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The volatile and tense state of Google Search rankings persists today, with what began as turbulence throughout most of January intensifying after January 21st. This surge in fluctuation has been marked by multiple unconfirmed ranking updates believed to have occurred on January 6th, 12th, 15th, and 21st. Prior to these, the December 2025 core update launched on December 11, 2025, running until December 29, 2025, with notable spikes on December 13th and 20th. Despite these events, the situation shows no signs of calming; discussions about traffic declines, ranking shifts, and heated debates around tools measuring these metrics continue to dominate.
Various SEO tracking tools have been monitoring the instability. Semrush, SimilarWeb, Wincher, Accuranker, Mangools, Advanced Web Rankings, Wiredboard’s Aggregator, Mozcast, Zutrix, Algoroo, Data For SEO, SERPstat, Sistrix, CognitivSEO—all report significant volatility in search rankings. For instance, Mozcast’s data reflects substantial fluctuations, while Wireboard’s aggregated charts plot these movements collectively, highlighting how widespread the changes are across multiple platforms.
In online communities, the chatter remains intense, with many SEOs and webmasters expressing frustrations. Comments recount dramatic drops in traffic and earnings, with some noting a 90% decrease in visitor numbers and nearly 98% dip in ad revenue during January. Others observe erratic position swings in Google Search Console, suggestive of ongoing instability. Many report that ranking quality has deteriorated, with low-quality content flooding top results—particularly in Google News, where poorly translated sites from countries like China and Vietnam dominate, despite slow load times and what appears to be minimal value. Content related to cryptocurrencies or influenced by propaganda also frequently appears high, sidelining more reputable sources.
There’s also significant discontent about Google Discover’s performance, with feeds filled with superficial, low-effort content such as guides on mundane tasks, making the platform nearly unusable for meaningful engagement. The overall sentiment in forums and communities slant towards concern, with many questioning the impact of recent updates and the future stability of search engine traffic.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
