Understanding Ranking Data
Learn how to interpret your SEO ranking data, track position changes, and use insights to improve performance.
Last updated: January 9, 2025
Understanding Position Data
What Position Means
Position indicates where you appear in Google search results:
| Position | Location | Typical CTR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Top of page 1 | 25-35% |
| 2-3 | High on page 1 | 10-20% |
| 4-10 | Page 1 | 2-10% |
| 11-20 | Page 2 | 1-2% |
| 21+ | Page 3+ | <1% |
Position vs Ranking
These terms are often used interchangeably:
- Position: Specific spot in results
- Ranking: Your relative placement
Both refer to where your page appears for a keyword.
Reading the Keyword Table
Column Explanations
Keyword: The search term being tracked
Position: Current ranking position (1 = best)
Change: Movement since last check:
- ▲ +5 = Improved 5 positions
- ▼ -3 = Dropped 3 positions
- — = No change
Volume: Monthly search volume (estimated searches)
URL: The page on your site that ranks
Difficulty: Competition level for this keyword
Interpreting Changes
Improvements (Green):
- Content improvements working
- Link building paying off
- Better relevance signals
Declines (Red):
- Competitors improving
- Content needs updating
- Potential technical issues
Stable (Gray):
- Consistent performance
- Market equilibrium
- Ongoing maintenance needed
Tracking Trends
Daily vs Weekly View
Daily data:
- Shows volatility
- Captures sudden changes
- Can be noisy
Weekly/Monthly trends:
- Smooths fluctuations
- Shows true direction
- Better for reporting
What Good Trends Look Like
Positive signs:
- Gradual upward movement
- Consistent first-page presence
- Position consolidation
Warning signs:
- Steady decline
- High volatility
- Lost rankings
Historical Data
Viewing History
Click any keyword to see:
- Position over time (chart)
- All historical positions
- When changes occurred
- Ranking URL changes
Using History
Historical data helps you:
- Correlate actions with results
- Identify patterns
- Spot seasonal trends
- Measure campaign impact
Desktop vs Mobile Rankings
Why They Differ
Desktop and mobile rankings can vary because:
- Different algorithms
- Mobile-first indexing
- Page speed differences
- Local intent variations
Tracking Both
If mobile traffic matters:
- Track key keywords for both
- Compare performance
- Optimize for mobile
SERP Features
Beyond Position 1
Google results include features:
- Featured snippets
- People Also Ask
- Local pack
- Images/videos
Your "position" is organic ranking, but these features affect clicks.
Feature Impact
Even position 1 may get fewer clicks if:
- Featured snippet captures attention
- Ads dominate above fold
- Other features draw eyes
Taking Action on Data
For Declining Keywords
When positions drop:
- Check if URL changed
- Review content freshness
- Analyze competitor changes
- Check technical issues
- Plan improvement actions
For Improving Keywords
When positions rise:
- Document what worked
- Apply learnings elsewhere
- Defend gains
- Push for higher positions
For Stagnant Keywords
When positions stay flat:
- Assess if improvement is realistic
- Identify what top rankers do differently
- Create improvement plan
- Or accept current position
Connecting SEO to AI Visibility
Complementary Metrics
Strong SEO often supports AI visibility:
- Quality content ranks in both
- Authority helps both channels
- Comprehensive coverage wins everywhere
Different Strategies
Sometimes they differ:
- SEO: Specific page optimization
- AI: Overall brand presence
- SEO: Link authority
- AI: Citation presence
Unified Approach
Best strategy addresses both:
- Create authoritative content
- Build presence on key sources
- Maintain brand consistency
- Track both metrics together
Exporting Data
Export Options
Download ranking data for:
- Reporting
- Analysis
- Sharing with team
- Historical archives
Export Formats
Available formats:
- CSV (spreadsheet)
- PDF (reports)
- API (integrations)