When we search for a keyword on Google, the platform returns a Search Engine Result Page (SERP) with links to web pages that answer our query.
Additionally, AI Overviews cite relevant sources to meet user intent.
There is a huge difference between being number 1 and being number 10 on the SERP. The top links get most of the visibility and traffic. This is linked to SEO ranking.
Web pages fluctuate in ranking constantly. Therefore, we need to track rankings to optimize the pages.
Read on to learn how to do this regular task in SEO optimization.
What is SEO Rank Tracking?
SEO rank tracking monitors the position of your web pages on the SERPs.
The rankings indicate how well the search engine evaluates your web pages as “good enough” to be pulled to the top of the SERP for a given search query (keywords).
SERP ranking is a key SEO performance metric. Let’s break this down.
SEO Ranking Definition
SEO ranking refers to the rank of a particular web page on the SERP.
Your website likely has several web pages. These web pages rank individually. Some pages may rank in the top 10 for many keywords, while others may rank much lower, even on the same site.
Search engines rank web pages, not entire websites.
The page’s high or low ranking depends on many factors, including the quality of the content. Find a top 10 SEO ranking factors list from Google here.
Typically, web pages that include branded keywords rank at the top. For example, if you type your company name on Google, you should see the homepage of its website in the first position.
If web pages related to products or services also rank highly, it indicates they are more relevant to search engine users than competitors.
Basics of SEO Rank Tracking
The step-by-step rank tracking process depends on the tools used (see below).
At its core, it involves:
- Choosing relevant keywords
- Choosing the web pages to track
- Inputting the selected keywords and web pages into a tracking tool
- Interpreting the data to reveal trends in your web pages’ rankings
- Comparing these trends with your competitors’ web pages for the same list of keywords
This is a continuous task that requires significant support from tools. Do this regularly to get the best results. Why? Read on to find out.
Why Track SEO Rankings?
This is part of your regular optimization to maximize your Return on Investment (ROI).
Specifically, it helps:
- Benchmark your online visibility
- Optimize your web pages
- Monitor your competition
- Find opportunities to increase revenue
Let’s detail each item below.
Benchmark Your Online Visibility
Making your web pages SEO-friendly is a lot of work. You want to know whether it pays off.
However, SEO is a long-term game. After you’ve done all the necessary work, the results only come after at least three or four months.
You can expect traffic to your web pages months after they go live. The long wait may lull us into thinking that nothing is happening.
Or, if your products do sell, you may get an illusion that your SEO effort has paid off, while other factors may be driving the sales.
Avoid the guesswork with rank tracking.
Rank tracking provides detailed insights to evaluate the effectiveness of your SEO. It is one of the critical metrics in measuring your pages’ SEO performance.
Optimize Your Web Pages
Search Engine Optimization is not an exact science. Beyond the numerous factors to consider, search engine algorithms are black boxes that are constantly evolving.
Instead of playing the guessing game, we can focus on measurable metrics: SEO rankings.
Low SEO rankings mean your pages are not delivering their intended value.
It indicates we should improve the web pages now to improve their rankings over the next few months.
SEO rankings serve as a guide to improve your web pages. It includes technical issues and content quality.
Monitor Your Competition
You know your competitors. But SEO rank tracking reveals how their web pages perform online compared to yours.
Moreover, the SEO ranking tracking tools we introduce below provide insights into the sources of their traffic.
You can identify which of your competitors’ pages are the most popular (or the least popular), and so on.
Of course, your competitors are likely reviewing the data on your pages as well. All the more reason to do it!
Find Opportunities to Increase Revenue
The nuanced intelligence you get from SEO rank tracking enables you to identify gaps in the market.
The places in which your competitors are lacking are where you may shine.
In other words, SEO rank tracking is crucial for staying up to date in online markets.
Seize opportunities before others optimize their SEO efforts to beat you.
SEO Rank-Tracking Tools
The top-ranked tracking tools below all offer tutorials, lite versions, and trial periods to help you learn how to use them.
Here we offer an overview of the standard features you can expect in most tracking tools.
Disclaimer: As an agency, we use Semrush and Ahrefs. We do not intend to promote them in particular, but we must mention them because they are top-tier tools for this SEO ranking-tracking purpose.
What Do SEO Rank Tracking Tools Measure?
The tools are built upon tracking the following variables:
- Keywords (key phrases and clusters)
- Keywords’ associated URLs
- Keywords’ language
- Keywords’ search intent
- Keywords’ search volume
- Keywords’ expected traffic (based on the ranking)
- Ranking evolution (past week position versus today)
- Ranking location (ex, country)
- SERP features (Ads, AI Overview, People Also Ask, Video, Images, News, etc.)
- Search Engines (Google, Bing, Yandex, etc.)
These variables influence the pricing of the SEO ranking tool. For example, tracking 1,000 keywords likely doubles or triples the cost of tracking 100 keywords.
We can get significantly different results from one tool to another. For the same keyword, we observed a web page ranking 7 in one tool, 13 in another, and 9 in Google.
All tools are different, use their own databases, and report to varying degrees in real time.
How to Choose the Most Suitable SEO Rank Tracking Tool?
Checking keyword ranking on Google is useful. However, it lacks convenience, especially when comparing multiple keywords.
To choose a good SEO rank tracking tool, look for:
- Interface
- Reported data
- Customization features
- Covered locations (countries)
- Pricing
All of those tools offer a free trial. You can try them before deciding which one suits you best.
Below are some of the best free and paid SEO rank tracking tools.
Free SEO Rank Tracking Tools
Except for the mighty Google Search Console, there is no ‘real’ free tool for rank tracking.
