Rankings still shaking, and nobody knows why
Barry Schwartz says the ranking swings are getting "more heated by the day" and asks whether the results are poisoned or Google is building something. Either way, Google still has not announced a thing.
Why your traffic moved
Ranking swings got worse again, still with no explanation
The ranking movement that started last weekend has not calmed down, and Barry Schwartz says it is getting more heated by the day. He raises two possibilities and picks neither: the data being fed to tracking tools is poisoned, or Google is preparing something it has not announced. Google has still confirmed no update.
is it poisoned or is Google brewing something
Who this affects: Anyone watching their Google rankings or traffic this week.
- Check Search Console average position before trusting any rank tracker drop.
- Our take: make no site changes while the results keep moving.
Getting into AI answers
The missing links in AI answers may be a test
The disappearing source cards next to Google's AI Overviews (the AI written answer at the top of results) now look like a test, not a finished change. Barry Schwartz tried many browsers over 24 hours and could not reproduce it, while Brodie Clark, who first spotted it, says he sees it consistently across a lot of test queries.
a change needs to happen to give publishers more credit for powering Google's AI
Who this affects: Sites that get visits from being cited in Google's AI answers.
- Do nothing yet, the change is not consistent across users.