The topic of keyword ranking for the first page in google’s search results is super popular, and lately I’m always reading articles about how I ranked page one of google in only 5 days or other similarly titled stories. The biggest mistake people make when determining how well they are ranking for their keywords is in not using any tools to properly identify their placement in the SERPs. I made the same mistakes for a long time, until I became aware of some trade secrets and important tools that will help any blog or website owner determine their actual ranking in the search engine results pages.
Think you’re ranking on page number 1? Think again.
Just searching google for your keyword phrase is NOT the best way to find out how you’re ranking. In fact the results can be completely misleading. Whether you are aware of it or not, you probably have a google account and you’re probably logged in right now. Any searches you do in google will display skewed search results customized for you and based on your search and web history. Didn’t you find it a little curious that your own website was always coming up so high in the SERPs? Perhaps you thought your on-page SEO was that good! The reality is that unfortunately google knows a lot more about you than you think, and the results you’re getting are NOT the results the rest of the world gets when they search that keyword or keyword phrase. At the very least, log out of your google account and try the same search again. You may be surprised at how different the results are. In order to rank at all you may first want to learn some in-post SEO techniques, take a look at this article about Moving up in the SERPs.
So how do I find out where my keywords are really ranking?
Three Useful Tools to gauge your keyword ranking in the SERPs
- There are a number of tools available that will measure and even track your keywords and where they are ranking. One of the best, and the one I am using is SEScout. SEScout is free and all you have to do is set up an account, enter your domain name and up to 10 keywords that you are tracking, and SEScout will collect data from google and bing, let you know where those keyword(s) are ranking and also let you know any up or down movement. (You can track more than one domain and a whole lot more keywords if you register as a paid user)
- The well known marketing tool Market Samurai also features a rank checking tool (in the paid version only), that will also let you know how your keywords are performing in various search engines.
- SEOBook is another very useful site, and they also offer a browser toolbar which has a ton of fantastic SEO related tools built right into it, including an SEOXray (which analyzes the on-page SEO of any page you’re looking at), keyword highlighting, nofollow link highlighting, site comparison, and of course a keyword rank checker.
The Real Truth about first page Click Through Rates and Keyword Ranking
Research shows that only a little more than half of searches result in any clicks at all (read more on this). Let’s create an example, say you are trying to rank for a keyword phrase that receives 50,000 searches in a month (that’s a lot!). It would be fair to say that about 30,000 of those searches will be clicked through on the first page of google’s search results. If you are ranking number one you’ll likely get about 16908 of those clicks. Ranking number two will land you 4035 clicks, and ranking number three will earn you 3054 clicks. These are respectable numbers for sure, if you are able to get to any one of those top three spots you’ll be driving a fair amount of traffic to your site. But after the third position the numbers drop off significantly. Position four would only get about 1200 clicks, and the ninth slot would earn about 435 clicks. Interesting to note that the 10th position get’s more clicks than the ninth. Take a look at the chart below to get a graphic representation of the click through rate on the top 10 SERP spots.
Now the above example assumed you were attempting to rank for a keyword that got 50,000 monthly searches! That’s a going to be a highly competitive keyword, and the competition is going to be fierce. It is unlikely (if not impossible) that any new domain or any person attempting to rank well for a keyword with that many monthly searches could do it successfully in any short period of time. What is much more realistic is targeting keywords that get about 2-10,000 searches a month.
1 Click every 3 days, what!?!? The reality of the numbers.
Here’s the (sad) numbers for a keyword I’m attempting to rank for on one of my niche sites. The keyword receives about 720 monthly searches. We can immediately assume then that the first page of results will get about 390 clicks in a 30 day period. I’m currently ranking 8th on google for this particular keyword. The eighth slot gets about 2.91% of clicks, so that means about 11.3 clicks per month for me. Which if I break it down even more is about 1 click every 3 days. Ouch! Now if I did well and managed to get that keyword phrase up to slot number one I would get 219 clicks per month or 7.3 clicks per day. Yep, that’s it. Is it worth it? Is that a keyword to target. You have to measure that for yourself.
Successfully Ranking First Page in the SERPS: not all that exciting sometimes
There is a lot of hype around ranking first page in google results, and often times the numbers look big. Too often people are caught up in looking at the number of monthly searches. Just like the example above when you are looking at data you’ll see numbers like that (720 monthly searches), that sounds respectable, but too often website owners fail to compute the data, and analyze just how many clicks that may mean for them. Honestly it is NOT HARD AT ALL to get on the first page of search results in google. The secret everyone is after is getting in the top 3 results for a highly competitive keyword that will actually drive a lot of traffic. Boasting about ranking on the first page doesn’t mean a whole lot without significant traffic numbers to back it up. I could have written an article about how I got my keyword phrase to rank on the first page of google in only 5 days, but if you found out that the click through rate was about one click every three days you wouldn’t have been very impressed would you?
