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Recent signs indicate increased volatility in Google Search rankings, suggesting potential adjustments to the algorithm. On January 15th, third-party tracking tools detected notable shifts, with discussions being relatively muted compared to previous, unconfirmed updates. The pattern of fluctuation appears to have intensified around this date, with some websites experiencing ranking swings and traffic drops. It’s difficult to determine the full extent of the impact, but it’s worth noting for ongoing monitoring.
Earlier, there were unconfirmed ranking fluctuations observed on January 6th and January 12th. Prior to these, Google’s December 2025 core update commenced on December 11th, running until December 29th, with notable spikes on December 13th and 20th.
Current tracking data from various SEO tools shows signs of ranking fluctuations. For example, Semrush, Mozcast, Accuranker, and other platforms are all indicating increased search volatility, which is also visualized through an aggregated chart from Wiredboard. SimilarWeb, Zutrix, Algoroo, and Wincher reports corroborate these observations, highlighting widespread shifts in search performance.
In SEO community discussions, sentiment remains relatively calm over the past day, but some insights have emerged. Comments include reports of traffic dipping by about 25% compared to last week, which was already a low baseline, and observations of minimal traffic changes, around 5%. There’s also mention of more spammy websites appearing in Google Discover, often old domains registered just yesterday.
One notable comment from a web professional noted a slight decline in traffic this week, hinting at a broader update in process. Ongoing forum conversations on WebmasterWorld reflect similar sentiments, with webmasters actively sharing their experiences of ranking changes and traffic fluctuations amid this recent activity.




