In recent discussions on Google support forums, a perplexing issue has surfaced – the Google Weekend Ranking Bug. Websites, specifically those with certain generic top-level domains (gTLDs), are experiencing a bizarre phenomenon where they vanish from Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) exclusively on weekends, only to reappear on Mondays.
This blog delves into the details of this peculiar bug, its potential causes, and the impact it has on affected websites.
Unraveling the Mystery: Google’s Weekend Ranking Bug De-Indexes Websites
The Nature of the Bug
Multiple publishers sharing similar gTLDs, such as .academy, .car, and .care, have reported their websites completely disappearing from Google’s SERPs during weekends.
Notably, the issue is not merely a decline in weekend traffic but a complete de-indexing, preventing these sites from ranking even for their own names. This alarming pattern of weekend de-indexing has been consistently observed, with some cases dating back to November.
Quality Issue or Cyclical Anomaly?
Contrary to a routine drop in weekend traffic, this bug seems unrelated to the overall quality of the websites affected. Quality issues typically impact rankings consistently throughout the week, whereas the Google Weekend Ranking Bug is unique to certain domains and specific to weekends. The cyclical nature of the problem suggests it goes beyond a typical fluctuation in weekend traffic.
Reports and Anomalies
Numerous reports have surfaced from publishers experiencing the Google Weekend Ranking Bug. A .consulting gTLD user noted a recurrent disappearance of their company website from search results, causing a significant loss of traffic. Similar reports came from publishers with .club, .life, and .care gTLDs, all pointing to a consistent pattern of weekend de-indexing.
Support Forum Highlights
One user shared a graph depicting a sharp decline in traffic every weekend since November, emphasizing the abnormality of the situation. Another publisher with a .club gTLD presented a screenshot from their Search Console, showcasing a recurring crash and rank cycle during late December. These reports collectively raise concerns about the impact of the bug on website visibility and user traffic.
Comparisons with Legacy Domain Penalty
While reminiscent of the legacy domain penalty, a historical issue where domains with spam history faced de-indexing, the Google Weekend Ranking Bug appears distinct. Unlike the legacy domain penalty, the gTLD weekend rank crashing predominantly affects keyword gTLD domains and does not seem linked to past spam issues. This divergence suggests that the bug may be a novel problem introduced into Google’s algorithms around November.
Conclusion
As reports of the Google Weekend Ranking Bug continue to accumulate, it becomes apparent that this issue is more than a mere hiccup in weekend traffic. The impact on affected websites goes beyond a cyclical anomaly, and the recurring de-indexing points towards a potential bug in Google’s systems. Webmasters and publishers affected by this bug await clarification from Google and a swift resolution to restore normalcy to their weekend search rankings.
