Unsolved Keyword Rank History chart has missing data for periods of time

[celsiusmarketing]

Hello,

When I look at the rank history for a particular keyword, there are missing gaps in the data. For example, the keyword was fluctuating around rank 10-20 from Jan 2022 to July 2022. Then suddenly the line on the graph disappears. It starts tracking again in Oct 2022 starting at rank 16.

It almost appears as if Moz lost track of the keyword for some time. Other tracked keywords did not experience the same issue during this time. Then as a result, Moz reporting will say the tracked keyword moved up in ranking 40+.

What is happening here? I'm unsure how to explain this activity to my clients.

[HoneyBun12]

The presence of missing data in a Keyword Rank History chart could be attributed to several factors:

Data Collection Issues: There might have been interruptions in the service that collects the ranking data due to technical glitches, server downtime, or connectivity problems.

Changes in Search Engine Algorithms: Sometimes, search engines update their algorithms, which may temporarily affect the tracking tools' ability to collect accurate ranking data.

Keyword Variability: The keywords in question might have dropped below the tracking threshold of the tool. Some tools only track up to a certain rank (e.g., top 100), and if the keyword falls below that, it may appear as missing data.

Service Subscription Limits: Depending on the service you are using, there might be limitations based on your subscription plan which can lead to data not being collected for certain periods or for certain keywords.

Manual Tracking Interruptions: If the data is being collected or entered manually, there might have been periods where this process was not carried out.

To address this issue, you can take the following steps:

Verify the tool’s operational status during the missing periods to check for any reported downtime or issues.
Confirm your subscription plan details to ensure continuous data collection is included.
Contact customer support for the keyword tracking tool to inquire about specific gaps in data.
Consider using multiple keyword tracking tools to have a backup data source and cross-reference information.
If the missing data corresponds with known search engine updates, note this in reports as a potential reason for data anomalies.
In any case, it's important to maintain detailed records of your SEO activities, so you can cross-reference these with your keyword ranking history to better understand potential causes for any disruptions or gaps in data.