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Looming Google Update Causes July SERP Unrest

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Updated on July 25, 2024

After Google hinted last week that the next major core update could drop soon, the SERPs have seen a spike in volatility. Starting Monday, July 22nd, a range of tracking tools and publishers have marked unrest throughout the week, including today.

I last reported on noticeable search volatility at the end of June – this aligned with the end of the June 2024 spam update. While there’s still no set date for the next core update, the signs all point to the possibility of Google testing changes ahead of the rollout.

Growing Unrest in the SERPs

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Following the impending algorithm update, I noticed volatility in the SERPs around July 18th. The tracker from Semrush shows that SERP volatility has been high since that date.

Semrush graph showing SERP volatility in July 2024 — Source: Semrush

Other volatility trackers show similar stories:

Advanced Web Ranking table showing SERP volatility in July — Source: Advanced Web Ranking

cognitiveSEO table showing Google ranking volatility from June to July 2024 — Source: cognitiveSEO

However, not all sites are flagging high volatility. For example, the graph below shows relative stability across the month of July:

similarweb Google volatility tracker from June to July 2024 — Source: similarweb

I spoke with Caitlin Hathaway, a Senior Content Strategist at MVF, about the volatility:

The recent increase in Google search volatility comes as no surprise to SEO professionals. Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, recently commented on SEO Roundtable that a core update should be expected within the next few weeks. This is a similar pattern to last year’s August core update, as there were similar levels of volatility before that update too.

While it’s unclear whether Google is conducting pre-update tests, us and many other SEOs have noticed fluctuations in search engine results pages with reshuffling rankings prioritizing different types of sites for our core keywords.

The advanced notice from Google about the core update is a very welcome development for the SEO community. They never usually give us this much heads up! This way we can ensure preparations are in place before the algorithm, and during. This also enables us to be more proactive and communicate more widely to their business in advance, and better organize expectations.

Caitlin Hathaway Senior Content Strategist, MVF

Graph from Algoroo showing SERP volatility — Algoroo's chart shows the rising volatility in July 2024. Source: Website Builder Expert

If you’re noticing sudden changes to your site’s ranking, you’re not alone and it could be due to the volatility we’re seeing here.

So, investigating these fluctuations requires patience – the search landscape is constantly evolving, especially as we approach an algorithm shift. I recommend reinforcing your SEO basics and optimizing your content to be as helpful as possible to ride out the current wave of volatility.

I’ll be keeping an eye on the SERPs in the build-up to Google’s next core update, so stay tuned for more updates.

Written by:

Emma Ryan Writer

Emma is Lead Writer at Website Builder Expert, having first joined the team in 2022. She manages the website's topical content strategy to help website owners navigate the highs and lows of being online. Emma also specializes in following the development of leading website builders Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify, through hands-on testing and research. Her work and expertise have been featured in Startups.co.uk, Digiday, TechRound, Industry Today, and Digital Information World.