Google Ranking Volatility: How to Prepare for Algorithm Changes

Author

Reads 1.1K

Google Search Engine on Screen
Credit: pexels.com, Google Search Engine on Screen

Google's algorithm changes can be unpredictable, but one thing is certain: they can significantly impact your website's ranking and traffic. Google updates its algorithm over 3,000 times a year.

Staying on top of these changes is crucial for maintaining a strong online presence. According to Google, only 1 in 10 websites will see a significant ranking change after an algorithm update.

To prepare for algorithm changes, it's essential to focus on creating high-quality, user-centric content. This means prioritizing readability, relevance, and engagement.

Understanding Google Ranking Volatility

Google ranking volatility is a natural phenomenon that can affect any website. It's caused by a combination of factors, including algorithm changes, search personalization, and topical events.

Over 55% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, which is why Google introduced its 'mobile first' indexing in September 2020. This means your site and its contents must be optimized for mobile users, loading fast, being easy to use, and designed to function effectively on a mobile device.

Credit: youtube.com, Google Search Ranking Volatility|| Search Ranking Google||Ranking|| #googlesearch #ranking

Many factors contribute to SERP volatility, including Google algorithm updates, website quality indicators, topical events, search behaviours, and competitors' SEO activity. Some of the key things you can do to tackle volatile SERPs include staying up to date with algorithm changes, monitoring your primary keywords, and boosting your website quality signals.

Here are some common reasons why your rankings might be fluctuating:

  • There are too many on-page ads, causing users to leave the site quickly due to bombardment.
  • Competitors are taking your place.
  • Your site has been hacked.
  • You have disavowed a ‘high quality’ backlink.

Keep in mind that SERP volatility is not something that can simply be avoided. Competing in a particularly volatile market requires close attention and flexible SEO strategies.

What Causes?

Google algorithm updates can cause SERP volatility, changing the way search results are ranked and displayed. This can happen suddenly, without warning.

Website quality indicators, such as mediocre quality signals, can also contribute to SERP volatility, affecting how search engines perceive and rank websites.

Topical events and search behaviors can influence SERP volatility, as they can impact how users search and what they search for.

Credit: youtube.com, Understanding Google Search Volatility Post August Core Update

Competitors' SEO activity can also play a role in SERP volatility, as it can lead to changes in how search engines rank websites.

Here are some key factors that contribute to SERP volatility:

  • Search personalization
  • Algorithm changes
  • News and current events
  • Mediocre quality signals

The most recent Google algorithm 'core' update, which occurred in November 2023, is a good example of how algorithm changes can impact SERP volatility. This update affected the value Google places on 'review pages', leading to increased volatility in keyword rankings.

E-E-A-T Guidelines

Sticking to the fundamentals of E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authority, trust) is crucial for a strong SEO strategy.

The four themes of E-E-A-T are the foundational pillars of any successful SEO strategy, and they're essential for building long-term resilience in the form of an organic growth program.

Create high-quality, human-written content infused with fresh data, first-hand experience, and other E-E-A-T factors to prepare for future updates.

Optimize for the user by thinking from first principles and building programs to serve your target market (your current or potential customers).

Credit: youtube.com, 7 Proven E-E-A-T Strategies to Rank Higher

Know what your audience cares about, understand how they utilize and interact with search, and create content to meet them where they are.

Elevate the quality of your content by ensuring it's optimized for EEAT, especially if you've relied on AI to generate SEO content in the past.

To evaluate the quality of your content, consider the following:

By prioritizing E-E-A-T and creating high-quality content, you'll be better equipped to handle future algorithm updates and maintain your rankings.

Volatile Honourable Mentions

Competitors can take your place if they've built up their domain authority or started publishing better content than you.

Your site being hacked is a rare but possible reason for a loss of rankings, as hackers can infect your site with harmful code and spam links.

Disavowing a "high quality" backlink can negatively impact your domain authority, making Google perceive your site as less authoritative.

Here are some possible reasons for lost rankings:

  • Too many on-page ads
  • Competitors taking your place
  • Site being hacked
  • Disavowing a high quality backlink

Impact on Business

Credit: youtube.com, Google Monopoly Ruling, Ranking Volatility, Million Dollar Ad Bugs & Search Console Recommendations

The latest Google core algorithm updates have been impacting businesses in a big way. Some sites are seeing a decrease in traffic, particularly those that have previously used AI to produce content at scale with little human editing.

