How to Navigate SERP Volatility

As an SEO agency, one of the biggest challenges we face is dealing with unpredictable changes in the search engine results pages (SERPs). When you think you’ve nailed your SEO strategy, the rankings suddenly shift, leaving you wondering what happened. SERP volatility can make it feel like your ongoing efforts aren’t paying off, but as a leading SEO agency, we know that with the right approach, you can still boost your rankings and stay ahead of the game.

Here are our top tips and practical strategies to help you improve rankings and thrive during SERP volatility.

Revisit and Strengthen Your SEO Strategy

When rankings are fluctuating, it’s a great time to step back and reassess your SEO strategy. SERP volatility is often a result of algorithm updates, competitive changes, or new trends. So, if your current strategy isn’t performing as expected, a few tweaks might be all you need to get back on track.

• Focus on user intent: Google’s algorithm is about giving users what they want. Make sure your content aligns with what your audience is searching for, not just keywords. Looking at Google Search Console can be helpful!
• Content depth and quality: look at your top-performing content. Is it clear enough? Does it address the full range of user questions? If not, review it.
• Track competitors: monitor what’s working for competitors, especially when rankings start shifting. Are they targeting new keywords or creating different types of content?

A solid, adaptive SEO strategy is the key to riding out the storm during periods of SERP volatility.

Enhance Your Technical SEO 

SERP volatility often reveals weaknesses in a website’s technical foundation. If your site is not optimised, no amount of keyword stuffing or backlinks will keep your rankings intact. That’s where technical SEO changes come in, helping to keep your site stable during turbulent times.

Make sure to:

• Improve page load speed: sites that load faster not only deliver a better user experience but also get better rankings.
• Mobile optimization: with mobile-first indexing, having a responsive site is essential. Ensure that your site looks and works perfectly on all devices.
• Fix crawl errors: use tools like Google Search Console to identify and resolve any issues that might prevent your pages from being properly indexed.

Adapt to Algorithm Changes

One of the most nerve-racking aspects of SERP volatility is algorithm updates. They happen without warning and can cause huge ranking fluctuations. However, staying calm and adapting your SEO strategy can help you regain your footing.

Here’s how to handle algorithm-induced volatility:

• Stay informed: follow industry news and updates from Google. Knowing about updates in advance gives you a leg up on responding to changes. Traditionally the main Google core updates happen in March and October.
• Analyse traffic: when you notice ranking shifts, dive into your analytics. Identify which pages were affected and look for patterns.
• Re-optimise content: sometimes all it takes is a small tweak. Adjust your content to better align with what the new algorithm seems to favour, whether that’s improved readability, mobile optimisation, or better engagement metrics.

Pro tip: You can keep track of real-time SERP fluctuations using tools like the SEMrush Sensor. It’s a great resource for identifying when volatility is occurring and how severe it is across different industries.

Use Long-Tail Keywords 

During SERP volatility, focusing on long-tail keywords can provide stability. These keywords are less competitive, more specific, and tend to be less affected by fluctuations.

Why long-tail keywords matter:

• Low competition, high relevance: long-tail keywords have less competition, which means they’re less prone to being affected by ranking shifts. They also tend to have higher conversion rates as they are tied to more specific user intent.
• Voice search optimisation: with the rise of voice search, more people are asking natural-language queries. Long-tail keywords better match the way people speak.

So, while your rankings for highly competitive short-tail keywords might shift during periods of SERP volatility, targeting long-tail keywords will help you capture more specific, intent-driven traffic.

Diversify Your SEO Services

When rankings are volatile, it’s tempting to focus solely on SEO. But relying too much on organic search can make you vulnerable to sudden changes. This is why it’s smart to offer or invest in a variety of SEO services, ensuring a well-rounded strategy that can withstand SERP volatility.

Here’s what we recommend:

• Content marketing: create valuable content that attracts not only organic traffic but also social shares, backlinks, and brand recognition.
• Local SEO: targeting local search results through Google My Business optimisation and geo-specific keywords can help reduce the impact of ranking fluctuations.
• Paid search campaigns: using Google Ads to complement your SEO efforts helps to maintain visibility when rankings drop temporarily.

By broadening your approach, you can maintain traffic even when organic results fluctuate.

Dealing with SERP volatility can be tough, but with the right SEO strategy and services, your rankings can stay high. Focus on quality content, technical improvements, long-tail keywords, and a diversified approach to SEO. That way, when rankings fluctuate, you’ll be ready to keep your site on top.

Need help stabilising your rankings or boosting your online presence? Our SEO team is here for you! Let’s build a strategy that keeps you growing, no matter how volatile the SERPs get. Get in touch today to find out how we can help.