Every rank tracker checks a keyword by sending a request to Google and reading back the results. Google doesn't always serve the same results twice. The page can differ by data center, by the exact moment of the check, or by small shifts Google makes to the layout it returns.

When that happens, a keyword you're ranking for can simply not show up in that one check, even though it's live everywhere else. If our first attempt comes back not found, we immediately retry within that same check. If the second attempt also comes back not found, that result stands, and by default it's treated like any other not found result, which can show as a lost ranking in your Rankings Change metric.

If you'd rather these moments not count as ranking changes, turn on the Ignore Lost/Found Keywords from Rankings Changes setting. It excludes lost and found keywords from your change metrics, though you'll still be able to see which keywords were lost or found.

If you're feeling uncertain is they are mathicng you can confirm the ranking in Google Search Console or GA.

Check the keyword's average position, clicks, or impressions in GSC or GA. If those numbers haven't moved, the page is still ranking, and what you're seeing in Rank Tracker is a gap, not a drop. A real ranking loss shows up in GSC and GA too. If those tools confirm the drop, treat it as accurate.

Search the keyword and look for your client's URL. If you can find it, the ranking exists. Our check just hasn't landed on the version of the page where it appears yet.

For the most accurate manual check, use our SERP link instead of a regular browser search. A regular search can be personalized by your browsing history and location, which makes it an unreliable comparison.

Google rolled out a core update at the end of May 2026, and SERP volatility has been higher across the industry since. This isn't unique to any one rank tracker. It's a byproduct of how much more Google's results pages vary from one check to the next right now.

You can check whether Google-wide volatility is elevated using the Mozcast utility.

When we fetch a keyword's ranking, if the first attempt doesn't find a match, we make a second attempt right then. If that one doesn't find a match either, we return not found for that check. There's no extra attempt triggered after that. The keyword simply runs again on its normal weekly schedule, the same as every other keyword.

If you suspect volatility is behind a not found result, that's exactly when to use a manual refresh. It pulls a new check right away instead of waiting for the next weekly cycle, giving Google another chance to serve a version of the results page where your client ranks. Admin and Staff users get four on-demand refreshes per keyword each month.

Some gaps clear on the first refresh. Others take a few tries, since each attempt is still working against the same shifting results Google is serving everyone right now.

If you've checked GSC or GA, verified manually, and refreshed the keyword without any luck, contact our friendly support team. Include the client, keyword, and location so we can take a closer look. We're available 24/5 to help 😄