Are Google’s SERPs Becoming Dynamic?

Google’s search engine results pages (SERPS) change at ad nauseam levels these days. They continue to change and test relentlessly almost to the point that you now expect a search result to look different every time you search it. If you search a keyword multiple times over a period of at least a month you will know what i’m talking about. One day location/google business listing maps have been given more space (priority) the next day googles ad space has increased and the next the organic listings have gone from 10 to 6 and vice versa. The next day just when you thought the SERP’s had calmed, your listing and one other listing is ranking above the google maps listings while the rest sit below. What is going on?

It seems as though Google is in a constant state of flux, continually A & B testing to sharpen and refine their data and hence their results.

One can assume that Google only wants the best results for its users. So, if this is the case, why don’t they stick to one form of a SERP for an extended period of time upon realising it is better than all others? Surely given the huge amount of data that they would receive and analyse they would conclude what SERP is going to benefit users over others. I mean it is their job right?

Why change so spasmodically like they do? It’s really got me wondering.

I do have a couple of hypothesis. Given the huge amount of data that Google receives perhaps they have refined their SERP’s to a point that they change based upon seasonal data. For example, the same time last year they realised that click through rate (CTR) dropped off for a certain result and as such are trying a different search engine result to ascertain if at this time of the year this proves to be better for users.  Another idea is that Google are going on a major testing run. They are testing (more than normal) various SERP layouts over various times of year. Not just AB testing but ABCDEFG and so on.  As we know, Google gives us Google Trends and as such we can gain insight into seasonal and trend specific data. So perhaps they are taking this further to make their search results trend and seasonal orientated ie: they are making their search results dynamic. Either way, something is up for Google’s SERP.

It’s all i have for now for Google’s SERP. I can not logically think of any other reasons why this would be the case for Google’ SERP.

UPDATE:

It looks as though the next Google Penguin algorithm update is on its way and this is most likely a reasoning for many of the changes I have seen recently.

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