KPI

What Is Keyword Ranking? Definition & How to Track It

Keyword ranking is the position a specific web page holds in search engine results (Google, Bing, etc.) for a given keyword query. When conducting your keyword research, You are probably looking at the search intent, volume, snippets, and of course, your keyword ranking. Here's everything you need to know about that metric. 

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What is keyword ranking?

Keyword rankings are your web page's position in search results (from Google, Bing or other search engines) for a particular keyword search query. In other words, it’s your google rank, the spot your URL has on the search engine when someone enters a particular keyword is your keyword ranking (1st, 10th, 256th).

You can track keyword rankings as a list of all the best keywords you rank for on Google for example to have a good idea of what pages and keywords worked best.

How to calculate keyword ranking

In your keyword research process, you do not have to calculate the keyword ranking yourself. You must use an SEO tool, that offers a search engine ranking tool or keyword ranking tool to find out which keywords are ranking best.

What is a good keyword ranking?

Usually, you want to rank as high as possible on search engines, ideally, you aim for 1st place, but any ranking on the 1st page is considered quite good. Usually, search engines will show about 10 results per page, so a good ranking is between 1 and 10, ideally as close as possible to 1.

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What is a bad keyword ranking?

A bad keyword ranking is anything more than position 10. If your URL is on page 2 or more of the search engine, chances are you’ll have no impressions, no clicks, and no traffic, so it’s not so good. A typical searcher will find the information they are looking for in the first few results, thanks to the algorithm finding the most relevant ones to feature first. 

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Keyword ranking KPI examples & templates

SEO (Search engine optimization) template SEO (Search engine optimization) template

Gather all your favourite SEO tools, from Google Analytics to SEMrush, Ahrefs, Google search console and even bing with an awesome SEO report! Track your SEO strategy, organic search, average position, and SEO keyword rankings in seconds and get insights on how to improve your SEO campaigns.

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Digital marketing report template Digital marketing report template

Track your digital marketing efforts with our marketing report. Our digital marketing reports let you track organic traffic, email marketing campaigns, PPC results (Google Ads), and your social media presence.

See this template live

Google Analytics Report Template Google Analytics Report Template

Track your SEO metrics and website performance, traffic, click-through rate, conversions and more with an easy-to-use Google Analytics report template.

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How to improve your keyword ranking

Here are some of the best practices you should keep in mind when making your lists of keywords and improving your chances of ranking.

Keyword ranking best practices

step 1 icon Focus on long-tail keyword

Ranking on the first page can be quite difficult at first. So to help you, look for new keywords in your google search that would be easier to tackle. Long-tail keywords usually get lower volumes but are more targeted and that could be beneficial for you particularly if you are new to the game of SEO and don’t have a stellar domain authority.

step 2 icon Use keyword rank checker tools

When tracking your SEO and ranking data you want to make sure you have the right information, have at least one good tool to give you your keyword position can be enough, but it’s always good to have another data source for your rank checking. 

step 3 icon Have a solid backlink strategy

The algorithm is complex, and having a good ranking position is more than just creating good content marketing for your target keywords. Backlinks will help you build authority which should help you with your SEO ranking and be able to get more search traffic, a better site’s ranking, for better search terms. Make sure to get high-quality backlinks as Google know the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions About Keyword Ranking

What is a keyword ranking?

A keyword ranking is the position your web page holds in search engine results (on Google, Bing, or other search engines) when someone searches for a specific keyword. For example, if your page appears 4th in Google results for "SEO reporting tool," your keyword ranking for that query is #4. Rankings range from position 1 (top of page 1) to hundreds of pages deep.

What is a good keyword ranking?

A good keyword ranking is any position between 1 and 10, meaning your page appears on the first page of search results. Position 1–3 captures the most clicks by far. Anything beyond position 10 (page 2 and further) typically receives very little organic traffic, as most users find what they need in the first few results.

What are the 4 types of keywords?

The four main types of keywords are: informational (the user is looking to learn something, e.g. "what is keyword ranking"), navigational (the user is looking for a specific brand or site, e.g. "DashThis login"), commercial (the user is researching options before buying, e.g. "best keyword tracking tools"), and transactional (the user is ready to take action, e.g. "keyword rank tracker free trial"). Understanding keyword types helps you match content to search intent and improve your rankings.

How do you check your keyword ranking?

You can check your keyword ranking using SEO tools like Google Search Console (free), Ahrefs, Semrush, AccuRanker, or Keyword.com. These tools show you which keywords your pages rank for, at what position, and how those rankings change over time. For ongoing monitoring, connect your keyword tracking data to an automated reporting tool like DashThis to see all your ranking data in one dashboard.

Is keyword ranking a KPI?

Yes, keyword ranking is an SEO KPI. It measures how visible your content is in organic search for the terms that matter to your business. Tracking keyword rankings over time tells you whether your SEO strategy is working, which pages need optimization, and where you have opportunities to outrank competitors. It's most useful when monitored alongside related KPIs like organic traffic, click-through rate, and impressions. 

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