Content Performance Analysis

The Content Performance Analysis tool helps you see how your website content is performing in search engine results. It shows you where your pages rank in Google, Bing, and Yahoo searches, how these rankings change over time, and which content needs your attention.

Content Performance Analysis

Why Track Content Performance This Way?


Content-First vs. Keyword-First Approach

The Content Performance Analysis tool takes a content-first approach instead of the traditional keyword-first approach. Here's why this matters:


Benefits Over Traditional Keyword Tracking

  1. Focuses on your actual content pages, not just keywords
    • Traditional keyword tracking only shows how specific search terms perform
    • This tool shows how your actual content pages are performing overall

    • You see the complete picture of a page's visibility, not just isolated keywords

      Connects directly to your content strategy

    • Immediately see which content pieces (not just keywords) need attention
    • Align performance data with your content creation efforts

    • Make decisions based on page performance rather than disconnected keywords

      More accurate representation of search visibility

    • Pages often rank for dozens or hundreds of related terms
    • Keyword tracking might miss important terms you didn't specifically target

    • Content performance gives you the aggregate view of how pages are actually performing

      Practical workflow advantages

    • Identify underperforming content directly without cross-referencing keywords to pages
    • Update entire pieces of content rather than chasing individual keywords

    • Measure the impact of content improvements across all relevant search terms

      Better alignment with user experience

    • Users experience your full pages, not isolated keywords
    • This approach helps you focus on overall content quality and relevance
    • Creates a virtuous cycle: better content leads to better rankings across more keywords

Understanding the Performance Dashboard


The Main Table

The main table shows a summary of how your web pages are performing in search engines:

  • URL Column: Shows the web address of your content page
  • Google, Bing, and Yahoo Columns: Display your current ranking position in each search engine
  • Ranking Indicators:
    • Green Up Arrow (▲): Your ranking is improving
    • Red Down Arrow (▼): Your ranking is declining
    • Orange Sideways Arrow (▶): Your ranking is stable
    • "out": The page isn't currently ranking in the top results

Filtering and Searching

You can narrow down the results in several ways:

  • Domain Filter: Select a specific website from the dropdown menu
  • Search Box: Type any part of a URL to find specific pages
  • Sorting: Click any column header to sort results (for example, click "Google" to see your best-performing content in Google first)

Pagination Controls

At the bottom of the table, you'll find:

  • Page Numbers: Click to move between pages of results
  • First (<<) and Last (>>): Jump to the beginning or end of your results
  • Previous (<) and Next (>): Move one page at a time
  • Results Summary: Shows how many results you're viewing out of the total

How to Use the Content Performance Analysis

Viewing Detailed Performance Charts

To see how a specific page's rankings have changed over time:

  1. Click on any row in the table
  2. A chart will expand showing the page's ranking trends
  3. The chart shows positions for each search engine over time
  4. Lower positions on the chart are better (position 1 is the top ranking)
  5. Click the row again to collapse the chart

Interpreting the Performance Chart

When looking at a page's performance chart:

  • Upward Trends (line moving down the chart): Your content is improving in rankings
  • Downward Trends (line moving up the chart): Your content is losing position
  • Flat Lines: Your content has stable rankings
  • Large Jumps: May indicate significant changes in content quality, relevance, or search engine algorithm updates

Using Filters Effectively

Get the most out of your analysis by using these filtering strategies:

  1. Check performance by domain:

    • Select different domains from the dropdown to compare content performance across your websites

      Focus on specific content types:

    • Type keywords like "blog" or "product" in the search box to see how specific content sections are performing

      Identify your winners and losers:

    • Click the "Google" column header twice to sort by lowest (best) position first
    • Click again to see your lowest-performing content that needs attention

Making Data-Driven Content Decisions

For Content That's Performing Well

When you see content with strong rankings (low numbers, green arrows):

  1. Analyze what's working:
    • What topics, formats, or approaches are succeeding?

    • Is the content comprehensive, up-to-date, and answering common questions?

      Create more similar content:

    • Use successful content as a template for new pieces

    • Consider expanding on related topics that might perform equally well

      Protect your winners:

    • Regularly update high-performing content to keep it fresh
    • Avoid making major changes that might hurt its performance

For Content That's Struggling

When you see content with poor rankings (high numbers, red arrows, or "out"):

  1. Assess potential issues:
    • Is the content outdated or incomplete?
    • Does it address what users are actually searching for?

    • How does it compare to competitor content ranking higher?

      Prioritize improvements:

    • Focus first on content with declining trends (red arrows)

    • Then address content that's been stuck with poor rankings

      Implement strategic updates:

    • Expand thin content with more detailed information
    • Update outdated facts, statistics, or references
    • Improve readability with better formatting and visuals
    • Ensure the content fully addresses the topic's most important questions

For Content With Fluctuating Rankings

When you see content with unstable performance:

  1. Look for patterns:
    • Are there seasonal factors affecting this content?
    • Do ranking changes coincide with your content updates?

    • Have competitors recently published similar content?

      Stabilize with quality improvements:

    • Enhance comprehensiveness by covering the topic more thoroughly
    • Improve user experience with better formatting and navigation
    • Add valuable elements like examples, case studies, or expert insights

Common Questions

"What's a good ranking position?"

While positions 1-3 are ideal:

  • Top 10 positions (first page) are considered successful
  • Positions 11-20 (second page) can still bring some traffic
  • Positions beyond 20 typically receive very little visibility

"

How often do rankings update?"

Search engine rankings can change:

  • Daily for highly competitive terms
  • Weekly or monthly for less competitive terms
  • After major search engine algorithm updates
  • After significant changes to your website or content

Check your performance analysis weekly to spot important trends while avoiding unnecessary concern over minor fluctuations.


"Why might rankings suddenly change?"

Sudden ranking changes can result from:

  • Search engine algorithm updates
  • New competitors entering the space
  • Changes to your website (even in other areas)
  • Seasonal shifts in search behavior
  • Technical issues affecting your site

"What if my content doesn't appear at all?"

If your content shows "out" across all search engines:

  • It may be too new to have been fully indexed
  • It might be competing for very difficult keywords
  • The content might not align with what people are searching for
  • Technical issues might be preventing proper indexing

"How do I decide which content to improve first?"

Prioritize content improvements based on:

  1. Strategic importance: Content related to your core offerings
  2. Traffic potential: Topics with high search volume
  3. Conversion value: Content that drives valuable customer actions
  4. Current trajectory: Content showing recent ranking declines
  5. Competitive opportunity: Areas where small improvements could yield big ranking jumps
Did this answer your question? Thanks for the feedback There was a problem submitting your feedback. Please try again later.