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By now, you are probably accustomed to experiencing some volatility in raking every time Google rolls out a core update. However, the volatility worsens with every new update in recent years.

The last month has been incredibly volatile, stirring quite some charter from site owners and SEO experts that have been hit pretty hard by the September 2023 helpful content update, which saw many sites see considerable declines in ranking, and now the March 2024 core update which seems to have hit even harder than the last year’s.

It’s Been a Ride

According to a post on X by Glenn Gabe, a veteran digital marketer and SEO consultant at G-Squared Interactive (GSQi), the March update has been quite a ride, even though it has been almost two months since its rollout. There have been massive surges, drops, reversals, and more in the last few weeks.

The impact on ranking caused by September’s HCU(X) was so immense that no SEO expert would have imagined that it could get any worse, but it is doing just that, according to what Google tracking tools are showing.

Google’s Promise

As bad as it seems, Google has urged site owners and SEO experts to be patient and allow the whole thing to play out. Google did not make promises on the dates when the volatility is expected to subsidize but hinted that it could be prolonged. The initial significant spike in ranking volatility occurred on March 9th.

While the situation has remained relatively volatile, March 15 and 19 have seen significantly higher volatility. Not all sites are losers in this; a few have benefited from the updates, but it’s not uncommon to find a site winning at the start of the update only for it to be clobbered towards the end of it.

It’s Unprecedented

There is something unique about the volatility resulting from this update. For example, between the 19th and the 20th of March, google reshuffled the entire SERP three times. Most of the ULRs ranking on the 18 disappeared on the 19th, while others reappeared on the 20th. This is going to be a long and volatile season for site owners. The best you can do is follow Google’s lead and be patient. Every site owner and SEO expert aims to pinpoint an issue and develop a strategy that works. There is a better time to do that, as nothing seems static.

Develop a Long-Term Approach

If you have been doing everything right before the update, you will likely be relatively safe after this dies down, but you can expect the update to affect your SEO, which you can always catch up with. It’s also the best time to ensure you are working with experts in the field.

This is where Blushark Digital comes in. With our years of experience in digital marketing, we have seen it all and can help you develop an SEO strategy that will withstand the now-so-common core updates. Reach out to us today, and let us help you turn your ranking around.