This dip in traffic is not just a minor blip, but a noticeable impact that's being felt by many businesses. For example, by the end of March, most clients had rebounded from the traffic drop, and those still recovering indicated areas where content needed to be optimized and updated.

Site reputation abuse is also a concern, as Google attempts to combat 'parasite SEO' by targeting high-authority websites that rank for competitive keywords with low-quality content.

Traffic Decline

Some businesses have experienced a noticeable dip in website traffic since the October 2023 and March 2024 core updates.

This decline is more pronounced in companies that have previously relied heavily on AI-generated content with minimal human editing, as noted by Allie Decker, co-founder at Omniscient Digital.

Credit: youtube.com, South Star: Impacts on businesses, traffic, and you

The traffic drop is a temporary phenomenon, with most clients rebounding by the end of March.

However, some websites are still recovering, indicating areas where content needs to be optimized and updated.

An example of a website traffic drop aligning with the start of the March 2024 update is mentioned in the article.

Business Impact Updates

Some businesses have seen a significant decrease in website traffic due to the latest Google core algorithm updates. This is particularly true for clients who've previously used AI to produce content at scale with little human editing.

The updates have primarily targeted 'low-value SEO content', which includes content made specifically for search engines. Google has released guidelines stating that this type of content will be penalized in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Businesses in certain industries have been impacted more than others, such as food and drink, beauty and fitness, shopping, and home and garden. These industries have seen the highest volatility in ranking shifts according to Semrush data.

Credit: youtube.com, How Google's 2024 Update Impacts Small Businesses

Some content that was previously high-ranking may have lost value due to the updates. This includes content that was copied and minimally altered, such as a page about services that was published for over 100 towns with only the city name changed.

It's essential to monitor your site's performance and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly. This may involve optimizing and updating content to ensure it's high-quality and user-centric.

Changes and Updates

Google's algorithm updates can be unpredictable, but one thing is certain: they're happening all the time. Thousands of changes and experiments are introduced to the algorithm every year, some announced, some not.

These updates can cause volatility in search results, but it's essential to remember that a change in search rankings doesn't mean there's something wrong with the webpage that lost rankings. It could simply be that another webpage is more relevant.

Google's goal is to improve search results by rewarding sites with better, more helpful content. This means that ranks will fluctuate as new or different sites move up in the SERPs as a result of being deemed 'more useful' to the user.

PPC Updates

Credit: youtube.com, Latest Google Ads Updates for 2024

PPC updates are impacting the way you should approach your search engine marketing strategy.

Google Ads broad match behavior is being influenced by the same SEO trends emerging from the core algorithm updates.

One thing to watch for is upticks in keyword variant matching, which can impact your search terms and negative rules.

Consider trying Google Merchant Center to secure more SERP placements.

Google has been dedicating an increasing amount of space to rich results in the SERPs, making it a major priority to set up Google Merchant Center and add relevant schema to your product pages.

Google Merchant Center offers free listings and is constantly beta testing new ways to use rich results, such as interactive rich results that allow users to swipe through styles.

Generative AI is shaping the way people interact and ask questions within search engines, making it a good idea to create content based on questions or include questions inside of headers.

Don't forget to keep an eagle eye on your search terms and negative rules, as they may be impacted by the core algorithm updates.

Updates

SEO spelled with Scrabble tiles on a black surface, representing search engine optimization concepts.
Credit: pexels.com, SEO spelled with Scrabble tiles on a black surface, representing search engine optimization concepts.

Google's algorithm updates can be unpredictable, but one thing is certain: they're coming. According to expert sources, site reputation abuse is a major concern, as it's a form of "parasite SEO" where high-authority websites are used to rank for competitive keywords.

To prepare for future updates, consider the following expert tips: assess your content alongside Google's recommendations, and re-optimize your content to make it more valuable to users.

Google introduces thousands of changes and experiments to its algorithm every year, some of which are announced, while others are not. This can cause instability in search results, but it's essential to remember that a change in search rankings doesn't necessarily mean there's something wrong with the quality of the webpage that lost rankings.

Algorithm updates are made to improve search results by rewarding sites with better, more helpful content. Google's recent core updates have primarily targeted "low-value SEO content", and the company has released guidelines stating that content made specifically for search engines will be penalized.

Men typing in the Google search engine from realme 6 pro. "Google" is the number one search web.
Credit: pexels.com, Men typing in the Google search engine from realme 6 pro. "Google" is the number one search web.

