Glossary · Metrics
Rank tracking
Definition. Rank tracking is monitoring your positions for a set of keywords over time. Third-party trackers estimate positions from their own crawls, which is why their numbers rarely match the average position Search Console reports.
Results are personalised and localised, so a single 'position' is a simplification. Track trends rather than daily movements.
Rank tracking answers a narrower question every year, as more queries end without a click. Pairing it with impressions and AI-visibility tracking gives a fuller picture.
Tracked-keyword allowances are the main driver of price in SEO suites, so track the keywords you would act on, not everything you rank for.
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Related terms
Click-through rate (CTR)
Click-through rate is the percentage of impressions that result in a click. In organic search it varies…
Impressions
An impression is recorded each time your page appears in search results for a query, whether or not…
Google Search Console
Google Search Console is Google's free tool showing how your site performs in Search: queries…
LLM visibility
LLM visibility is how often, and how favourably, a brand appears in the answers large language models…
More in Metrics: Click-through rate (CTR) · Impressions · Google Search Console
Frequently asked questions
What does Rank tracking mean?
Rank tracking is monitoring your positions for a set of keywords over time. Third-party trackers estimate positions from their own crawls, which is why their numbers rarely match the average position Search Console reports.
Why does Rank tracking matter for AI SEO?
Results are personalised and localised, so a single 'position' is a simplification. Track trends rather than daily movements.
What is the most common mistake with rank tracking?
Tracked-keyword allowances are the main driver of price in SEO suites, so track the keywords you would act on, not everything you rank for.
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