I hope you found this article informative and helpful in your keyword analysis and SEO endeavors. Share your thoughts on keyword ranking.
36 comments
[BLOCKED BY STBV] Blokube.com says:
Apr 1, 2011
You think your keywords are ranking well, but are they really?…
Just searching google for your keyword phrase is NOT the best way to find out how you’re ranking. In fact the results can be completely misleading. The topic of keyword ranking for the first page in google’s search results is super popular, and lately…
olddogg.com says:
Apr 1, 2011
You think your keywords are ranking well, but are they really? | Info Carnivore…
Just searching google for your keyword phrase is NOT the best way to find out how you’re ranking. In fact the results can be completely misleading….
Paul says:
Apr 1, 2011
I have a few posts that have obtained number 1 ranking, and they are (obviously) my largest traffic generators. They achieved that ranking because people started to link to them in forums, and over time, the links helped propel the posts to number 1.
The interesting thing is that while people focus on achieving top ranking for a keyword, they should also realize that they may rank well for other keywords, which will also increase traffic to their site.
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 1, 2011
Hey Paul. Ranking #1 for high traffic keywords takes time and hard work, as well as quality (and regular) incoming backlinks. People that optimize for SEO and then hit page one in a few days (it’s done all the time) are ranking on low competition, low search keywords… easy to do, but the traffic isn’t great (or perhaps non existent!) Good for you doing well on some key posts. I too have some posts that continue to get organic traffic from the search engines long after they were published.
bloggerden.com says:
Apr 1, 2011
You think your keywords are ranking well, but are they really? | Info Carnivore…
The topic of keyword ranking for the first page in google’s search results is super popular, and lately I’m always reading articles about how I ranked page one of google in only 5 days or other similarly titled stories. The biggest mistake people make …
SERPD says:
Apr 1, 2011
You think your keywords are ranking well, but are they really?…
The topic of keyword ranking for the first page in google’s search results is super popular, and lately I’m always reading articles about how I ranked page one of google in only 5 days or other si……
Brankica says:
Apr 1, 2011
Hey Daniel, this is awesome. I also recently found out that I need to log out before I check my rankings but lately I have only been using tools to see where I rank so I haven’t been misleading myself too much, lol.
I use CuteRank for the last 2 weeks and loving it. Also, on my Site Build It sites, I get all necessary tools that not only give me rankings but much more in depth analytics so I can focus on the best things to do for rankings.
Love this post 🙂
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 1, 2011
Hey Brankica. Thanks for your feedback. CuteRank is yet another tool I’m unfamiliar with, but will be checking it out now that you mention it! Thanks for your visit.
Adrienne says:
Apr 1, 2011
Wow Daniel, what an interesting post. I love it when I learn something new and you have definitely done that for me today.
I also use a few of the tools you suggested but have never heard of Sescout. Like Brankica mentioned as well, she just shared her cool little tool with us recently that I just started using. I need all the help I can get when it comes to seeing how I’m ranking for certain keywords. This post has really helped with that.
Adrienne
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 1, 2011
Hey Adrienne, I’m glad this article offered up something new for you! That’s certainly a goal of mine when I write. Thanks for dropping by.
[BLOCKED BY STBV] Zoomit.ca says:
Apr 1, 2011
You think your keywords are ranking well, but are they really?…
The topic of keyword ranking for the first page in google’s search results is super popular, and lately I’m always reading articles about how I ranked page one of google in only 5 days or other similarly titled stories. The biggest mistake people make …
SpeedLink V11/2011, Social Media, Online Business, SEO, And Blogging says:
Apr 2, 2011
[…] How To Get Search Engine Traffic With Minimal Effort7 Free Ways to Drive Traffic to Your WebsiteYou think your keywords are ranking well, but are they really?WordPress/Web DevelopmentInstalling the Facebook Fan Box Cache Plugin in WordPress 3 ways to […]
Ileane says:
Apr 2, 2011
Hi Daniel, I’m grateful for the lesson! I’m using Market Samurai and I love it. I need to check out CuteRank soon too. Thanks
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 3, 2011
No problem Ileane! I’m jumping on the CuteRank bandwagon myself.
Dave Clements says:
Apr 4, 2011
Very interesting stats about the CTR based on the result position on Google. Had no idea it was that… low!
I actually have recently been using Google Webmaster Tools to get an idea of what my average ranking is for several keywords. I was surprised at how well some were doing and shocked at how poorly others were doing. I set about revising keywords for posts that weren’t performing as well.
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 4, 2011
Hey Dave, yeah I think if people took a close look at some of the keywords they are trying to rank for they may soon realize that it is not worth the time. I’m really selective now about the keywords I target, and when I do find keywords that I’m going after I’m first confident I can rank for them, and second certain that the CTR will make the work required worth it! Thanks for your visit.
