The Google Forum

**jimbob** · 02-10-2009, 05:45 AM

Hi,

I have noticed that my SERP for a particular keyword phrase varies quite a lot on google.com and I don't understand why. It can go from SERP 35 to 16 and then up to SERP 44 in just a few weeks.

Here are the details of my recent SERP's for the same keyword

27/10/2008 = SERP 31
31/10/2008 = SERP 58
01/11/2008 = SERP 32
14/11/2008 = SERP 31
22/11/2008 = SERP 30
26/11/2008 = SERP 22
28/11/2008 = SERP 29
05/01/2009 = SERP 28
23/01/2009 = SERP 24
25/01/2009 = SERP 19
27/01/2009 = SERP 16
30/01/2009 = SERP 24
10/02/2009 = SERP 44

I have noticed that my competitors SERP for the same keyword are much more stable.

Why might mine vary so much?

Jimbob

**chrishirst** · 02-10-2009, 06:42 AM

Because it does!
5 Reasons Why Rankings Are A Poor Measure Of Success
http://searchengineland.com/080131-071244.php

Stop pointless "rank checking" and it won't bother you again. Do something useful such as checking your site logs for REAL traffic.

**jimbob** · 02-10-2009, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrishirst

Because it does!
5 Reasons Why Rankings Are A Poor Measure Of Success
http://searchengineland.com/080131-071244.php

Stop pointless "rank checking" and it won't bother you again. Do something useful such as checking your site logs for REAL traffic.

Thanks for the info.

When you say site logs are you talking about visits/traffic as revealed by google analytics?

Jimbob

**chrishirst** · 02-10-2009, 07:49 AM

GoAn certainly is useful, but your actual server logs are more accurate in determining traffic.

**Jeremy80** · 02-10-2009, 01:48 PM

It is common to have unstable rankings until you get into the top 10 and secure your rankings. You simply need more quality backlinks and you should move up in the rankings and hold your ranking better. Your ranking can also vary depending on which Google data center provides your search results.

**~kev~** · 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbob

Hi,

I have noticed that my SERP for a particular keyword phrase varies quite a lot on google.com and I don't understand why. It can go from SERP 35 to 16 and then up to SERP 44 in just a few weeks.

If your site is less then 6 months old, do not expect a steady ranking. That is just the way it is. Out of all of the sites I opened, for the first 5 or 6 months their google ranking would float all over the place. After awhile I learned its nothing to worry about.

After your site is 6 months - 1 year old, and is still "floating", then you should worry. But its perfectly normal for a 4 or 5 month old site to float around. And do not panic is your site disappears from google all together.

My sons site would go from page 2, to past page 60 over night. A few days later its back to page 2. When his forum hit the 6 month old mark, it settled down between #9 and #11 on his targeted keywords.

**Gabung** · 02-13-2009, 05:22 AM

I think it's called as google dance..You should strongger your targetted keyword using alot of backlink to your keyword. I hope it helpful.

**mobilegame** · 02-13-2009, 10:03 AM

i used to check rankings and now i would not even bother about it, traffic and income are what you should bother (^-^)

**shakir** · 02-15-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbob

Hi,

I have noticed that my SERP for a particular keyword phrase varies quite a lot on google.com and I don't understand why. It can go from SERP 35 to 16 and then up to SERP 44 in just a few weeks.

Here are the details of my recent SERP's for the same keyword

27/10/2008 = SERP 31
31/10/2008 = SERP 58
01/11/2008 = SERP 32
14/11/2008 = SERP 31
22/11/2008 = SERP 30
26/11/2008 = SERP 22
28/11/2008 = SERP 29
05/01/2009 = SERP 28
23/01/2009 = SERP 24
25/01/2009 = SERP 19
27/01/2009 = SERP 16
30/01/2009 = SERP 24
10/02/2009 = SERP 44

I have noticed that my competitors SERP for the same keyword are much more stable.

Why might mine vary so much?

Jimbob

This will happens for new or not well optimized sites. Also the position u mentioned is not stabled .. even not in top 10. Our many client sites is in stable top3 SERP which are well optimized for SE and also do promotion properly and regulerly

**DimityrDimitrov** · 02-15-2009, 03:33 PM

If your site/blog is new it's normal to vary the SERP.

