Update: What We’ve Learned About the Ranking Report Drops
November 4, 2026
Since publishing this post, we’ve identified more about why ranking reports have been showing drops.
Google has begun replacing the direct website links in its search results with redirect links, and it now encrypts them. Rank tracking identifies where a website appears by reading those links. When a link is encrypted, the website behind it can’t be identified, so a business can appear to have dropped out of the rankings even though it’s still there.
This is one of several things affecting ranking data right now, not the only one. We’ve adjusted how we read search results to account for the redirect change, and we’re continuing to refine and monitor as Google’s changes continue to roll out.
What this means for you: Our guidance hasn’t changed. A sudden drop in a ranking report most likely reflects how the data is collected, not how your website is performing. Your leads, phone calls, and Google Search Console data are unaffected by these changes. Our team is still checking significant drops directly in Google so any real change gets investigated on its own.
If you’re a Scorpion client, there’s nothing you need to do. Reach out to your Account Manager with any questions.
October 23, 2026
Some keyword ranking reports are showing sharp drops right now, and in most cases, those drops don’t reflect where you rank. Google is restricting the automated searches that rank tracking tools depend on, so trackers across the industry are sometimes returning incomplete or inaccurate positions. Your website is most likely still showing up where it was.
Why Ranking Reports Are Showing Drops
Rank trackers work by running automated searches in Google and recording where each website appears. When Google blocks or limits those searches, the tracker comes back with gaps or wrong positions, and on a report, that looks like a sudden drop in your rankings.
The problem isn't limited to one tool or one marketing partner. Ryan Jones, developer of the search data tool SERPrecon, said in a post quoted by Search Engine Journal that rank trackers are failing because they're getting caught up as Google blocks AI-based tracking and scraping.
Why Google Is Restricting Automated Searches
Google hasn't said why, but industry reporting points to a surge in AI agents, the automated programs that search and pull information from the web on someone's behalf. According to that same Search Engine Journal article, Cloudflare reports that daily requests from AI agents on its network grew more than 18x over the past year and that, for the first time, more than half of internet traffic isn't human.
Your Rankings Are Most Likely Unchanged
The issue is with how ranking data is being collected.
“When we’ve checked directly in Google, the businesses we’re reviewing are still showing up where they were. This is a tracking problem, not a search visibility problem, and we’re watching for significant changes so we can investigate them on their own.” - Holly Holder, Director of Optimization at Scorpion
Ranking changes can still happen, though, which is why it helps to look past the ranking report for now.
The Numbers to Watch While Ranking Data Is Unreliable
Right now, these three numbers give you a clearer picture of how your marketing is performing:
- Leads and form submissions, the most direct sign that people finding you online are turning into business
- Phone calls, which show how many people are reaching out
- Google Search Console, where Google itself reports your impressions, clicks, and average position
When leads and calls are steady and Search Console looks healthy, a sharp drop in a tracker report most likely means the data is off.
What Scorpion Is Doing About It
Google's changes are still rolling out, so some reports may look off for a while. In the meantime, our team is checking significant drops directly in the search results, so any true ranking change gets investigated on its own, separate from the tracking issue.
If you're a Scorpion client, there's nothing you need to do. For questions about your account, reach out to your Account Manager and we'll walk through it with you.
Not a Scorpion client yet? Talk to Our Team.
