Google SERP changes constantly. It means different people can see different search results for the same query. It’s a common thing in SEO. Especially, when it comes to keyword position tracking. There are many different elements that determine what the results from a Google search displays.

Will you ever know where your business ranks for the keywords you use on your website? The answers to these questions, unfortunately, are not quite as straightforward as most searchers, marketers and business owners would like.

Let’s take look at these factors.

1. Personalized results

Google personalizes the search based on your history and behavior to give you results that will most likely fit you. The data includes:

• Search history based on previous Google searches.

• Visited websites history from the browser history.

• Whether you’re logged or not to Google account – Being logged in Google account lets Google learn what websites you spend time on and how you interact with them.

• Engagement – If you share something on social media, buy a product from a particular website, play a video on YouTube, or comment a blog post, Google will use this information to come up with a personalized SERP.

2. Location/IP address

Your current location leads to personalized search. No doubt about it.

Google uses your IP address to identify your location. This is because you won’t be interested in New York pizza delivery while you’re starving in Dublin. Just enter search query “pizza delivery near me” to see how it works.

3. Device used

Naturally, mobile SERP consists of mobile-friendly websites and AMP sites if applicable. What’s more, smartphones usage brings local SEO to a new level of importance.

If you are checking results in a mobile device, your results will be in contrast to desktop rankings.

4. Google data center synchronization

Google has many data centers across the globe to deliver results quickly. Data among them are often synchronized with significant delays.

Google fetches data from the closest data center based on the location from which the search query is submitted. That means the results for same keywords will probably be different as the data may not be synchronized.

5. Google AdWords ads

Ads in Google change the appearance of organic SERP especially if any of the factors mentioned previously are also at play.

With so many factors making up Google’s algorithm, it is really difficult to know where a given website or web page actually ranks for a specific keyword phrase.

We try to incorporate the best possible methods to track the most accurate website rankings. You can also see desktop SERP snapshot for each keyword reflecting your website in Google SERP which serve as a proof of validity.

References:

Google’s Twitter Account - https://twitter.com/searchliaison/status/1070028312074870784