There has been noticeable Google Search ranking volatility starting around May 3rd and 4th. This is not a confirmed Google Search ranking update, but there are indications of an update that occurred on these dates. The SEO community reported a spike in chatter around these dates, with most SEO tools showing relative calm.
Glenn Gabe shared data he was tracking, which revealed significant changes starting on May 3rd. He reported seeing a site drop on May 3rd after surging with the March core update. He also noticed big changes in a number of other sites impacted.
There was increased chatter on WebmasterWorld on May 4th, with some on May 3rd as well. Site owners reported traffic drops, sales stoppages, and strange metrics. Some reported a disastrous drop in traffic, sudden loss of ranking keywords, and a decrease in traffic from the USA and Canada.
Despite the chatter, most Google tracking tools remained calm. There were no official Google updates on May 3rd, but Google frequently releases unconfirmed updates. Tools such as SimilarWeb, Semrush, Advanced Web Rankings, Mozcast, SERPmetrics, Accuranker, Mangools, Wincher, SERPstat, Algoroo, and Cognitive SEO did not show any significant changes.
The author encourages readers to share if they noticed any ranking volatility around May 3rd and 4th.
