Monitoring organic search positions in Google is increasingly challenging. Google’s search results pages are now dynamic, diverse, and personalized. Additional sections — images, videos, “People also ask,” more — impact shoppers’ search journeys.
Yet position tracking remains the best way to measure organic search performance.
In this post, I’ll address my top five rank-tracking providers:
- Google Search Console,
- Sitechecker,
- Spyfu,
- Ahrefs,
- Semrush.
Top 5 Rank Trackers
Google Search Console is free. It’s my primary ranking tool. Search Console’s “Performance” section reports:
- Search queries your site ranks for,
- Average position of your site for each query,
- Pages that drive organic clicks,
- Impact of your site’s rich snippets.
The platform provides 16 months of data. There’s no way to prioritize keywords. Still, the tool is a must-have because its data is straight from Google.
With a couple of plugins, you can combine Google Analytics and Search Console data for even more insights into search queries and your site’s rankings for each.
Search Console’s “Performance” section reports the impact of a site’s rich snippets. Click image to enlarge.
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Sitechecker is a multi-feature SEO platform that includes daily rank tracking. Use Sitechecker to monitor your positions and those of your competitors.
The tool retains daily snapshots of SERPs — helpful for back-in-time analysis. There’s also a useful visualization of SERP movements that includes all top-ranking third-party URLs — not just yours or your competitors’. It’s valuable insight into ranking fluctuations.
Sitechecker can group your keywords by priority, intent, or other criteria. You can also track rankings by devices, locations, and languages. The platform sends daily or weekly reports via email and urgent alerts for significant ranking changes.
Prices for Sitechecker start at $23 per month to track 150 keywords, with a 7-day free trial requiring no credit card.
Sitechecker provides a useful visualization of SERP movements that includes all top-ranking third-party URLs — not just yours or your competitors’. Click image to enlarge.
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Spyfu is one of the oldest SEO and pay-per-click platforms. It offers advanced weekly position tracking with detailed email reports, which include:
- Keywords in top positions,
- Pages that drive organic performance,
- Newly discovered rankings,
- Keyword groups with the biggest gains,
- Total organic clicks and changes in traffic and value.
Spyfu also monitors rankings for existing and new (unknown) competitors.
Plans on Spyfu start at $33 per month for 5,000 weekly keyword rankings. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee but no free trial.
Spyfu monitors rankings for existing and new (unknown) competitors. Click image to enlarge.
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Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO platform. Its rank monitoring tool includes sorting and filtering options to dig deep into position changes of your site and your competitors’.
Especially helpful is Ahrefs’ ability to monitor your domain’s overall rankings across all of Google’s SERP features, such as image packs, “People also ask,” knowledge panel, and more.
Ahrefs’ entry pricing is $99 per month to monitor 750 keywords. There’s no free trial.
Ahrefs monitors your domain’s overall rankings across all of Google’s SERP features, such as image packs, “People also ask,” knowledge panel, and more. Click image to enlarge.
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Semrush, another full-featured platform, offers tracking tools to monitor Google’s overall SERP volatility with alerts of possible updates.
Semrush conveniently reports search intent for every tracked keyword and notifies when your site appears in special SERP sections — such as local 3-packs and sitelinks — or has an opportunity to be featured.
Semrush reports search intent for every tracked keyword and notifies when your site appears in special SERP sections — such as local 3-packs and sitelinks. Click image to enlarge.
Plans on Semrush start at $119 per month to track 500 keywords with a free 7-day trial (credit card required).
At a Glance
- Search Console. Free, unlimited keywords.
- Sitechecker. $23 per month. 150 keywords. 7-day free trial with no credit card.
- Spyfu. $33 per month. 5,000 keywords. No free trial.
- Ahrefs. $99 per month. 750 keywords. No free trial.
- Semrush. $119 per month. 500 keywords. 7-day free trial with a credit card.
All of the above trackers are excellent at reporting ranking info. Your choice will likely depend on interface and usability preferences.
via https://www.aiupnow.com
Ann Smarty, Khareem Sudlow
