Reading the anomaly log: what counts as an algorithm shift
How to read the anomaly log: the 20% threshold that flags a Shopify algorithm shift, the major, minor, and info tiers, and what a flagged day means for you.
Once a week someone emails us asking why their rank dropped. About half the time the answer is the same: it didn’t. The whole board moved underneath them.
That’s what the anomaly log records: every shift big enough to count, scored by how widely it hit.
In short
- The anomaly log records every App Store ranking shift big enough to count, scored by how widely it hit.
- The threshold: when more than 20% of tracked apps move at least three positions on the same day, we flag it; below that is normal churn.
- If your rank moved on a flagged day, the cause is far more likely the algorithm than your last listing edit.
The threshold
When more than 20% of the apps we track move at least three positions on the same day, we flag it. Below that, we treat the noise as normal churn.
Severity
- Major: more than 25% of tracked apps moved, across multiple categories.
- Minor: 15–25% moved, usually inside one category or signal cluster.
- Info: under the threshold, recorded so the baseline stays honest.
Common questions
What counts as a Shopify algorithm shift?
In the anomaly log, a flagged day is one where more than 20% of the apps we track move at least three positions at once. Movement below that line is normal daily churn and stays unflagged, so the log records broad shifts rather than the ordinary wobble of a single app.
What do the major, minor, and info levels mean?
Major means more than 25% of tracked apps moved across multiple categories. Minor means 15 to 25% moved, usually inside one category or signal cluster. Info sits under the flag threshold and is recorded only so the baseline of normal churn stays honest.
If your rank moved on a flagged day, the move is more likely to be the algorithm than your last copy edit. Wait a week before reacting.
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