Kavya Hari says:
Apr 4, 2011
Yeah, its great info on here. so, i have to check out Key word rank soon.Thanks a lot for written your post on here 🙂
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 6, 2011
Glad this article was helpful to you.
Dana says:
Apr 6, 2011
Yeah, the number one keyword on Google is surely a very good in term of traffic. However I find that it is also hard to maintain our keyword to always in number one. I had number one keyword on a month ago but the keyword is in number 12 today.
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 6, 2011
Google’s results really fluctuate a lot on a day to day basis, so yes achieving number one doesn’t mean you’re going to stay there. Continued hard work on a strong backlink campaign and domain age are going to be factors in how long you stay in a rank position. The older a domain the more authoritative google will consider it, and you can rank in a spot for a longer time…. Competition is obviously also a factor.
A. Tatum says:
Apr 6, 2011
You are so right on this post. Some of this I knew, but you also brought a few things to my attention. I am ranking in 1 in Google and 2 on Yahoo and Bing. Now is all about converting the ranks into more results. Good post Dan!
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 6, 2011
Hey Alvin! Glad this post was able to offer some value to you. What keywords are you ranking for?
Ryan vanniekerk says:
Apr 7, 2011
Daniel,
CO-founder of SEscout here. Thanks for the plug. It’s always nice to see your hard work getting some appreciation.
Thanks!
– Ryan
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 8, 2011
Hi Ryan, you’re welcome. Thanks for visiting, and advertising here too 🙂
When the Google honeymoon is over, the keyword fight begins! | Info Carnivore says:
Apr 11, 2011
[…] I launched a niche site at the end of February which ranked quite well in its first six weeks. I was targeting 3 primary keywords and 7 longtail keywords, and they were all ranking well, many of them were in the top 10 and a few of them were in the top 3 results. By the way if you think your keywords are doing well, they may not be doing as well as you think, read this article to find out the number one mistake website owners make when assessing their keyword ranking. […]
Lukas says:
Apr 11, 2011
I think im gonna give SEscout a try. Looks like a good tool. Didnt know there was a free alternative out there. I have earlier used SEOMoz PRO and Rank Tracker from SEO Powersuite. Liked them, but they cost!
Ill be back with a comment when ive tried Sescout
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 16, 2011
SEScout is great, though it limits the number of keywords you can use unless you pay. I’m using Market Samurai since I bought the program.
Alex Cortez says:
Apr 15, 2011
Aloha Daniel,
I’m a first time visitor to your blog (initially found you on Google while looking for blogroll link info) and I must say that I’m very impressed. 45 minutes later I’m still reading your posts and I’m sure I’ll be a frequent visitor.
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 16, 2011
Alex, thanks for visiting then! Glad you found me. I hope to continue to produce quality content for you. 🙂 Let me know if there are any specific topics you’d be interested in me writing about.
Alex Cortez says:
Apr 23, 2011
Daniel, how about posts regarding SM signals as metrics in algorithms? Either way, learning tons reading some of your older posts.
Daniel Snyder says:
Apr 24, 2011
Hey Alex, not sure exactly what you’d be after with that suggestion. Are you meaning how search engines take social media into consideration in their algorithms? Makes sense, that there would be special considerations for content on SM sites, as it can not all be considered authoritative… interesting thoughts.
INSICO says:
May 5, 2011
Nice info,,, Great post, very informatively. Thanks for your shared info.
Daniel Snyder says:
May 6, 2011
Okay, glad the article was helpful!
George says:
May 11, 2011
Thanks for the detailed information. Good SEO practices with a detailed monitoring of the keywords can improve a website search engine rankings.
Justin Germino says:
Jun 2, 2011
Very detailed article and I have learned something new, off to check SEScout myself right now thanks to you. I know that not only does Google display results based on your account, but the IP address of your computer, they know the “location” of your PC when you search and results are also altered to benefit more to your geographic location as well.
This is one reason why in WebMaster tools you have to set which geographic location you want your site to be categorized under as a priority. Webmaster tools is still the best place I know to show the queries and number of impressions your site gets vs clicks. I found with this that some smaller keywords that my site shows up in, I get an 85% click through rate, but the searches are only like 300-400 per month for that term.
Find out which posts/search terms do the best and further optimize them to help improve their CTR as well.
Again, really great and thorough article Daniel and one of the best I have seen on the SERP results and how to check actual.
Daniel Snyder says:
Jun 6, 2011
Hey Justin! Thanks for the drop in, and support on this article. I too thought this was one of my best of recent memory, and would like to produce more content of this nature. I use webmaster tools a lot as well as it really provides some incredible information about what is going on behind the scenes!