Some tools offer a free trial. Others offer minimal functionality for a simple checkup, leaving you wondering what to do afterward.
With that said, there are some ‘free’ SEO ranking tracking tools we have enjoyed over the years:
Google Search Console should be your first SEO tool (if it’s not already).
You can only audit your site. You cannot compare with your competitors.
With its filters, this tool helps you answer most of the SEO questions. It shows which keywords perform best and how to improve their rankings.
The two other tools are also perfectly fine. Even with their limited features, they provide significant value at no cost. We cannot complain much about that, right?
Paid SEO Rank Tracking Tools
Now, if you want to be serious about keyword rankings, you must consider investing in premium SEO tracking tools.
The two worldwide leaders are:
You cannot go wrong by using them.
Both propose a demo account to walk through the features before activating a paid package.
In addition to SEO ranking tracking, they offer a range of other SEO features. Semrush and Ahrefs satisfy most SEO purposes.
They bill based on the number of keywords, searches, and reports. You can go for them blindfolded.
Note that you don’t need both tools. One of those two is enough.
4 SEO Rank Tracking Optimization Tips
The best SEO tracking tools provide actionable tips to improve your performance based on your situation.
Here are some evergreen hints. You can try these starting points before digging deeper for a more particular solution.
#1 Improve Site Structure & Navigation
Ensure your website follows there fondamental rules:
- Logical and user-friendly structure
- Contextual internal linking
- Easily accessible content
- Having a flat structure (no web page too far from the root domain)
A well-organized site makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your pages.
#2 Implement Responsive Web Design
Ensure your mobile-friendly website looks great across all devices and screen sizes.
Use responsive design techniques and test your site’s mobile performance regularly.
When developing your website, you should always design and code starting with the mobile version.
More and more web users visit websites from their smartphones. Google made it mandatory, too. No business should ignore this.
#3 Optimize On-Page Elements
Include your target keywords in essential on-page elements such as:
- Title tags
- Meta descriptions
- Headers (H1, H2, H3)
- Image alt tags
However, avoid keyword stuffing and maintain a natural keyword density.
Focus on producing well-researched, valuable, and informative content that satisfies user intent and solves your target audience’s problems.
#4 Build High-Quality Backlinks
Develop a link-building strategy to acquire high-quality, relevant, and authoritative backlinks.
You can do the following:
- Guest blogging
- Broken link building
- Create shareable content to attract valuable links
A white-hat link-building strategy goes beyond website building. It involves knowing your community and your audience, where they hang out, and joining them there.
This includes various activities, such as events, podcasts, interviews, guest posts, partnerships, and social media.
Use platforms such as Amazon, Quora, Reddit, and LinkedIn when appropriate.
Be proactive in reaching out and generous in your offers.
5 Common Mistakes in SEO Rank Tracking
To complete the SEO rank tracking tips shared above, here is a list of pitfalls to avoid.
#1 Do not Overlook the Impact of Core Web Vitals
Being mobile-first is already outdated. Now it is ‘mobile-only.’
Expect most of your audience to access your pages on mobile devices, often with spotty internet connections.
If the page does not load, it bounces. So a fast page speed and a mobile-friendly user experience would deliver significant jumps in rankings.
Google also informed the community that content visible only on desktop, but not on mobile, may be ignored. Avoid using a “content cut” on your mobile version due to limited space.
Your web technicals (also called Core Web Vitals) are equally important. Use the Google PSI tool to assess your website’s CWV.
#2 Do not Overlook Long-Tail Keywords With Low Search Volume
Despite the low search volume, long-tail keywords are well-targeted.
They serve audiences throughout the user journey, targeting specific searches likely to drive the desired action.
You will face less competition and achieve faster results by targeting long-tail keywords.
High web traffic doesn’t make it all. You would prefer 1,000 monthly visitors who make 50 purchases than 100,000 monthly visitors who make only 1 purchase.
#3 Do not Downplay the Importance of Backlinks
Of all the ranking factors, quality backlinks are the biggest heavyweights.
Earning a high-quality dofollow backlink from a page with high domain authority takes a lot of hard work, but it is well worth a small celebration.
These backlinks deliver tangible value to your rankings.
#4 Do not Rely on Automated SEO or AI Tools
Yes, this article is about how excellent the tools are at helping you. But that is what they do: help, not run the entire campaign.
Everyone talks about AI-powered tools and their seemingly magical capabilities. We are all excited to see what they can do next.
For now, SEO rank tracking still needs human analysis and interpretation.
Understanding trends accurately, communicating their significance to stakeholders, and finally, developing an action plan based on the skill set of a competitive SEO performer.
#5 Do not Forget to Keep Up With the Latest SEO Trends
Google Search updates its algorithms thousands of times per year. Several times per day, yes.
A handful of which are significant updates that can transform your ranking picture.
Follow the updated practices to capitalize on the trends. In SEO, we cannot afford to stay out of the loop.
Ready to Monitor Your SEO Rankings?
SEO ranking is just one indicator of a well-performing SEO strategy.
Ultimately, it is about getting more qualified, high-converting traffic. Better rankings only mean you are more likely, but not guaranteed, to get more traffic. This may have worked in previous years when the SERPs offered only links to web pages. Today, with the rise of AI, LLMs, and generative search, the value of a single click is increasing rapidly.
There are many other SERP features, including videos, People Also Ask, AI answers, and snippets that answer searchers’ queries without requiring them to click any link.
Therefore, SEO rankings may be deprioritized. Instead, we should start tracking click-through rates as a more accurate metric of traffic.
