Search Configurations

Search groups organise and track how your keywords perform across different search engines, locations, and devices. Each search group represents one specific configuration that determines how your keyword tracking works.


Think of a search group as a container holding:

  • Your chosen keywords from one domain
  • One location setting
  • One device type (desktop or mobile)
  • One operating system (Windows/Mac for desktop, Android/iOS for mobile)
  • One language setting
  • One or more search engines

Why one configuration per search group

Each search group tracks keywords under one set of conditions. This means:

  • UK and US tracking need separate search groups
  • Mobile and desktop tracking need separate search groups
  • Different languages need separate search groups

Examples:

  • UK Mobile (Android) = One search group
  • UK Mobile (iOS) = Another search group
  • UK Desktop (Windows) = A third search group

This design keeps your ranking data accurate and comparable within each context. The system defaults to desktop tracking.


For most users: You don't need granular tracking. Start with one search group using defaults (your country, desktop, Google) and expand only if your business specifically needs different devices, locations, or operating systems.

What search groups do for you

Search groups help you:

  • Organise keywords into logical collections
  • Track performance across Google, Bing, and Yahoo
  • Understand regional ranking differences
  • Compare mobile vs desktop performance
  • Control tracking scope to balance cost with data
  • Focus analysis on keywords that matter to your business

Getting started

Finding search group management

  1. Click on the SEO menu
  2. Go to "Search Configurations" in the seo settings and then click on the search groups tab
  3. You'll see the search group creation form at the top and your existing groups below

Understanding your search groups table

Your table shows two rows per search group:

Information row:

  • Domain: Website you're tracking
  • Search Group: Name you've given this group
  • Search Engine: Icons showing which engines you're monitoring
  • Location: Where searches appear to come from
  • Language: Language setting for searches
  • Device: Desktop or mobile
  • OS: Operating system (Windows/Mac for desktop, Android/iOS for mobile)

Controls row:

  • Status Toggle: Enable or disable the group
  • Smart/Full Toggle: Switch tracking types
  • Edit Button: Modify settings
  • Delete Button: Remove permanently

Creating a search group

Basic setup

Required information:

  1. Search Name: Enter a unique, descriptive name

    • Examples: "Product Keywords - US", "Blog Content Tracking"

      Domain: Choose which website to track

      Location: Choose where searches appear to come from

    • Type a country, city, or region name and select from suggestions
    • Choose broad locations (like "United States") or specific areas (like "New York, NY")

Choose tracking type:

  • Smart Tracking: Daily monitoring of top 20 results, plus weekly scans of ranks 21–100
  • Full Tracking: Daily monitoring of top 100 results

Google is the default search engine. For multiple engines or other advanced options, expand

Advanced Settings.

Advanced settings (optional)

Expand Advanced Settings for more control:

  • Search Engines: Add Google, Bing, Yahoo, or track across multiple engines
  • Language: Change from default language
  • Device Type: Switch between Desktop and Mobile
  • Operating System: Choose Windows/Mac for desktop or Android/iOS for mobile

Select keywords

Choose All Keywords or specific selection:

Yes (All Keywords): Track all keywords for your selected domain

No (Specific Keywords): Select specific keywords

  • A keyword table appears
  • Use filters to find specific keywords:
    • Keyword Filter: Search for specific terms
    • Category Filter: Filter by keyword category
    • Include Filter: Show included or excluded keywords
  • Toggle switches next to each keyword to include or exclude
  • Use the master toggle to select or deselect all visible keywords
  • Counter shows how many keywords you've selected

Tip: Most users start with "All Keywords" and create focused groups later.

