affects search. Traffic fluctuations can be unpredictable, making it hard to prepare.

The key is to prepare as much as possible and then adapt to the changes that come with these temporal spikes.

Quality Review is a crucial aspect of Google's algorithm, and it's essential to understand how it affects your website's rankings. Google's E-E-A-T principles, which stand for Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, are a great starting point for evaluating your content's quality.

To create high-quality content, you should ask yourself questions like "Does this content provide unique value?" or "Is the authoritativeness of the content verifiable?" Tools like Copyscape can help identify duplicate content issues, while reading-level tools ensure your content matches your audience's expectations.

Content quality review is not just about identifying low-quality content; it's also about creating comprehensive information that answers common and non-common questions. This helps build user trust by providing valuable information that users didn't even know to ask.

Here are some key questions to consider when evaluating your content's quality:

By focusing on these aspects, you can create content that not only meets Google's quality standards but also provides value to your users. Remember, Google's Helpful Content Update aims to reward helpful content and penalize websites with low-quality or spammy content, so it's essential to get it right.

Google Ranking Tools can be a bit tricky to navigate, but they're essential for tracking Google's algorithm updates. Google itself isn't a fan of third-party tools that track algorithm updates, warning the SEO community that they're prone to errors and may have false positive detections.

Some tools report accurately by providing "volatility scores", representing how much the SERP has changed. Advanced Web Rankings monitors the ranking changes of approximately 400,000 desktop keywords and 200,000 mobile keywords across various countries.

Here's a breakdown of SERP volatility levels for various tools:

CognitiveSEO Signals, for example, monitors over 170,000 keywords, randomly selecting them to track ranking fluctuations in desktop, mobile, and local search results.

Google's algorithm updates can be unpredictable, but following established SEO best practices can help minimize the impact of fluctuations.

Optimizing your website's loading speed is crucial, as Google considers it a ranking factor. According to the article, a 1-second delay in page loading can result in a 7% decrease in conversions.

Regularly updating your content with fresh, high-quality material is essential for maintaining a strong online presence. This includes updating existing content, not just adding new pieces.

Mobile Friendly is a crucial aspect of SEO that can make or break your online presence. Launched on April 21, 2015, Google's Mobile Friendly Update aimed to boost the ranking of mobile-friendly pages in mobile search engine results pages (SERPs).

The update de-ranked pages that weren't optimized for mobile devices, so it's essential to ensure your site is mobile-friendly. Desktop searches, however, were not affected by this update.

To pass Google's mobile friendliness criteria, you need to avoid the following common mistakes:

Google recommends responsive design for mobile websites, which is a design that adapts to different screen sizes. You can also use Google's mobile how-tos for various website platforms to make going mobile easier.

To check if your page is mobile-friendly, you can take Google's mobile friendly test. This test is integrated into SEO PowerSuite's WebSite Auditor, which can quickly analyze your page's mobile friendliness.

A technical SEO audit is an essential step in maintaining a healthy website. Use tools like Google's Core Web Vital Report, Screaming Frog, or Semrush for a comprehensive audit.

These tools can help identify crawl errors, broken links, and other issues. Improper use of canonical tags is a common problem that can be addressed with a technical SEO audit.

Addressing technical issues quickly can help reduce the impact of an algorithm update. This is especially important for websites that are already vulnerable to changes in search engine algorithms.

A technical SEO audit can improve your overall site health. By fixing crawl errors and broken links, you can improve the user experience and increase the chances of ranking higher in search engine results.

Understanding your competitors' strengths and weaknesses is crucial to staying ahead in the game. Analyze their rankings using SEO tools to identify areas where they've improved and you've declined.

Focusing on keywords where your competitors have improved can reveal content gaps in your own strategy. This is where you can adjust your approach to better serve your audience.

Use SEO tools to compare your content to your competitors', highlighting areas where you can improve. By doing so, you can refine your strategy and stay competitive.

By understanding how your competitors react to and benefit from search updates, you can gain strategic insights to inform your own SEO decisions. This can be a game-changer in staying ahead in the search engine rankings.

Adjusting your strategies is crucial to recovering from an algorithm update. This process is not instant, so be prepared to put in the time and effort.

Use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor your site's performance as you implement changes. These tools can help you track key metrics and user behavior.

Recovery from an algorithm update is an ongoing process of refinement and adaptation, so be prepared to adjust your strategies based on what's working and what isn't.

More complex algorithms mean fewer "black hat" techniques.

A decade ago, many SEOs used black hat SEO techniques, including adding keywords excessively and hiding them at the bottom of pages.

Today's algorithms are too smart to be tricked by these tactics.

SEO professionals now need to invest effort in analyzing trends and patterns among well-performing and underperforming web pages.

Understanding these patterns helps SEO experts align their practices with Google's algorithm's probable preferences.

The ongoing process of hypothesis and adjustment is crucial for staying competitive in the ever-changing landscape of search engine optimization.