Here are the ways Kalicube measures and interprets Knowledge Graph updates:

  1. Magnitude: the reach or breadth of the update, measured as the percentage of Entities affected.
  2. Amplitude: the scope or height of the change, measured as the change in confidence scores on a micro, per entity level.
  3. Shift: the scale or depth of the change, measured as the change in confidence scores on a macro level.

Algorithm updates can impact PPC, too, with SEO trends trickling into paid search. Keep an eye on keyword variant matching and adjust your rules accordingly.

Tools and Tracking

Tracking keyword rankings is crucial to understanding Google ranking volatility. You can use WordPress plugins like RankMath Pro SEO Plugin With Rank Tracker and SEOPress WordPress SEO Plugin to display easy-to-understand keyword ranking data.

SEMRush Sensor is a user-friendly tool for tracking SERP volatility. It allows you to view the latest Google updates and compare domains. This can help you stay on top of search engine volatility.

Monitoring keyword rankings daily can help you understand which keywords have more volatile SERPs. This is especially important for primary target keywords. You can use SEO platforms like Ahrefs, Rank Ranger, and SEMrush to track ranking positions for individual keywords.

There are also other tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush that can help you monitor search engine volatility and keyword performance. These are paid services that offer a holistic view of your site's performance.

Credit: youtube.com, Why Rank Tracking Is Broken (And How To Fix It With This Volatility Tool) 😱

To track SERP volatility, you can also use Google Search Console for free. This will collect some traffic, visibility, CTR, and search term data. However, keep in mind that some marketing agencies may offer a 'free site audit' to help identify pain points.

Here are some popular tools for tracking keyword rankings and SERP volatility:

  • RankMath Pro SEO Plugin With Rank Tracker
  • SEOPress WordPress SEO Plugin
  • SEMRush Sensor
  • Ahrefs
  • Moz
  • SEMrush
  • Google Search Console

Preventing Issues

Staying up-to-date on algorithm changes is crucial to foreseeing any possible impact on your site's performance. This can be done by reading about the most recent Google algorithm updates or following the Google Search Liaison 'X' page.

Google takes technical SEO seriously, and it involves optimising page speed, page hierarchy, internal linking, crawlability, broken links and more. Regularly optimising your site can reduce the likelihood of lost rankings.

Over 55% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, so it's essential to optimise your site for mobile users. This includes making sure your site loads fast, is easy to use, and is designed to function effectively on a mobile device.

Credit: youtube.com, SERP Volatility Google Core Update 2023 August | Can You Stop the Ranking Fluctuations?

Identifying areas of 'low quality' with a site audit is a great way to break down the pain points of your site. This can be done manually or with the help of SEO analytical tools.

Regularly dissecting your data can help you reveal any pages or keywords that have lost rankings, and understand why this has happened. For example, a new update may have rendered a piece of content outdated, or you may have lost one or two high-quality backlinks.

Here are some key areas to focus on:

  • Algorithm changes: Stay up-to-date with the latest updates.
  • Technical SEO: Optimise page speed, hierarchy, internal linking, crawlability, and more.
  • Mobile optimisation: Ensure your site loads fast, is easy to use, and functions well on mobile devices.
  • Site audits: Identify areas of 'low quality' and fix them.
  • Data analysis: Regularly dissect your data to understand lost rankings and why they happened.

Analyzing and Improving

Waiting is the best response to ranking fluctuations due to algorithm changes, as SERP volatility during updates is often temporary.

Take note of the announced goals of the update and check your site for possible weaknesses.

Analyzing the top three ranked websites and comparing them to the ones that lost ranking positions can help you understand what's changed.

Covering a topic in a wider scope can cause your page to be less precise and overly general, which might not be what Google is looking for.

Precise webpages can outrank comprehensive ones, so focus on providing accurate and relevant information.

A/B Testing

Credit: youtube.com, How to Analyze A/B Testing Results

A/B testing is a real thing, and it's not just limited to websites. Google itself runs A/B tests on its own SERP parameters to see if any small modifications improve user experience. This means that during certain time periods, Google is actively re-evaluating what appears in SERP results, leading to volatility.

Google's A/B testing can be especially true for search terms related to a trending topic. If you have a blog site focusing on the development of AI, and your articles have not been ranking as well as they had previously, it's likely because Google is overwhelmed with new articles written about AI and is now testing which results users want to see first.

To prepare for unpredictable rankings, you should monitor your site analytics, for example, via GSC or (GA4). This will help you stay on top of any changes and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Identify Mediocre Quality

Site quality has less impact than content quality when it comes to indexing and ranking.

Credit: youtube.com, Busting the Myth: Exposing Mediocre Performance Behind Fake KPIs

Factors like site speed have less of an impact than the content itself.

