How to find out which keywords my site ranks for

What is a keyword ranking?

Keyword ranking reveals your webpage’s position in organic search engine results. But it’s more complex than just a number:

• Core Ranking Factors:
  • Content relevance (how precisely you answer user questions)
  • Website authority (links, reputation, domain history)
  • User engagement signals (time on page, click-through rates)
• Technical Depth:
  • Google uses over 200 ranking signals
  • Machine learning algorithms continuously refine search results
  • Ranking is dynamic, changing in real-time based on user behavior
• SERP Features: Visibility tools
  • Featured snippets highlight key information
  • Rich results include images, ratings, additional context
  • Position zero (top snippet) can generate 8x more clicks than standard results

Why are keyword rankings important?

Your ranking directly impacts business results. First-position Google results get 31.7% of all clicks, while tenth position gets only 3.1%. Drop to page two, and clicks plummet below 1%.

Better rankings mean:

• More qualified visitors (people actively searching for your solution)
• Lower advertising costs (organic traffic is free)
• Higher trust (users prefer organic results over ads)

Focus on keywords that match buyer intent. A fifth-position ranking for “buy project management software” brings more value than first position for “what is project management” – because the first keyword shows purchase intent.

How to check your keyword rankings

Using free tools

Google Search Console shows exactly which keywords your website ranks for, helping you identify opportunities to optimize your content and improve visibility. If you’re wondering how to tell what keywords a site ranks for, this tool provides clear metrics such as impressions, clicks, and average positions. 

1. Open Performance Report (Search Results)
2. Set date range to last 3 months
3. Compare key metrics:

• Impressions: How often your pages appear
• Clicks: When users choose your site
• Average position: Your typical ranking
• CTR: Percentage of impressions turning into clicks

Look for keywords where you rank positions 4-10 with high impressions but low CTR. These are your quick wins – improve these pages first.

Google Analytics complements this data by showing what visitors do after clicking. Connect it with Search Console to see which keywords drive:

• Longest time on site
• Most pages per session
• Highest conversion rates

Advanced tools for keyword tracking

Tools like Rush Analytics’ Rank Tracker provide daily updates on your keyword ranking positions, helping you monitor changes and identify trends over time.

• Daily ranking updates for all your keywords.
• Mobile vs. desktop position tracking.
• SERP feature monitoring (e.g., Featured Snippets, Knowledge Panels).
• Competitor ranking comparison.

The tool automatically groups keywords by search intent, helping you focus on terms that drive sales. You can also set up email alerts for significant ranking changes to address issues promptly.

Manual keyword checking

Google personalizes search results based on your location and history. To see true rankings:

1. Open incognito/private browser window
2. Use a VPN to check different locations
3. Add “&pws=0” to Google URL to disable personalization
4. Check both mobile and desktop results

For local rankings, use Chrome DevTools to set precise GPS coordinates and see results from specific neighborhoods.

How to analyze keyword data for SEO strategy

Understanding key metrics

These metrics determine where to invest your SEO efforts:

Search Volume: Monthly searches for your keyword

• High search volume (1000+): Requires strong domain authority and deep content. Best for established sites with SEO budgets
• Medium search volume (100-1000): Sweet spot for growing sites. Balance of effort vs traffic potential
• Low search volume (10-100): Perfect for new sites. Less competition means faster rankings, plus visitors often have stronger purchase intent

Keyword Difficulty (0-100):

• 0-30: Target these first. Create specific, detailed content that answers exact questions. Example: “small business CRM pricing” vs just “CRM”
• 31-70: Need quality backlinks and comprehensive content. Track competitors ranking here – what content types work for them?
• 71-100: Major resources required. Only pursue if crucial for your business goals

SERP Features:

• Featured snippets steal 8.6% of clicks. Structure content with clear definitions, step lists, and comparison tables
• People Also Ask reveals user questions. Build topical clusters around these related queries
• Local Pack appears in 30% of searches. Essential for physical businesses – neglecting local SEO means losing walk-in customers

Search intent and keyword relevance

Focusing on the wrong search intent can lead to content optimized for irrelevant keywords, which wastes time and resources without delivering meaningful results. Instead, prioritize relevant keywords that align with your audience’s search intent and create content tailored to their needs.

Each search intent needs specific content format:

Informational (“how to”, “what is”)

• Content type: Detailed guides, tutorials
• Structure: Clear headings, step-by-step instructions
• Example: “How to do keyword research” → Comprehensive guide with examples, not product marketing
• Success metric: Time on page, scroll depth

Commercial (“best”, “top”, “vs”)

• Content type: Comparison pages, case studies
• Structure: Feature tables, pros/cons, real usage examples
• Example: “Best rank tracking tools” → Independent testing data, clear differences between options
• Success metric: Affiliate clicks, demo signups

Transactional (“buy”, “price”, “download”)

• Content type: Product pages, pricing tables
• Structure: Clear CTAs, trust signals, purchase paths
• Example: “Buy rank tracker” → Direct value proposition with proof
• Success metric: Conversion rate

Mismatched content wastes effort. Create specific pages for each intent – product pages don’t work for educational queries, and vice versa.

Improving keyword rankings: step-by-step guide

Initial keyword research

When choosing your target keywords, focus on those with moderate search volume and low competition to maximize your chances of ranking quickly. Start by creating a focused list of keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner or Rush Analytics’ Keyword Suggestions Tool to find terms that align with your strategy.

First, open Google Keyword Planner and type your topic. Look at two numbers for each keyword:

• Monthly searches (how many people look for it)
• Competition (how hard it is to rank)

You want keywords where:

• Monthly searches aren’t tiny (at least 100)
• Competition says “Low” or “Medium”

Example: Bad keyword: “email marketing”

• 50,000 searches but super competitive
• Big companies dominate results
• You won’t rank for years

Good keyword: “email marketing templates for restaurants”

• 200 searches but low competition
• Small blogs rank well
• You can reach top-10 in months

Pro tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs show exact numbers, but the logic is the same: look for keywords with decent searches and low competition.

