Google may have released an update to its search ranking algorithm on May 9, 2024. Search tracking tools detected nonstop volatility on search results pages even several days after May 9, 2024. Some SEOs also suggested the volatility may have started on May 3, 2024.
What Are People Saying?
Barry Schwartz shared insights into the unconfirmed update on X (formerly Twitter). Data from search tracking tools indicated severe volatility on search results pages on May 9, 2024.
ICYMI: Google Search ranking update and volatility on May 9th https://t.co/w06KpgLo4J pic.twitter.com/TFgvSkLgp8
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 9, 2024
Barry shared more insights into the unconfirmed update on May 13, 2024. The search tracking tools still recorded severe volatility on search results pages.
Many tools still showing super heated Google Search ranking volatility this morning – this is going on since around May 9th (some would say May 3rd) – story updated at https://t.co/w06KpgLo4J pic.twitter.com/7jXxE0jLcf
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 13, 2024
The volatility continued into May 14, 2024, when Barry shared more data from search tracking tools.
Still seeing very big Google search ranking volatility this morning – really since May 9th – original story updated with this post https://t.co/w06KpgLo4J pic.twitter.com/HqN43mSk1u
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 14, 2024
Lily Ray also shared the visibility of some sites affected by the update. She added that the volatility is severe and similar to that experienced during a major Core Update.
Pretty bizarre: according to @sistrix, some sites are seeing a massive surge in visibility in the last couple days.
Core update-like but outside of a core update.
Including sites that recovered to where they were before the March core update started 🤦🏽♀️ pic.twitter.com/x71JTwI8ng
— Lily Ray 😏 (@lilyraynyc) May 12, 2024
Glenn Gabe also shared insights into the unconfirmed update. He observed volatility on search results pages on May 3, 2024. He added that the volatility became severe on May 8, 2024, and got more severe on May 11, 2024.
We've seen a ton of volatility starting on 5/3, then more on 5/8, and now even more on 5/11. And some sites have reversed course already. I'm seeing a range of sites drop and surge, including some news publishers now. Some examples below of news publishers dropping on 5/11. And… pic.twitter.com/LzKIzVErQC
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) May 13, 2024
In another post, Glenn compared the update to a Core Update and suggested Google informs bloggers whenever it rolls out an update of this magnitude.
In response, Google Search Liaison mentioned that they perform over 5,000 updates a year and would have to notify us of several updates several times a day if they were to inform us of every update.
This is covered on our long-standing page about core updates: https://t.co/Jsq1P236ff
"We're constantly making updates to our search algorithms, including smaller core updates. We don't announce all of these because they're generally not widely noticeable. Still, when released,…
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) May 9, 2024
Barry then asked if Google had released an update. The Google Search Liaison responded that Google always releases updates.
Yes. Wait, there's another one. Wait, there's another one. Wait, there's another one. pic.twitter.com/ZLOKCrnab9
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) May 9, 2024
The volatility on search results pages continued into May 17, 2024, when Barry shared more volatility registered by search tracking tools.
Google search ranking volatility still super heated through today – story updated at https://t.co/tFuaStE6Yp pic.twitter.com/EaGQZfwDqT
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 17, 2024
Things slowed down around May 19, 2024. This time, the search results pages were calmer, and the volatilities had disappeared for the most part.
On May 20, 2024, Barry replied to his May 19, 2024 post, indicating the search results pages had gotten even calmer.
It is nice to see some calming over the weekend after a week+ of intense Google Search ranking volatility – volatility story from last week here https://t.co/tFuaStE6Yp pic.twitter.com/5xEGd0SHyi
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) May 19, 2024
What’s Next – Dealing With This Update
In all, this update lasted for over two weeks, starting May 3, 2024, and ending sometime around May 19, 2024. This is unusual, considering unconfirmed updates do not typically cause severe volatility that lasts such long periods.
Yet, this unconfirmed update caused significant volatility similar to that registered during major Google algorithm updates.
That said, you should monitor your site with Rank Math Analytics. If you notice any changes in your rankings, watch the video below on recovering from a Google Algorithm update.
