What’s Behind the Ranking Chaos?
If your website’s traffic went wild around May 2025, you’re not alone. SEO experts reported a huge spike in ranking volatility, hitting a “Googlequake” level of 9.2–9.3/10 right after Google I/O 2025. This turbulence, called a “zigzagging” mess online, left many wondering: what’s going on? The answer lies in Google’s big AI advancements, like AI Mode, Deep Search, and Search Live, announced on May 20, 2025. These updates are changing how search works, and Technical SEO (Tech SEO) is now more crucial than ever to stay visible. Let’s break it down so you can put two and two together.
What Caused the 9.2–9.3/10 Volatility?
Google I/O 2025 unleashed a wave of AI-driven search features, and they shook up rankings. Here’s what happened:
- AI Mode Rollout: Google launched AI Mode to all U.S. users, powered by Gemini 2.5. It’s like a chatbot that gives quick, summarized answers instead of just links, reaching 1.5 billion users monthly. This shift favors sites that AI can easily understand, making Tech SEO a must.
- Deep Search in Labs: Deep Search, also powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro, tackles complex queries with detailed answers. It rewards niche, expert content but skips sites with technical issues, adding to the volatility.
- Search Live and Google Lens: These visual search tools, handling 20 billion searches a month, prioritize fast-loading, well-tagged visuals. Sites not optimized for visual or mobile search saw drops.
- Broader AI Impact: The volatility wasn’t just one feature. Online discussions noted ranking swings across niches, suggesting Google’s AI updates, plus other tweaks, caused the chaos.
The 9.2–9.3/10 score shows how these AI advancements disrupted traditional rankings. If traditional search engines penalized you for tech issues like slow speeds or crawl errors, this AI-driven landscape is tougher—sites with technical glitches are less likely to be crawled or cited by AI, leading to bigger ranking drops.
Why Tech SEO Matters More Now
AI-driven search demands a solid technical foundation. Here’s why Tech SEO is your lifeline during this volatility:
- Crawlability: AI tools like AI Mode and Deep Search need to access your content easily. Broken links or server errors can hide your site, hurting your rankings.
- Site Speed: Pages loading over 2 seconds get sidelined. AI prioritizes fast sites for a better user experience, especially on mobile.
- Structured Data: Schema markup helps AI understand your content’s context, boosting your chances of being featured in AI answers or visual results.
- Mobile Optimization: With 60% of searches on mobile, AI Mode and Search Live favor sites that work great on phones. Poor mobile performance hurts more now.
If you thought traditional search engines were tough on tech issues, it’s gotten worse. AI-driven search is less forgiving, as it relies on technical signals to decide what’s trustworthy and relevant.
How to Navigate the Volatility
Don’t worry—here are practical steps to stabilize your rankings and thrive in Google’s AI-driven search:
- Write Clear, Expert Content: Create posts that answer specific questions, like “How do I improve my site’s ranking?” Use natural language to match how people talk to AI Mode.
- Fix Technical Glitches: Check for crawl errors, broken links, or slow load times. Make sure your site is accessible to AI crawlers.
- Use Schema Markup: Add structured data to clarify your content’s purpose. This helps AI Mode and Deep Search feature your site in answers.
- Optimize for Visual Search: Include high-quality images or videos with descriptive alt text and schema. This boosts visibility in Search Live and Google Lens.
- Monitor Your Rankings: Keep an eye on your site’s performance to spot ranking changes. Adjust your content or technical setup as needed.
What’s Next for Search?
The 9.2–9.3/10 volatility score shows Google’s AI updates are reshaping search, and this is just the beginning. AI Mode is set to expand globally (likely July–September 2025), and Deep Search may move out of Labs. Sites with strong Tech SEO—fast, crawlable, and mobile-friendly—will stay ahead. Those ignoring technical issues risk bigger drops as AI gets stricter.
Your Next Move
Look at your site. Are pages loading fast? Is it mobile-friendly? Got schema markup? Fix technical issues, create expert content, and check if AI features you. With solid Tech SEO, you’ll ride out the volatility and stay visible in Google’s AI-driven world!