Check search results to confirm – that tells you more than any numbers.

Creating high-quality content

How to make content for both users and search engines:

1. Pick right content strategy for your keyword:

• Blog posts that solve problems
• Comparison articles
• Step-by-step guides

2. Make it SEO-friendly:

• Put keyword in title naturally
• Break into clear sections
• Add helpful images
• Use internal links

3. Smart keyword placement:

• First paragraph: main keyword
• Headers: related terms
• Alt text: describe images with keywords
• Content body: natural variations

4. Focus on user needs:

• Answer search query clearly
• Give specific examples
• Include actionable advice
• Add expert insights

5. Mix different content types:

• How-to guides
• Lists and comparisons
• Case studies
• Expert interviews

6. Fix weak content:

• Bad: “Email marketing is important for business”
• Good: “Email marketing helped 5 small businesses get 50% more sales”

7. Success shows in:

• People stay to read
• They share content
• They try your advice
• They come back for more

On-page optimization

Let’s make your page visible to Google. Here’s where to put keywords so Google understands what your page is about:

Title tag (shows in Google results):

• Write what’s on the page: “How to Start Email Marketing: Beginner’s Guide”
• Keep under 60 characters
• Put main keyword at start

Main heading (H1):

• Make it match your title
• Write for humans, not robots
• Example: “How to Start Email Marketing in 2024”

Page description (shows under title in Google):

• Write 1-2 sentences about your page
• Use a meta description to summarize your page in search results and include your keyword naturally
• Make people want to click

Image descriptions (alt text):

• Tell what’s in the picture
• Add keyword if it fits
• Example: “example of email newsletter template”

Where else to add keywords:

• First paragraph (tell what the page is about)
• Section headings (break up your text)
• Image file names (before uploading)
• Page address (URL)

Bad example: “Email marketing email campaigns best email marketing tips for email marketing success”

Good example: “Learn how to create email campaigns that people actually open and read”

Building high-quality backlinks

What are backlinks? Other websites linking to your page. Think of them as votes – the more quality votes you get, the higher Google ranks you. Backlinks signal to search engines that your content is credible and worth ranking higher.

How to get good backlinks:

1. Guest posting:

• Find sites in your field
• Pitch unique article ideas
• Include link to your site naturally. Example: Write “10 Email Marketing Tips” for marketing blog

2. Create link-worthy content:

• Original research
• Industry surveys
• Expert interviews
• Useful tools People link to valuable stuff naturally

3. Check competitor backlinks:

• Look who links to them
• Reach out to same sites
• Show why your content is better. Example: “Hey, saw you linked to X’s guide. Our guide has newer data”

4. Build partnerships:

• Connect with related businesses
• Share each other’s content
• Create content together. Example: Software company + marketing agency

Measure quality:

• Check domain authority (site’s strength)
• Look at site’s content quality
• Make sure link is relevant

Monitoring and refining strategy

Tracking your Google keyword rankings weekly ensures you stay updated on changes and can adjust your strategy proactively to maintain visibility.

Track weekly:

• Check keyword positions in rank tracking tools
• Monitor traffic changes in Analytics
• Look at click rates in Search Console

Update strategy when needed:

• Rankings drop → refresh content
• New keywords appear → add relevant sections
• Competitors outrank → analyze their changes
• Traffic drops → check for technical issues

Maintain keywords:

• Remove outdated terms
• Add trending keywords
• Focus on what brings results
• Drop keywords with no progress

Monthly review:

1. Compare rankings to last month
2. Note best performing pages
3. Plan content updates
4. Adjust focus keywords

Rankings change often. Keep tracking and improving what works.

Competitor keyword analysis

Look what keywords bring traffic to your competitors using competitive analysis:

Rush Analytics’ Rank Tracker shows:

• Identify which keywords your competitors rank for.
• Spot overlaps (terms both you and your competitors target).
• Discover missed opportunities to improve your rankings.

How to find good keywords:

Add competitor websites to Rank Tracker.

Compare their rankings to yours:

• They rank high, you don’t → opportunity to improve.
• Both rank well → analyze who’s doing better.
• Neither ranks → the keyword might be too competitive.

Look for gaps:

• Topics they cover, but you don’t.
• Keywords driving the most traffic to their site.
• Search terms where you could outrank them.

In Rush Analytics: Your competitor ranks #3 for “email marketing tools,” a keyword with 5,000 monthly searches. You’re not in the top 100. The panel shows they use detailed comparison tables and user reviews – content you could create to compete.

Where to start:

• Quick wins (keywords with low competition).
• High-value gaps (terms that generate significant sales).
• Unique topics where you have expertise.

Use these insights to:

• Update your existing content.
• Create new pages.
• Target missed opportunities.
• Track your progress against competitors.

Advanced tips for maximizing rankings

Three key ways to improve your rankings:

1. Long-tail keywords: Instead of broad terms like “shoes”, target specific phrases:

• “running shoes for flat feet women”
• “waterproof hiking boots wide toe box” These longer phrases bring fewer but more interested visitors

2. Internal linking: Connect your pages properly:

• Link from one article to related ones
• Use descriptive text in links
• Group similar content together Example: Article about dog food links to “puppy nutrition guide”

3. User experience matters: Make your site easy to use:

• Fast loading (under 3 seconds)
• Works well on phones
• Clear headings and text
• Easy navigation

Track if it works:

• Do people stay on page?
• Do they read more articles?
• Do they come back?