{"id":18459,"date":"2018-12-31T19:24:32","date_gmt":"2018-12-31T19:24:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/que-es-google-dance\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T21:04:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T21:04:42","slug":"what-is-google-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Google Dance? When Search Results Fluctuate"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Today I want to talk about the infamous Google Dance\u2014a term that always makes me smile because of how it sounds.<\/p>\n<p>But first, let\u2019s clear up what Google Dance is NOT:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Google Dance is not one of those cringe-worthy internet challenges<\/li>\n<li>Google Dance is not a new dance craze<\/li>\n<li>Google Dance is not Google twerking for you<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2338\" src=\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/dance2-2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"245\" height=\"172\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve got that out of the way, let\u2019s get to what Google Dance actually is:<\/p>\n<p>Google Dance refers to the fluctuations in search rankings caused by changes in Google\u2019s algorithms.<\/p>\n<p>For SEO professionals, Google Dance is both a mini heart attack and a reason to celebrate.<\/p>\n<p>In short: what Google Dance gives, Google Dance can take away.<\/p>\n<h2>Google Dance: Everything You Need to Know<\/h2>\n<h3>How often does it happen?<\/h3>\n<p>Google makes significant algorithm updates around 10 times a year.<\/p>\n<p>But these changes don\u2019t always roll out overnight. Sometimes they\u2019re applied partially, rolled back, or implemented in stages.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever checked your keywords and found yourself in an unusual position\u2014then checked again a few minutes later and landed somewhere else entirely\u2014chances are Google was tweaking its algorithm. That\u2019s when the dance begins (or at least, that\u2019s when you notice it).<\/p>\n<h3>How can I tell if my website is caught in the dance?<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2334\" src=\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/dance.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"269\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s say your site\u2019s rankings are all over the place. How do you know if it\u2019s the Google Dance?<\/p>\n<p>Here are some signs to look for:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Your rankings are unusually volatile\u2014over 2 or 3 days, your site jumps up and down the SERPs like crazy<\/li>\n<li>If this happens within a single day, it\u2019s even more likely to be the Google Dance<\/li>\n<li>Check your competitors. If everyone\u2019s shifting, not just you, it\u2019s probably the Google Dance affecting multiple sites<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Was my website penalized or is it just dancing?<\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s common to panic when your rankings drop. Is something serious going on?<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s possible, but not always the case. Here are some signs that a penalty might be involved:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Look at all your top-ranking keywords. If they\u2019ve all dropped significantly, a penalty could be the cause<\/li>\n<li>If you\u2019re the only one seeing major changes, that\u2019s another red flag<\/li>\n<li>If your organic traffic has dropped sharply, add that to the list<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If all three are true, it\u2019s time to investigate further.<\/p>\n<h3>Which websites are most affected?<\/h3>\n<p>The longer you\u2019ve held a top position, the more stable your ranking tends to be. If you\u2019ve only recently broken into the top 5, your spot is more vulnerable.<\/p>\n<p>Positions 1 and 2, if held for a while, are generally tough to dislodge.<\/p>\n<p>So if your site is climbing the rankings, expect it to be more susceptible to the ups and downs of the Google Dance.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a video that dives deeper into this:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/blog\/ranking-fluctuations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/moz.com\/blog\/ranking-fluctuations<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>How to spot the tremors<\/h3>\n<p>Beyond the signs above, there\u2019s a tool that tracks SERP volatility by industry.<\/p>\n<p>Check it out. This tool lets you see the \u201cearthquakes\u201d in the SERPs. Make sure to select the right region.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/es.semrush.com\/sensor\/\">https:\/\/es.semrush.com\/sensor\/<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Okay, but what can I do about it?!<\/h2>\n<p>Whether you think your site is in the middle of a Google Dance or you suspect a penalty, the first thing you should do is\u2026<\/p>\n<h3>Take a deep breath. Keep calm and enjoy the dance<\/h3>\n<p>Don\u2019t stress. Give it a few days. If your site has ranked well for a while, chances are it\u2019ll return to its usual positions.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve recently been climbing and now dropped, as long as the overall trend is upward, take it as a good sign. You might climb even higher next time.<\/p>\n<h3>Check for possible errors<\/h3>\n<p>We\u2019re not ones to just sit still, so here are a few things you can do to make sure you\u2019re not being penalized\u2014and how to fix it if you are:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Log into Google Search Console and check for errors. Pay special attention to 404s\u2014if you find any, fix them with redirects or whatever\u2019s needed<\/li>\n<li>In the same console, check for manual actions from Google\u2019s team. If you have one, research the penalty and how to resolve it<\/li>\n<li>If you\u2019ve made MAJOR changes to your website\u2019s content, and your rankings don\u2019t recover (or keep dropping) after a week or two, consider reverting or finding a middle ground<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If everything checks out, then\u2026<\/p>\n<h3>Don\u2019t judge results day by day<\/h3>\n<p>Measure your results over one- or two-week periods. Don\u2019t obsess over being at the top today and in position 8 tomorrow. Focus on your average position over a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Also, keep in mind that rankings can vary depending on the IP address you\u2019re searching from. That means your site might show up in one spot for you and two spots higher or lower for someone else, depending on the day.<\/p>\n<h3>What to do while the dance lasts<\/h3>\n<p>My advice: use this time productively. Work on improving your site\u2019s SEO and user experience. Build backlinks with guest posts, boost your social media presence, or write a blog post about the Google Dance\u2014just like I\u2019m doing now.