Traffic volatility and Google’s unconfirmed updates have been major topics of discussion in 2024, continuing a trend from 2023. A recent analysis by Semrush highlights how search ranking fluctuations have shifted between the two years, revealing notable differences in volatility for desktop and mobile searches across various website categories. This blog post breaks down the key findings and what they mean for businesses and website owners moving forward.
Understanding the Volatility Shift
Desktop Volatility Increased by 26%
According to the study, desktop search rankings became 26% more volatile in 2024 compared to 2023. However, some categories experienced even higher fluctuations:
- Food & Drink: +54%
- Home & Garden, Travel: +36%
- Business & Industrial, Hobbies & Leisure: +34%
- Beauty & Fitness, Jobs & Education: +30% (better than average, but still significant)
Top 3 Most Volatile Categories in 2024
The highest volatility levels were seen in:
- News (9.1)
- Arts & Entertainment (8.5)
- Shopping (8.5)
Mobile Volatility: A Different Story
Mobile search results were 16% more volatile in 2024 than in 2023—less than desktop’s 26% increase. However, some categories still saw notable jumps:
- Food & Drink: +35%
- Beauty & Fitness, Shopping, Internet & Telecom: +18% each
What’s Driving This Volatility?
Beyond just numbers, it’s essential to consider the reasons behind these fluctuations:
- Google’s Unconfirmed Updates: 2024 saw only 15 days of low volatility on desktop compared to 42 days in 2023. For mobile, low volatility days dropped from 35 in 2023 to 19 in 2024.
- Google SERP Experiments: Continuous algorithm changes and new search features impact rankings unpredictably.
- Potential DOJ Actions: Ongoing legal proceedings against Google could lead to structural changes in search.
- AI Overviews (AIO): AI-generated search results are reducing organic click-through rates and increasing zero-click searches.
How to Adapt to Increasing Volatility
Given these ongoing changes, it’s critical to optimize your website with the following best practices:
- Keep title tags, meta descriptions, and images up to date.
- Ensure pages load quickly and are mobile-friendly.
- Write for the audience, not just for search algorithms.
- Regularly update old content and provide fresh, valuable information.
- Optimize internal linking and develop a backlink strategy.
- Strengthen social media profiles to support search visibility.
- Combine organic and paid search to mitigate the impact of ranking fluctuations.
- Monitor AI-driven search changes and find ways to leverage AI tools effectively.
While search ranking volatility continues to rise, staying informed and proactive can help website owners minimize negative impacts. Understanding which categories are most affected, keeping up with Google’s changes, and implementing strong SEO strategies will be key to maintaining search visibility in 2025 and beyond.
Tip: Regularly analyze your website’s traffic by device to spot trends and adapt accordingly!
What’s your experience with search ranking fluctuations in 2024? Let’s discuss in the comments!