Create your group

  1. Review all settings
  2. Click Save
  3. You'll see a confirmation message
  4. Your new group appears in the table below

Managing existing search groups

Filter your groups

  • Use Domain Filter dropdown to show groups for one domain
  • Click All Domains to show all groups

Control group status

Enable or disable:

  • Toggle Status switch in controls row
  • Enabled groups actively collect data
  • Disabled groups preserve historical data but don't collect new data

Change tracking type:

  • Toggle Smart/Full switch
  • Smart tracking focuses on results that matter most (uses fewer credits)
  • Full tracking monitors wider range of results (uses more credits)
  • Changes apply to future tracking runs

Edit a search group

  1. Find your group in the table
  2. Click edit icon (pencil) in controls row
  3. Form populates with current settings
  4. Make changes:
    • Update location, language, device settings
    • Change search engines
    • Modify keyword selection
    • Note: You can't change search group name after creation
  5. Click Save to update
  6. Click Cancel to exit without saving

Delete a search group

  1. Find your group in the table
  2. Click delete icon (trash) in controls row
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. Group and all data permanently removed

Credit system

How credits work

Credits get consumed each time keyword rankings are checked:

  • Smart tracking: Uses fewer credits with focused monitoring
  • Full tracking: Uses more credits but provides comprehensive monitoring

Manage credit usage

  • Monitor credit balance through your account dashboard
  • Choose Smart tracking for cost-effective monitoring
  • Use Full tracking for your most important keywords
  • Disable groups temporarily to conserve credits

Best practices

Strategic grouping

Create focused search groups based on:

  • Geographic regions: Separate groups for different countries or cities
  • Device focus: Different groups for mobile and desktop
  • Content types: Group keywords by product categories or site sections
  • Business objectives: Align groups with marketing campaigns
  • Tracking scope: Group by importance (Smart for general monitoring, Full for critical keywords)

Naming conventions

Use clear, consistent names that include:

  • Domain (if you manage multiple websites)
  • Location (if you track different regions)
  • Device type (if device-specific)
  • Purpose or content focus
  • Tracking type (if relevant)

Frequently asked questions

Can I track multiple search engines? Yes. Google is selected by default, but you can expand Advanced Settings to add Bing, Yahoo, or track across multiple engines simultaneously.


What's the difference between Smart and Full tracking? Smart Tracking focuses on search results that matter most for your business, making it cost-effective for regular monitoring. Full Tracking provides comprehensive monitoring of a wider range of search results, using more credits but giving complete visibility.


Why use different search groups for desktop and mobile? Search rankings often differ significantly between desktop and mobile devices. Tracking them separately gives accurate insights into how users on different devices find your content.


Do setting changes affect historical data? No. Editing search group settings only affects future data collection. Your historical data remains intact based on previous settings.


What's the difference between deleting and disabling?

  • Disabling: Temporarily stops data collection but preserves all historical data
  • Deleting: Permanently removes the search group and all associated data

Can I change tracking type after creating a group? Yes. Toggle between Smart and Full tracking anytime using the toggle in the controls row. Changes apply to future tracking runs.

Troubleshooting

Search group isn't collecting data

Check these items:

  • Search group is enabled (Status toggle on)
  • You've selected at least one search engine
  • You've included keywords (or selected "Yes" for all keywords)
  • Your account has sufficient credits

Can't find certain keywords

If you can't find specific keywords:

  • Use keyword filter to search for parts of the keyword
  • Check if keyword is associated with different domain
  • Verify keyword exists in your account (you may need to add it first)

Location isn't available

If you can't find a specific location:

  • Try searching for larger geographic area (city → state → country)
  • Check for alternative spellings or official names
  • Some specific locations aren't supported; choose the closest available option

Running out of credits quickly

To manage credit usage:

  • Switch from Full to Smart tracking for less critical keywords
  • Disable unneeded search groups
  • Focus on most important keywords and search engines
  • Upgrade your plan

Accidentally deleted a search group

Search group deletion is permanent. In future, consider disabling search groups rather than deleting them if you might need them later.

Get the most from search groups

Effective search group management helps you organise keyword tracking and gain precise insights into search performance whilst managing costs effectively. By creating focused, well-organised search groups and choosing appropriate tracking types, you'll understand how your content performs across different search engines, locations, and devices.


Search groups are flexible tools that should evolve with your business needs. Regularly review and update your search groups to ensure they continue providing valuable data that supports your marketing and content strategies within your credit budget.


Ready to create your first search configuration? Start with the defaults and expand as your tracking needs grow.

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