<\/p>\n<h2>When the Google Dance is actually fun<\/h2>\n<h3>Google Dance: The misunderstood phenomenon<\/h3>\n<p>To wrap up, here\u2019s a little truth:<\/p>\n<p>Yeah, it sucks when your rankings tank. I feel you. But when you suddenly jump up the rankings, you don\u2019t run around asking, \u201cWhy did I go up?\u201d You just think, \u201cI\u2019m a genius!\u201d Right?<\/p>\n<p>Well, the reality is, those jumps are often thanks to the same Google Dance we all love to hate. If we don\u2019t complain when we go up, maybe we shouldn\u2019t complain when we go down.<\/p>\n<p>And I\u2019m saying this to you\u2014and to myself.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2337\" src=\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/giphy-2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"315\" \/><\/p>\n<p>#GodBlessGoogleDance\u00a0#FuckGoogleDance<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today I want to talk about the infamous Google Dance\u2014a term that always makes me smile because of how it sounds. But first, let\u2019s clear up what Google Dance is NOT: Google Dance is not one of those cringe-worthy internet challenges Google Dance is not a new dance craze Google Dance is not Google twerking [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1840,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[211],"class_list":["post-18459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is the Google Dance? When Search Results Fluctuate - Code Barcelona<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is the Google Dance? When Search Results Fluctuate - Code Barcelona\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Today I want to talk about the infamous Google Dance\u2014a term that always makes me smile because of how it sounds. But first, let\u2019s clear up what Google Dance is NOT: Google Dance is not one of those cringe-worthy internet challenges Google Dance is not a new dance craze Google Dance is not Google twerking [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Code Barcelona\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-12-31T19:24:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-20T21:04:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"480\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"269\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/gif\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cd26Bc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cd26Bc\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cd26Bc\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/3af5f44aaf0de2919e9225aa5ca32567\"},\"headline\":\"What Is the Google Dance? When Search Results Fluctuate\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-12-31T19:24:32+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-20T21:04:42+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/\"},\"wordCount\":996,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif\",\"articleSection\":[\"M\u00e0rqueting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/\",\"name\":\"What Is the Google Dance? When Search Results Fluctuate - Code Barcelona\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-12-31T19:24:32+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-20T21:04:42+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/3af5f44aaf0de2919e9225aa5ca32567\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif\",\"width\":480,\"height\":269},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Code Barcelona\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/3af5f44aaf0de2919e9225aa5ca32567\",\"name\":\"cd26Bc\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b904e836584635855eaa0ee2922bae4fe2aa94ffb558048dcc5dac5f98f0fadc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b904e836584635855eaa0ee2922bae4fe2aa94ffb558048dcc5dac5f98f0fadc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b904e836584635855eaa0ee2922bae4fe2aa94ffb558048dcc5dac5f98f0fadc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"cd26Bc\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Is the Google Dance? When Search Results Fluctuate - Code Barcelona","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Is the Google Dance? When Search Results Fluctuate - Code Barcelona","og_description":"Today I want to talk about the infamous Google Dance\u2014a term that always makes me smile because of how it sounds. But first, let\u2019s clear up what Google Dance is NOT: Google Dance is not one of those cringe-worthy internet challenges Google Dance is not a new dance craze Google Dance is not Google twerking [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/","og_site_name":"Code Barcelona","article_published_time":"2018-12-31T19:24:32+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-20T21:04:42+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif","width":480,"height":269,"type":"image\/gif"}],"author":"cd26Bc","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"cd26Bc","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/"},"author":{"name":"cd26Bc","@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/3af5f44aaf0de2919e9225aa5ca32567"},"headline":"What Is the Google Dance? When Search Results Fluctuate","datePublished":"2018-12-31T19:24:32+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-20T21:04:42+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/"},"wordCount":996,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif","articleSection":["M\u00e0rqueting"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/","url":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/","name":"What Is the Google Dance? When Search Results Fluctuate - Code Barcelona","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif","datePublished":"2018-12-31T19:24:32+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-20T21:04:42+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/3af5f44aaf0de2919e9225aa5ca32567"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/what-is-google-dance\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif","contentUrl":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/que-es-el-google-dance-cuando-los-resultados-fluctuan-featured.gif","width":480,"height":269},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/","name":"Code Barcelona","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/3af5f44aaf0de2919e9225aa5ca32567","name":"cd26Bc","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b904e836584635855eaa0ee2922bae4fe2aa94ffb558048dcc5dac5f98f0fadc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b904e836584635855eaa0ee2922bae4fe2aa94ffb558048dcc5dac5f98f0fadc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b904e836584635855eaa0ee2922bae4fe2aa94ffb558048dcc5dac5f98f0fadc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"cd26Bc"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18459"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18465,"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18459\/revisions\/18465"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/codewebbarcelona.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}