Keyword Average Position
What is the Keyword Average Position Feature?
The Keyword Average Position feature provides a comprehensive analysis of how your keywords are performing across different search engines. It tracks the average ranking positions of your keywords over time, allowing you to monitor trends, compare performance across search engines, and identify opportunities for improvement.
This tool answers critical questions like:
- How are my keywords performing overall?
- Which search engines am I performing best on?
- How has my visibility changed over time?
- Which categories of keywords need attention?
- What specific actions can improve my rankings?
Why Keyword Average Position Matters for Your Business
Tracking average keyword positions provides several strategic advantages:
- Performance Trend Identification: See if your rankings are improving or declining over time
- Search Engine Comparison: Understand where you're strongest (Google, Bing, or Yahoo)
- Category Performance: Identify which content categories are ranking well or need improvement
- Opportunity Discovery: Find keywords that are close to ranking breakthroughs
- ROI Measurement: Track the impact of your SEO efforts on actual rankings
Accessing the Keyword Average Position Feature
The Keyword Average Position feature is available in the Keywords section of your dashboard:
- Scroll down to the "Average Position Analysis" section
- View the chart showing average positions across search engines
- Click the "AI Analysis" button for in-depth insights
Understanding the Average Position Chart
The Average Position Chart displays your keyword performance with these key elements:
- Horizontal Axis (X): Dates, showing the time period of your position data
- Vertical Axis (Y): Average ranking position (lower numbers are better)
- Color-Coded Lines: Different search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo) represented by different colors
- Data Points: Each point represents the average position on a specific date
Remember that in search rankings, lower numbers are better (position 1 is the top of search results).
Using Interactive Features
Toggle Button
The toggle button (▼/▲) at the top of the analysis section allows you to:
- Show/hide the analysis content
- Collapse the section when not needed
- Expand it again without regenerating the analysis
Export Button
Each analysis includes an export button that allows you to:
- Save the analysis as a text file
- Share the insights with team members
- Archive analyses for historical comparison
To export an analysis:
- Click the export button (file icon) at the bottom of the analysis
- Choose a save location on your device
Filtering Your Analysis
To get more targeted insights, use these filtering options before generating your analysis:
Date Range Filter
The "Date Range" dropdown lets you adjust the time period:
- 30 Days (default): Shows the past month of position data
- 60 Days: Displays two months of data
- 90 Days: Shows three months of data
- All Time: Shows all available historical data
Longer time periods help identify long-term trends and seasonal patterns.
Search Group Filter
The "Search Group" dropdown allows you to focus on specific projects:
- Select "All Search Groups" to view aggregate data across all your projects
- Choose a specific search group to focus on a particular search configuration
This helps analyze performance differences between different websites or projects.
Category Filter
The "Category" dropdown lets you filter by keyword category:
- Select "All Categories" to view data across all content types
- Choose a specific category to focus on related keyword groups
Categories help you understand performance patterns for different sections of your website.
Generating AI-Powered Analysis
For deeper insights into your average position data:
- Set your desired filters (date range, search group, category)
- Click the "AI Analysis" button
- Wait a few moments for the AI to analyze your data
- Review the comprehensive analysis and recommendations
Understanding the AI Analysis Report
The AI analysis provides valuable insights organized into sections:
1. Performance Summary
This top section provides a high-level overview of your keyword positions:
Overview
- Time Period: The date range analyzed
- Search Engines Analyzed: Which engines were included in the analysis
- Performance Snapshot: Key metrics for each search engine
Critical Insights
Specific, data-backed observations about your ranking performance
Action Plan
Prioritized, actionable recommendations to improve your rankings, each with an expected impact level (HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW)
2. Search Engine Analysis
This section breaks down performance by individual search engines:
Engine Performance
For each search engine (Google, Bing, Yahoo):
- Average Position: Your overall average ranking
- Ranking Status: Assessment of your visibility (not ranking, weak, moderate, strong)
- Trend: Direction of movement (improving, declining, stable)
- Position Distribution: How your keywords are distributed across different ranking positions
Performance Drivers
- Content Factors: How your content affects rankings
- Technical Factors: Technical SEO elements impacting performance
- Competitive Analysis: How your competition varies across search engines
Targeted Opportunities
- Immediate Wins: Keywords that could quickly move to top positions
- Content Gaps: Areas needing improvement based on keyword themes
- Cross-Engine Strategy: Approach to balance optimization across all engines
Category Performance
- Top Categories: Best performing categories for each search engine
- Improvement Areas: Categories needing attention with specific recommendations
How to Interpret Search Engine Performance
Multiple Search Engine Analysis
The system analyzes each search engine separately because:
- Different search engines use different ranking algorithms
- Your content may perform differently across engines
- User behavior varies between search engine audiences
- Optimization strategies may need to be adjusted per engine
For each search engine, the analysis provides:
- Specific ranking metrics
- Unique algorithm preferences
- Tailored optimization opportunities
Ranking Status Definitions
- Not Ranking: Your keywords are not appearing in the top 1000 results
- Weak: Average positions beyond page 1 (positions 11+)
- Moderate: Average positions on page 1 but not in top 3 (positions 4-10)
- Strong: Average positions in top 3 results
Trend Interpretations
- Improving: Average positions are getting better (moving towards position 1)
- Declining: Average positions are getting worse (moving away from position 1)
- Stable: No significant change in average positions
- Not Applicable: Not enough historical data to determine a trend
Practical Applications of Average Position Analysis
For Improving Google Rankings
If your Google performance needs improvement:
- Focus on the Google-specific recommendations in the analysis
- Address the content factors identified for Google's algorithm
- Target immediate win opportunities specific to Google
- Implement technical improvements aligned with Google's preferences
For Balancing Cross-Engine Performance
To improve rankings across all search engines:
- Identify common performance drivers affecting all engines
- Prioritize recommendations that benefit multiple search engines
- Address engine-specific issues based on which engine drives most traffic
- Implement the cross-engine strategy outlined in the analysis
For Category Optimization
To improve specific content categories:
- Use the Category Performance section to identify underperforming categories
- Implement the recommended improvements for those categories
- Track category performance over time to measure progress
- Focus on categories with the highest business value
FAQ About Keyword Average Position
How is average position calculated?
Average position is calculated by taking the best ranking position for each keyword each day, then averaging these positions across all keywords tracked for that day and search engine.
Why do average positions vary between search engines?
Different search engines use different algorithms, with varying emphasis on factors like:
- Content relevance and depth
- Technical performance (speed, mobile-friendliness)
- Backlink quality and quantity
- User engagement signals
- Domain authority
What if my keywords aren't ranking at all on a search engine?
The analysis will identify this as "not ranking" status and provide specific technical and content recommendations to achieve initial visibility on that search engine.
How long does it take to see improvements in average position?
After implementing recommendations:
- Technical fixes: 1-2 weeks to see impact
- Content improvements: 2-4 weeks
- New content strategy: 1-3 months
How do I prioritize which search engine to focus on?
Consider:
- Which search engine drives most traffic to your site currently
- Your target audience's preferred search engine
- Where you have the biggest opportunity gap
- Which engine-specific improvements would benefit other engines too
Conclusion
The Keyword Average Position feature provides valuable insights into your search performance across engines, helping you identify trends, opportunities, and specific actions to improve your rankings.
By regularly analyzing your average positions and implementing the AI-generated recommendations, you can systematically improve your search visibility, traffic, and ultimately your business results.
Remember that search engine optimization is an ongoing process. Use this tool regularly to track your progress, identify new opportunities, and stay ahead of the competition.