Google Search Rankings Fluctuate on May 13-14

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Over the past day or so, there’s been a noticeable increase in search ranking fluctuations, with signals pointing toward potential volatility in Google’s search results. The SEO community has been abuzz, and various analysis tools are showing significant swings in rankings.

While there hasn’t been an official confirmation of a Google search ranking update, the company typically only confirms major, well-planned algorithm changes. The last confirmed core update was launched on March 27, 2026, and wrapped up by April 8, 2026. Additionally, the ongoing trend of sites being deindexed persists, with many reporting a rise in pages marked as “Crawled – currently not indexed.”

Unconfirmed updates seem to have occurred around late April and early May, with activity also noted on April 23rd and subsequent days.

Regarding tools tracking these shifts, several notable ones indicate volatile conditions:
– Semrush’s sensor suggests notable movement in search rankings.
– SimilarWeb’s data shows unexpected spikes, possibly due to bugs or anomalies.
– Advanced Web Rankings and Sistrix also reflect unusual fluctuations.
– Wiredboard’s aggregator visualizes combined signals from multiple tools on a single chart.
– Wincher, Zutrix, Accuranker, Mozcast, Data For SEO, Algoroo, SERPstat, and Mangools all report increased volatility, with some showing spikes similar to what’s seen during major update periods.

The chatter across SEO forums and communities has intensified, with users describing the current environment as chaotic. Reports include erratic ranking behavior—some sites experiencing sharp drops or unpredictable shifts—and traffic drops on platforms like Google Discover, resembling the March update’s effects. Some webmasters note a surge in spam and low-quality results, especially in UK search results, which seem abysmal in recent days. Others express frustration, questioning whether their efforts still matter amid the continuous fluctuations.

Moreover, the trend of websites being deindexed continues, though the reasons remain unclear. Discussions reflect widespread confusion and concern about the stability of rankings and search results during this period.