**full house** · 02-15-2009, 09:02 PM

getting fix position in the serp is hard specially when your site is new. it will dance for a long time and you'll just be surprise one day and stick to one position or worst not in google serp or in top 100.

**micoblanco** · 02-16-2009, 05:34 AM

I think you should continue building quality links using your keyword/s as your anchor text...

**francis84** · 02-17-2009, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbob

Hi,

I have noticed that my SERP for a particular keyword phrase varies quite a lot on google.com and I don't understand why. It can go from SERP 35 to 16 and then up to SERP 44 in just a few weeks.

Here are the details of my recent SERP's for the same keyword

27/10/2008 = SERP 31
31/10/2008 = SERP 58
01/11/2008 = SERP 32
14/11/2008 = SERP 31
22/11/2008 = SERP 30
26/11/2008 = SERP 22
28/11/2008 = SERP 29
05/01/2009 = SERP 28
23/01/2009 = SERP 24
25/01/2009 = SERP 19
27/01/2009 = SERP 16
30/01/2009 = SERP 24
10/02/2009 = SERP 44

I have noticed that my competitors SERP for the same keyword are much more stable.

Why might mine vary so much?

Jimbob

Have you try to to look if there are spam website that was suddenly inserted in SERP when you get a drop in SERP?

**luxl85** · 02-17-2009, 04:15 AM

It maybe cause by your rank is not very steady in se, or you pubic your page in many social news web.

**jabo** · 02-17-2009, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~kev~

After your site is 6 months - 1 year old, and is still "floating", then you should worry. But its perfectly normal for a 4 or 5 month old site to float around. And do not panic is your site disappears from google all together.

true, I mean i do have a website that is more than 1 year old but there is still fluctuation with its SERP on some keywords, I don't really worry that much cause when this happens, I do consider that competition is also doing SEO for their sites so i think that its just time to analyze the site or keyword and see if there is something missing..

**amerie** · 02-18-2009, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbob

Hi,

I have noticed that my SERP for a particular keyword phrase varies quite a lot on google.com and I don't understand why. It can go from SERP 35 to 16 and then up to SERP 44 in just a few weeks.

Here are the details of my recent SERP's for the same keyword

27/10/2008 = SERP 31
31/10/2008 = SERP 58
01/11/2008 = SERP 32
14/11/2008 = SERP 31
22/11/2008 = SERP 30
26/11/2008 = SERP 22
28/11/2008 = SERP 29
05/01/2009 = SERP 28
23/01/2009 = SERP 24
25/01/2009 = SERP 19
27/01/2009 = SERP 16
30/01/2009 = SERP 24
10/02/2009 = SERP 44

I have noticed that my competitors SERP for the same keyword are much more stable.

Why might mine vary so much?

Jimbob

apparently your keyword rankings aren't stable yet. I suggest you continue building more good backlinks to these certain phrases you have. This eventually would make the results on common phrases more stable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobilegame

i used to check rankings and now i would not even bother about it, traffic and income are what you should bother (^-^)

having good SERPs give you huge traffic that converts into sales.

**princess06** · 02-23-2009, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbob

Hi,

I have noticed that my SERP for a particular keyword phrase varies quite a lot on google.com and I don't understand why. It can go from SERP 35 to 16 and then up to SERP 44 in just a few weeks.

Here are the details of my recent SERP's for the same keyword

27/10/2008 = SERP 31
31/10/2008 = SERP 58
01/11/2008 = SERP 32
14/11/2008 = SERP 31
22/11/2008 = SERP 30
26/11/2008 = SERP 22
28/11/2008 = SERP 29
05/01/2009 = SERP 28
23/01/2009 = SERP 24
25/01/2009 = SERP 19
27/01/2009 = SERP 16
30/01/2009 = SERP 24
10/02/2009 = SERP 44

I have noticed that my competitors SERP for the same keyword are much more stable.

Why might mine vary so much?

Jimbob

change in SERPs is normal.. everyday new competitors come... and this "can" affect the rank of your website.

but also i agree with someone who said here that sometimes, we just have to stop checking rankings everyday.. there are more important things that can measure the success of our sites aside from rankings.

**full house** · 02-23-2009, 08:43 PM

Quote:

I have noticed that my competitors SERP for the same keyword are much more stable.

Why might mine vary so much?

maybe they got better authority. What is the PR of the site and how long its been live? also how many backlinks they have? if they have more back links than yours probably thats the answer.