SitePoint.com

topmonkey · Mar 9, 2008, 03:16

My site was doing okay at page 3 of the SERPs and gradually moving up when suddenly 'the yoyo effect' kicked in. The site dropped dramatically to page 12 and stayed there for a few days. Then it went up to page 7. The next day it was page 13. This has been going on for a while now and today my site is on page 13 when yesterday it was at page 5, the day before it was at page 12 and the day before that it was at page 5!

Has anyone else experienced the yoyo effect and does anyone know why it's happening?

If you need the url of my site, let me know.

Thanks.

501 · Mar 9, 2008, 09:25

Well, maybe they are working on a new algorithm. I usually dont bother just wait a for a few days and check it out again.

C. Ankerstjerne · Mar 9, 2008, 10:21

If your site is on a subject with a high level of competition, and all the sites are only marginally different in terms of rank, even small changes will create large fluctuations. As writte above, try waiting it out for a few weeks, and see what happens.

felgall · Mar 9, 2008, 11:30

Of course it may just be that they stopped half way through an update for some reason and only some of their servers have been updated. You can often find sites listed in two different places depending on which of Googles dozens of servers gets selected for the lookup.

cheesedude · Mar 9, 2008, 15:37

A few weeks ago, I was jumping between positions 6 and 2 with changes coming every few minutes. One minute I'd be #4, then a couple minutes later #2, etc. It looks like I settled in slots 4 & 5. So I have two slots in the top 10.

Not a very competitive keyphrase, but I do get some traffic for it.

felgall · Mar 9, 2008, 19:06

Where the changes back and forth happen over a short period it just means you are accessing different servers for the different lookups. The Google servers don't all update at exactly the same time.

topmonkey · Mar 10, 2008, 03:14

Interesting ideas. I'm not sure whether it would be a Google update thing though as this yoyo has been going on for about a month now. It is quite a competitve term so that may be a reason.

After being ranked at #121 yesterday, I am now at #30 - the yoyo effect continues!

Pennywise · Mar 12, 2008, 05:47

I was ranked on first page for 5 keywords then couple weeks ago they ALL dropped to page 3 and 4.

I got one ranking back to the main page but after a day they ALL dropped back to page 3/4 again.

Seems like I am being penalized for something.

stymiee · Mar 12, 2008, 06:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross19821982

I was ranked on first page for 5 keywords then couple weeks ago they ALL dropped to page 3 and 4.

I got one ranking back to the main page but after a day they ALL dropped back to page 3/4 again.

Seems like I am being penalized for something.

If you were being penalized there would be no fluctuation. You'd just be penalized and that would be it. You also would most likely be removed from the index completely as opposed to a ranking penalty.

Pennywise · Mar 12, 2008, 07:15

Just seems weird that as soon as I get near the first page again ALL my keywords fall back at the exact same time.

stymiee · Mar 12, 2008, 10:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross19821982

Just seems weird that as soon as I get near the first page again ALL my keywords fall back at the exact same time.

That usually indicates either:

1) A new site/page bonus is no longer in effect
2) A fundamental change in either the website or how Google views common elements of those webpages. Devaluing something associated with all of those pages can achieve what you have seen.

Pennywise · Mar 12, 2008, 10:49

They were ranking well for over a year, the site is 2 years old

It was my index page where the rankings fell, my inner pages still rank the same.

Shame as my earnings have fallen by about $4k as a result

Just wish I knew the reason but something has changed as you said, either with my index page or with Google.

Ill just keep getting backlinks.

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Mar 9, 2008, 03:16	#1
topmonkey SitePoint Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 215	Google and 'The Yoyo Effect' My site was doing okay at page 3 of the SERPs and gradually moving up when suddenly 'the yoyo effect' kicked in. The site dropped dramatically to page 12 and stayed there for a few days. Then it went up to page 7. The next day it was page 13. This has been going on for a while now and today my site is on page 13 when yesterday it was at page 5, the day before it was at page 12 and the day before that it was at page 5! Has anyone else experienced the yoyo effect and does anyone know why it's happening? If you need the url of my site, let me know. Thanks.

Mar 9, 2008, 09:25	#2
501 Non-Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Earth Posts: 21	Well, maybe they are working on a new algorithm. I usually dont bother just wait a for a few days and check it out again.

Mar 9, 2008, 10:21	#3
C. Ankerstjerne SitePoint Mentor Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: The Kingdom of Denmark Posts: 2,232	If your site is on a subject with a high level of competition, and all the sites are only marginally different in terms of rank, even small changes will create large fluctuations. As writte above, try waiting it out for a few weeks, and see what happens.

Mar 9, 2008, 11:30	#4
felgall Programming Since 1978 Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 10,816	Of course it may just be that they stopped half way through an update for some reason and only some of their servers have been updated. You can often find sites listed in two different places depending on which of Googles dozens of servers gets selected for the lookup.

Mar 9, 2008, 15:37	#5
cheesedude SitePoint Wizard Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,141	A few weeks ago, I was jumping between positions 6 and 2 with changes coming every few minutes. One minute I'd be #4, then a couple minutes later #2, etc. It looks like I settled in slots 4 & 5. So I have two slots in the top 10. Not a very competitive keyphrase, but I do get some traffic for it.

Mar 9, 2008, 19:06	#6
felgall Programming Since 1978 Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 10,816	Where the changes back and forth happen over a short period it just means you are accessing different servers for the different lookups. The Google servers don't all update at exactly the same time.

Mar 10, 2008, 03:14	#7
topmonkey SitePoint Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 215	Interesting ideas. I'm not sure whether it would be a Google update thing though as this yoyo has been going on for about a month now. It is quite a competitve term so that may be a reason. After being ranked at #121 yesterday, I am now at #30 - the yoyo effect continues!

Mar 12, 2008, 05:47	#8
Pennywise SitePoint Guru Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: uk Posts: 659	I was ranked on first page for 5 keywords then couple weeks ago they ALL dropped to page 3 and 4. I got one ranking back to the main page but after a day they ALL dropped back to page 3/4 again. Seems like I am being penalized for something.

Mar 12, 2008, 07:15	#10
Pennywise SitePoint Guru Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: uk Posts: 659	Just seems weird that as soon as I get near the first page again ALL my keywords fall back at the exact same time.

Mar 12, 2008, 10:49	#12
Pennywise SitePoint Guru Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: uk Posts: 659	They were ranking well for over a year, the site is 2 years old It was my index page where the rankings fell, my inner pages still rank the same. Shame as my earnings have fallen by about $4k as a result Just wish I knew the reason but something has changed as you said, either with my index page or with Google. Ill just keep getting backlinks.