Sean Walsh
Sean is a Director at Intelligency heading up our digital marketing and client services operations. Sean has 15+ years experiencing working both in-house and agency with brands including Lloyds, Alstom, Hitachi, Lufthansa, Viaplay, DFDS Seaways and Mercedes-Benz.
Mordy Oberstein’s recent article on Search Engine Land highlights a sharp increase in ranking volatility throughout 2024, with rankings shifting 26% more than in 2023. Some industries saw even greater fluctuations, raising concerns about what’s driving this instability and how SEO professionals should adapt.
Ranking instability is rising across most sectors
- The average volatility increased by 26%, but some industries saw over 50% more fluctuation in search rankings.
- Real Estate was the only vertical that remained relatively stable, while industries like eCommerce and Health experienced significant turbulence.
Desktop vs. Mobile – Different degrees of volatility
- On desktop, volatility increased by 26%, while mobile searches were 16% more volatile compared to 2023.
- This suggests Google’s ranking changes don’t impact all devices equally, making mobile-specific SEO strategies even more critical.
Volatility was consistently high throughout 2024
- Unlike previous years where fluctuations were linked to specific algorithm updates, 2024 saw sustained volatility every month, except for slight dips in July and August.
- This indicates a fundamental change in how Google ranks pages rather than just temporary spikes.
What’s causing this ranking instability?
Mordy Oberstein’s insights raise the question: why is Google’s ranking system more unstable than ever? Several factors likely contribute to this ongoing turbulence:
1. Continuous Algorithm Updates
Google has shifted from periodic core updates to frequent, rolling updates, meaning there’s no longer a “settled” period where rankings stabilize. This continuous evolution creates unpredictable ranking fluctuations.
2. Increased AI Integration in Search
Google’s reliance on AI-driven ranking adjustments means search results are constantly being refined in real-time. These machine learning models adjust rankings dynamically, making it harder to predict outcomes.
3. Search Personalisation and User Behaviour
Google’s personalisation features (such as localized search and user-specific recommendations) mean rankings are less universal and more tailored to individual users. A site may rank highly for one person but not another, making traditional ranking tracking more complex.
4. Content Freshness and Quality Metrics
Google is prioritizing frequent content updates and stricter E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) guidelines. Websites that fail to keep up with these evolving standards risk sudden ranking drops.
5. Expansion of SERP Features
Organic results are now competing with featured snippets, knowledge panels, and AI-generated summaries, making ranking fluctuations more extreme as Google tests different formats.
6. Spam and Competitive Factors
With more websites optimizing aggressively, competition is at an all-time high. Google’s frequent anti-spam updates also cause significant shifts, penalising low-quality content while boosting authoritative sources.
Impact on SEO
With ranking stability becoming a thing of the past, SEO strategies need to evolve:
- Monitor rankings more frequently and track both desktop and mobile performance separately.
- Prioritise long-term content strategy by focusing on quality, authority, and regular updates rather than short-term ranking hacks.
- Diversify traffic sources – relying solely on Google is becoming increasingly risky. Building owned audiences (email, social, direct visits) is more important than ever.
- Adapt quickly – SEO is now an ongoing process that requires continuous testing and optimization, not just a set-it-and-forget-it approach.
Oberstein’s article reinforces a hard truth: ranking volatility is here to stay. Google’s ongoing updates and AI-driven ranking systems mean that SEO professionals must stay agile, experiment with new strategies, and prepare for constant shifts.
The old days of SEO, where rankings remained stable for months, are long gone – those who adapt will thrive, while those who don’t will struggle to keep up.
