Volatility Attribution Split

Rank tracking now moves on two clocks. Traditional SERP positions shift with algorithm updates that hit within days and revert within weeks, while AI citation presence drifts slowly as models retrain and retrieval sources change. Agencies that report both movements as one blended number cannot tell a client whether a drop is a temporary update or a structural loss of visibility. The framework splits every ranking report into two attribution tracks: engine volatility (recoverable, often within 14 to 30 days) and citation drift (structural, requires content and source work). Nightwatch tracks keyword positions across five search engines alongside brand citations in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity from one dashboard, which makes the split practical rather than theoretical. When a client sees a 12-position drop, the agency can state whether it is an update artifact or a genuine visibility loss, and price the retainer response accordingly.