FAQ
Why do I need to use Updates Scanner?
Updates Scanner allows you to track how SERP has changed. If search results have shifted, it’s a good idea to check your website’s rankings and see what competitors have entered Top ranks and which ones have dropped out. You can use this data to refine your SEO strategy.
How does Updates Scanner work and what is SERP volatility?
Updates Scanner collects Top websites for a pool of keywords from popular topics every day and then compares the results of these checks. Based on this, it determines how much the search results have changed. SERP volatility is the degree of change in search results, measured on a 10‑point scale. For more details about the algorithm, read the Help Guide.
What is update and how is it indicated in Updates Scanner?
An Update is a significant change in search results, marked by a green checkmark in Yandex's update calendar. Updates Scanner also includes yellow and red checkmarks. These indicate changes in the search index, i.e., the database of indexed documents that participate in rankings. Not every update to the search database leads to changes in SERP.
Are there any particular volatility figures that lead to an update?
An update is typically recorded at around 3.5 volatility points, but this is an approximate value. The detection of an update is also influenced by other factors, such as the number of websites that have changed rankings and the amplitude of their movement.
Green checkmarks are present only in Yandex. There are no updates in Google?
In Google, updates work differently, and there is no concept of an "updates" like in Yandex. Google has official search algorithm updates: Core, Spam, and Helpful Content Update. Google officially announces the rollout of new algorithms, and during this period, the search engine usually experiences maximum SERP volatility. Between these updates, the search index is updated evenly and immediately included in the ranking process, so there's always some level of volatility. Unlike Google, Yandex adds documents to its search database in "batches", leading to "bursts" of millions of new documents being added to the index, which can impact websites in the Top results.
How does volatility affect website rankings?
A strong volatility indicates that SERP is changing, so websites may "jump" in the rankings. We do not recommend checking rankings immediately after a volatility update because we check rankings at the moment the check is initiated. If our crawler catches a session where a website significantly changes its rank, this will be recorded in the project. Typically, after some time, the search results stabilize, and websites either settle into new rankings or return to their old ones. We recommend checking ranks as late as possible after an update.
How do I know the keywords Updates Scanner check SERP Tops for?
A few keywords are available for viewing in each topic. To see them, hover over the topic name and click on the Snapshot icon. However, the full list of keywords is not displayed anywhere; this is our internal information. The keyword pool only includes popular marker keywords from the topics available in Updates Scanner.
There is option "After Yandex updates" in Rank Tracker schedule. Is it somehow connected to Updates Scanner?
Yes, if your project has automatic checks enabled after an update, ranks will be checked after the update is recorded in Updates Scanner. The update that triggers these checks is marked with a green checkmark. During automatic checks after updates, rankings are checked not only in Yandex but in all search engines added to the project. If you have any other questions about the service, contact us via chat — we’re here to help!
Follow the newcomers and outsiders in Top

Follow the newcomers and outsiders in Top

Track which webites get ranked in SERP Top and which bounced from Top. Analyze new sites and the cheats that help them get into the Top ten. Use them in your projects to edge out competitors. Get SERP Top