Sometimes, a site may be borderline relevant, have borderline site quality, or lack on-topic content.

Bouncing around in search results can be a symptom of sites that are borderline relevant or lacking in quality.

News results tend to disappear after a week or so.

Improving SERP volatility due to mediocre site quality depends on accurately assessing webpages for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

It's also useful to objectively judge whether the webpages are helpful to users.

A large reason for SERP volatility due to quality factors is focusing too hard on keyword phrases at the expense of precise topic coverage.

Site quality can influence indexing and ranking, but factors like site speed have less of an impact than the content itself.

Understanding Competitors and Search Behaviour

As users' preferences change over time, search trends emerge, and Google needs to adapt to satisfy these in-demand queries. This can lead to changes in search behaviour, impacting the level of search demand for certain queries.

Credit: youtube.com, Google Search Ranking Volatility, Site Reputation Abuse Enforcement & Pichai On Search Quality

Users may adopt new variations of keywords that websites aren't actively targeting, forcing Google to change the search results. This is a natural part of how Google operates, and it's essential to understand this dynamic.

Competitor activity can also cause SERP volatility. Just because your rankings have dropped doesn't mean Google is penalising you - it may mean Google is valuing what your competitors are doing higher.

Yearly/Quarterly Site Audits

Regular site audits are crucial for identifying technical issues that can hinder crawling and indexing. At least once a year or as often as quarterly, crawl the entire website with a SaaS or desktop tool to evaluate for technical issues.

This frequency is recommended to stay on top of potential problems. I have 25 years hands-on experience in SEO, evolving along with the search engines by keeping up with the latest developments.

Competitor Activity

Competitor activity can cause SERP volatility, making it seem like Google is penalizing you, but it may actually be valuing your competitors' actions higher.

Just because your rankings have dropped, it doesn't mean you're being penalized by Google.

Search Behaviour Changes

Credit: youtube.com, 7 Easy Steps on How to Perform a Competitor Analysis

As users' preferences change over time, search trends begin to emerge, influencing the level of search demand for certain queries. This shift in interests can be seen in how users adopt new variations of keywords that websites are not actively targeting.

Google needs to adapt its search results to satisfy these in-demand queries, which can have a direct impact on the SERPs.

A Knowledge Graph

A Knowledge Graph is a massive database that Google uses to understand the relationships between entities, such as people, places, and things. It's a game-changer for digital marketing efforts.

The Knowledge Graph is constantly evolving, with updates happening daily. At Kalicube, they track and measure these updates by analyzing a dataset of 100,000 Entities every day. This helps them identify the magnitude, amplitude, and shift of the updates.

Kalicube's analysis reveals that the reach or breadth of these updates can affect a significant percentage of entities. The scope or height of the change in confidence scores can be substantial, and the depth of the change can be profound.

Credit: youtube.com, What is a Knowledge Graph?

To give you an idea of the scale, Kalicube tracks over 50,000 Person Entities and 50,000 Corporation Entities daily. This provides invaluable insights for SEO professionals and marketers looking to optimize their presence within the Knowledge Graph.

Here's a breakdown of how Kalicube measures the updates:

Magnitude: The percentage of entities affected by a Knowledge Graph update.Amplitude: The change in confidence scores on a micro, per entity level.Shift: The change in confidence scores on a macro level.

By understanding the Knowledge Graph, you can better comprehend how Google's algorithms work and how to optimize your digital marketing efforts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to check SERP volatility?

To check SERP volatility, you can use tools like Rank Ranger's Rank Risk Index, which tracks daily fluctuations in a bar graph. This index measures volatility on a scale of 1 to 100, helping you stay on top of search engine ranking changes.

How do I check for Google algorithm updates?

Check the Search Status Dashboard in Google Search Console for the start and end dates of the core update, then wait at least a week before analyzing your site. This ensures you're not misinterpreting changes caused by the update.

How often does Google change its algorithm?

Google updates its algorithm around 500-600 times per year, with most changes being small and others having a significant impact on search rankings. These frequent updates keep Google's search results fresh and relevant, but can also affect website rankings and visibility.

Walter Brekke

Lead Writer

Walter Brekke is a seasoned writer with a passion for creating informative and engaging content. With a strong background in technology, Walter has established himself as a go-to expert in the field of cloud storage and collaboration. His articles have been widely read and respected, providing valuable insights and solutions to readers.

Love What You Read? Stay Updated!

Join our community for insights, tips, and more.