Weekend Google Core Ranking Volatility

Google Core Update Explode

As I mentioned briefly in my Friday video recap, I was starting to see renewed chatter on Friday morning around more Google search ranking volatility likely related to the ongoing Google March 2024 core update. I spotted some renewed chatter that lead through Friday, into Saturday and today. So I figured I'd cover it and share some of what SEOs are saying over the weekend.

We reported on volatility last Wedneday, on April 10th, and now we are seeing more of it. As a reminder, some sites got hit super hard by this update and no, it is not done yet. We have still not seen any real recoveries for sites hit by the September 2023 helpful content update recovery yet with this core update.

We are now 40 days and almost 40 nights since the update started rolling out and Passover is just around the corner. (sorry, had to...)

Both the Google ranking tracking tools and SEO chatter spiked over the past 48 hours.

SEO Chatter

Here is some of the chatter on social media, WebmasterWorld and comments here on this site over the past couple of days:

Glenn Gabe has been tracking the movement closely, comparing previously hit sites by previous core and helpful content updates. I find his shares very insightful. Here is his latest post this morning:

He wrote:

Google Morning Google Land! This is the April 14 edition of "Core Update Notes". I shared yesterday how the tools were all spiking and I picked up serious volatility across several sites I'm helping and tracking. Just wanted to share more about that this morning. Whatever Google updated, it's definitely having a big effect on some sites. I have several documented that reversed course (and some reversing course for the *second time* during the update). For example, I shared rank tracking yesterday for one of those sites, which is even clearer today (see first screenshot). That site surged with the March core update, then reversed course half way through losing all gains. And it just surged completely back yesterday. The site owner is on a roller coaster. And yep, he's ready to get off the coaster and hoping this surge sticks. :)

In addition, I've included several other screenshots of sites reversing course over the weekend. Remember, Google explained they would be updating several systems with the March core update that would reinforce each other. They also said to expect more volatility with this update. I'm definitely seeing that as I'm tracking many sites over time.

And for those interested in sites impacted heavily by the September HCU(X), I have still not seen any bounce back. 0. I checked the visibility numbers for 373 sites heavily impacted by the Sep HCU(X) this morning and all are down heavily over time (and most more with the March core update). I'll keep checking... and we'll see if the old HCU classifier gets dropped at some point while Google's systems for assessing the helpfulness of content take over. Stay tuned.

He shared some of eye-popping charts, here is one of them:

Here are more:

In addition, I shared the other day how some sites were seeing late surges or drops. Here are two of those. Big swings very late into the March core update. Again, this makes sense given what Google explained about how this update would proceed... Multiple systems being updated… pic.twitter.com/FJHMVLyk8H
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) April 14, 2024

Slowly it's not fun anymore. Since Friday, Google's traffic has dropped considerably on my site and all the other sites I monitor. Many keywords have disappeared without a trace, even for the main keyword my site no longer ranks, in first place is now a cleaning company that has nothing to do with the topic, but well, people certainly want a cleaning when they google for the keyword.
Result since Friday -56 per cent, unfortunately the trend is still downwards. As I am also currently monitoring my friend's online shop: it's exactly the same for him, -56 per cent since Friday, we no longer need to talk about sales, although his ranking is stable.

Again, same same since Friday. No let up and remaining sites heading to zero. I thought I had it figured. Not so unfortunately.

Yes, they are rolling out something awful since Friday. Sensors confirm that too.

Traffic totally dead today here in Germany

Here too in Czech

My rankings had a little wobble yesterday. It always tends to happen on the back end of an update.

Traffic and conversions absolutely nonexistent today.

Weekends were the best days of the week. Currently I'm getting like 3-5 Visitors every 30 Min. That's really a Joke.

Same, and as compared to all the previous weeks ,this one is the WORSE.
I fear it will just keep getting worse and we should get used to this as it will be the norm.

Google Tracking Tools

Many, not all, but many of the tools showed spikes over the past 24 hours or so. These are not insane spikes in volatility, well, Algoroo and Advanced Web Rankings show massive spikes but the others are not as heated.

SimilarWeb: