How to See Your Website’s Search Rankings on Google (And Why It Matters)

If you don’t know where you rank on Google, you’re guessing - and guessing isn’t a strategy. Knowing your website’s position in search results is essential for increasing visibility, attracting customers, and staying ahead of competitors.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to check your Google rankings, the best tools to use, and how to track changes over time so you can take action to improve your rankings.

Why Tracking Google Rankings Matters

Your Google ranking determines how easily potential customers find your business. If you’re not showing up for the right keywords, you’re losing traffic and sales to competitors.

Tracking your rankings helps you:

• Identify which keywords drive traffic and which need improvement.
• Spot ranking drops before they impact your business.
• Measure SEO performance to see if your efforts are paying off.
• Stay ahead of competitors by monitoring their rankings.

But before we look at how to check rankings properly, let’s clear up a common mistake that many businesses make.

Why You Shouldn’t Google Your Own Keywords to Check Rankings

Many people assume the best way to check their Google ranking is by searching for their own keywords on Google. That’s a mistake.

Here’s why manual searches don’t give you accurate rankings:

• Personalisation – Google tailors results based on your search history, meaning your rankings may appear higher than they actually are.
• Location bias – Search results change based on your location, so rankings might be different for users in different cities or countries.
• Device differences – Results vary between desktop and mobile searches, making it hard to track a consistent ranking.
• Google’s AI adjustments – Your past interactions with certain websites influence what Google shows you.

Instead of guessing your rankings, use the right tools to get accurate, unbiased data.

The Best Way to Check Google Rankings: Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) is the most accurate and free tool for tracking your website’s search rankings. Since it pulls data directly from Google, it shows real keyword rankings, clicks, and impressions - not just an estimate.

Step 1: Set Up Google Search Console

If you haven’t already set up Google Search Console, follow these steps:

1. Go to Google Search Console.
2. Click "Start Now" and sign in with your Google account.
3. Add your website as a property:
4. Choose Domain for full website tracking.
5. Choose URL Prefix if you only want to track specific pages.

Verify your ownership by following Google’s instructions (this may involve adding a code to your website or using your domain provider).

Once verified, Google will start collecting ranking data for your website.

Step 2: Find Your Keyword Rankings

1. Log into Google Search Console and select your website.
2. In the left menu, click "Performance" → "Search Results".
3. Scroll down to see a list of keywords your site ranks for.
4. Click "Average Position" at the top to sort keywords by ranking.

Step 3: Identify Ranking Opportunities

Look for keywords ranking in positions 6–20 (page two of Google). These keywords have high potential - with some content improvements, they could move up to page one.

Other Great Tools to Check Google Rankings

While Google Search Console is essential, other tools help track rankings more precisely, including competitor insights.

1. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a powerful SEO tool that helps you:

• Track your keyword rankings over time.
• See what keywords competitors rank for.
• Analyse backlinks (who is linking to your site).
• Find new keyword opportunities.

Ahrefs offers a free SERP Checker and Keyword Rank Checker for quick ranking checks.

2. SEMrush

SEMrush is an all-in-one SEO tool that provides:

• Live rank tracking for your website and competitors.
• Traffic and keyword insights to find high-value opportunities.
• SERP reports to monitor specific keyword performance over time (detailed setup below).

3. Sitechecker

A beginner-friendly SEO tool that:

• Tracks ranking changes over time.
• Flags SEO issues affecting rankings.
• Provides actionable recommendations for improving rankings.

4. Browser Extensions

For quick ranking checks, use free extensions like:

• SEOquake – Shows keyword rankings directly in search results.
• Ahrefs SEO Toolbar – Provides ranking and backlink data inside your browser.

How to Set Up SERP Reports in SEMrush (Track Specific Keywords Over Time)

If you want detailed tracking for specific keywords (instead of just checking rankings once), you need to set up SERP reports.

Here’s how to do it in SEMrush:

Step 1: Open the Position Tracking Tool

1. Log into SEMrush.
2. Go to "Position Tracking" in the left menu.
3. Click "Create New Project" and enter your website URL.

Step 2: Add Your Target Keywords

1. Click "Set up tracking".
2. Enter the keywords you want to track (these should be important keywords for your business).
3. Choose your target location (rankings can vary by country, city, or even ZIP code).
4. Select Desktop or Mobile tracking.

Step 3: View Your SERP Reports

Once set up, SEMrush will track your rankings daily and generate SERP reports showing:

• Your ranking position for each keyword.
• Changes in rankings over time.
• How competitors are ranking for the same keywords.

Tracking SERP reports over time lets you see exactly what’s working, what’s declining, and where to improve.

How to Use Your Ranking Data to Improve SEO

Once you know where you rank, the next step is taking action to move up. Here’s how:

1. Optimise Pages Ranking on Page 2

• Find keywords ranking positions 6-20 in Google Search Console.
• Update those pages with better content, clearer headings, and stronger internal links.

2. Improve Click-Through Rates (CTR)

• Rewrite meta titles and descriptions to be more engaging.
• Use numbers, questions, or urgency to make users click.

3. Get More Backlinks

• Earn backlinks from relevant, high-authority websites (guest posts, PR, outreach).
• Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to find where competitors get their backlinks.

4. Refresh Old Content

• Update blog posts with new data and insights to keep rankings strong.
• Add FAQs and structured data to increase visibility in search.

Final Thought: Don’t Just Check Rankings - Improve Them

Checking your rankings is just the first step - what matters is how you use that data to improve.

If you’re serious about growing your visibility and ranking higher on Google, Pop Up Teams can help you create a results-driven SEO strategy that works.

Want to Rank Higher on Google? Let’s Talk.

Contact Pop Up Teams today and let’s build a search strategy that gets results.

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