For several months now, I have had four key phrases on the first page of Google. Then a couple of weeks ago they all dropped down to about page 10. Then yesterday they all came back to page one again, now this morning they have gone back to page ten again. I know people talk of the 'Google dance', but this has been going on for two weeks. I don't use any blackhat techniques on my site. Ideas?
It happens to me too, but it happens for about 2 months now. More specific, from the dreadful Panda update. I tell you, each day when I check my rankings I don't know what I'm going to find. Today I'm at 20, tomorrow I may not be in the first 200.
Only big G can give you the right answer. As you are doing nothing blackhat, so no need to be worry about this. Just give your site more quality backlinks, you will get your position back.
He's right, quality links are always the answer. If your average ranking is in the first page in SERPs, then Google already trusts your site and you won't lose it that easily, especially if you're white hat. Just avoid the low value activity of checking your rankings all the time and use your time in the high value activity of building quality links.
You need to slowly and naturally build your backlinks and also need to continue adding fresh unique content to your site. Your site will eventually land were it should be, unfortunately, sometimes it takes a little longer than we'd like. It happens to all of us, just stay patient
I assume your sites are still active so just keep doing what you've always been doing and they'll bounce back. Google just does this every now and again - and yes it sucks