
SERP volatility refers to a sudden surge or drop of pages that target certain keywords. With so many websites contending for the top slot in the search results, there will be regular changes in who receives top billing.
SERP fluctuations are not random events; they are a reflection of the search engine’s constant attempts to improve and enhance the user experience. These swings can be driven by a variety of variables, including algorithm modifications, changing market trends, and changes in user search behaviors.
Understanding SERP Volatility? What causes SERP Volatility
You might be acquainted with search engine results pages (SERPs). SERP volatility refers to sudden rises or drops in ranks for pages containing certain search phrases. Rankings become increasingly variable as the number of search results increases. With so many websites contending for the top rank in SERPs, there will undoubtedly be some severe oscillations among them. When you see this in action, it can appear either hopeful or worrying. However, these variations are rarely long-lasting, and there are ways to predict them.
Google Algorithm updates
One of the primary causes of SERP fluctuation is a significant algorithm update. That upgrade, in particular, increased the emphasis on ranking high-quality material, which had a substantial impact on SERP rankings.
In reality, Google algorithm adjustments are the primary driver of SERP volatility. The platform is always evolving to better serve its consumers. Some ranking-related modifications may go unnoticed due to their tiny size. fortunately you can keep a watch out for significant upgrades that Google often announces or confirms.
Finally, Google strives to provide the greatest possible user experience with each search. In the process, it will prioritize the most pertinent, high-quality results above others.
High keyword difficulty and competition
Of course, the more difficult the keywords you wish to target, the more intense the competition. These terms are naturally more volatile. As a result, you should carefully plan your strategy around them and monitor their progress on a regular basis.
Crawling and indexing difficulties
If Google fails to crawl and index your pages effectively, your content may only appear briefly in search results.
Similarly, when resources such as JavaScript or CSS are restricted from crawling, Google may misinterpret your page, resulting in fluctuations in ranking.
Keyword Cannibalization
Since the 2019 variance update, Google has opted to rank one site per SERP, with exceptions for extremely relevant material. As a result, if you have two or more pieces of content that satisfy a single search intent, your rankings will fluctuate, and traffic may be erratic.
You’re effectively muddying the waters by providing search engines too many options; in addition to fighting with your competitors, you’re also competing with yourself.
How SERP Volatility Affects Website Traffic and SEO

As previously stated, numerous companies and SEO specialists strive to rank at the top of SERPs. The higher your website’s rating, the more likely it will come up on the first page, dramatically increasing your chances of obtaining organic traffic.
Best SERP Monitoring Tools to track and manage Volatility
We may not be able to have an impact on when and how Google updates its algorithms, but there are various internet tools accessible to help us keep an eye on things. These SERP volatility tools aim to follow Google algorithm changes by tracking specific keywords and detecting variations in SERPs.
Here’s a roundup of what we think are the greatest of these tools.
Algoroo
Algoroo is developed by Dejan SEO Agency, an Australian company, as the name suggests. Presumably, the concept is that the volatility of the SERPs is analogous to a kangaroo bouncing across the outback
Algoroo’s SERP flow metric is referred to as ‘roo’. Roo is determined by adding both the positive and negative movements of individual terms in the SERPs. More high the roo value, the greater the degree of volatility. When Google discloses an internal upgrade or algorithm modification (which happens infrequently), an annotation appears on the daily roo graph.
Algoroo only tracks SERP volatility for Google.com and Google.com.au, but it does have a few intriguing features, such as showing weekly ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ and providing samples of the URLs most influenced by SERP volatility each week.
There is also a conversational function that allows visitors to view various time periods dating back up to two years. This long-term historical data can be used to determine whether previous Google algorithm adjustments coincide to occasions when your own ratings may have fluctuated dramatically.
Mozcast
If you consider the Google algorithm to be similar to the British weather – tough to forecast and changeable – you’ll understand why Moz named its erratic tool Mozcast. The more intense and stormier the ‘weather’, the greater the shift and probable turbulence in the SERPs. Mozcast records worldwide changes on a daily basis and allows you to view up to 30 days of data.
Mozcast also has a fantastic, interactive feature called Google SERP Feature Graph. This enables you to follow changes across several of the most important Google SERP components (such as local packs, knowledge panels, and PAA boxes) to gain deeper insights.
SEMrush Sensor
SEMrush Sensor monitors the daily ranks of millions of keywords and is one of the most comprehensive SERP volatility tools on the market. The Free edition, which is now available in nine countries, allows users to retrieve results from the previous 30 days at once.
The Sensor tool generates a daily volatility score (1-10, with 10 indicating very high volatility), which can be examined in real time or retrospectively. A volatility score greater than 5 is generally regarded strong and indicates a potential Google algorithm upgrade. When a change is discovered, SEMrush provides any available information about the update.
SEMrush Sensor is a packed with features tool that provides numerous methods to segment data for more precise examination. The data may be segmented and compared using a variety of SERPS characteristics (such as featured snippets, local packs, top stories, and knowledge panels), particular issue categories (encompassing 25 industries), device types (desktop or mobile), country, and HTTPS results.
Tips and SEO Best practices to better manage SERP Volatility

SERP volatility cannot be simply prevented. Competing in a highly unpredictable industry necessitates close monitoring and adaptable SEO methods.
Here are a handful of the most effective techniques to defend yourself against fluctuating SERPs:
Stay up to date on algorithm updates
One of the simplest ways to stay on top of SERP volatility is to take the time to grasp exactly what Google reveals throughout their core algorithm adjustments and then reflect on your website to see if any visible flaws will not comply with the new criteria. This will help to reduce the negative effect of the algorithm update as much as possible by ensuring that your website adheres.
Google’s SEO recommended practices.
However, it’s also worth noting that when it comes to rank fluctuations caused by algorithm updates, it’s best to stick with your current strategy for a brief amount of time, as SERP fluctuations during Google updates is usually temporary, therefore reacting quickly to rank drops may actually jeopardize your position in the long run.
Keyword monitoring
As a standard SEO best practice, you should always monitor your core target keywords. There are numerous SEO solutions that support keyword position tracking, including Ahrefs, Rank Ranger, and SEMrush, which allow you to track ranking positions for specific keywords. Monitoring keywords on a daily basis will help you discover which keywords have more dynamic SERPs, allowing you to anticipate future rank losses. You may also choose to change your SEO approach to focus on fewer volatile keywords, which will make it easier to rank on the first page of results.
Monitor the volatility of SERP features
Like highlighted snippets and local map packs. These snippets can also be volatile, and their prominence in SERPs means they have the potential to have an even greater impact on click-through rates.
Boost your quality signals
As previously said, E-E-A-T has become more significant in the Google world than ever. If you find that highly authoritative websites are now ranking higher in the SERPs, it is most likely because they demonstrate expertise and experience on a topic.