SEO Rank Tracker

seo-rank-tracker — Keyword Ranking Monitoring

Ranking Data Sources

Primary Sources

GSC Position Data Caveats

• Position is impressions-weighted average — a page ranking #3 for 100 impressions and #50 for 10 impressions shows as ~7.3
• Data is 2 days delayed (hourly granularity available via API since Dec 2025)
• Positions are sampled for high-volume queries
• Filter by device to see mobile vs desktop separately
• Filter by country for geo-specific rankings

SERP Feature Tracking (2026)

Features to Monitor

AI Overview Impact Analysis

When AI Overviews appear for your target queries:

1. Cited in AIO: Position preserved, CTR may increase (trusted source signal)
2. Not cited in AIO: CTR drops 34-46% even if ranking #1
3. Strategy: Optimize for citation (see seo-geo skill) rather than just ranking

Ranking Monitoring Framework

Keyword Categories

Position Buckets Analysis

Striking Distance Analysis

Keywords ranking #4-20 are "striking distance" — most ROI per effort:

1. Filter GSC data for avg position 4-20
2. Sort by impressions (high impressions = high opportunity)
3. Analyze current page quality vs top 3 competitors
4. Prioritize by: opportunity = impressions × (target_ctr - current_ctr)

Local vs National Ranking

Local Ranking Factors

• Google Business Profile optimization (completeness, reviews, photos)
• NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone across directories)
• Local content and landing pages
• Proximity to searcher (uncontrollable but measurable)
• Local link building (chambers of commerce, local media)

Geo-Specific Tracking

Track rankings for key locations separately:

Keyword: "plumber near me"
├── New York, NY: #3 (Local Pack: #1)
├── Los Angeles, CA: #7 (Local Pack: not listed)
├── Chicago, IL: #12 (Local Pack: #3)
└── National average: #8

Use geo-targeted SERP APIs (Bright Data, DataForSEO) for location-specific data.

Competitor Rank Comparison

Share of Voice (SOV) Calculation

SOV = Σ (estimated_clicks per keyword) / Σ (total_clicks for all tracked keywords) × 100

Where estimated_clicks = search_volume × CTR_for_position

Competitor Monitoring Checklist

• Track same keywords for top 5 competitors
• Compare SOV trends monthly
• Detect new competitor pages targeting your keywords
• Monitor competitor SERP feature wins/losses
• Alert when competitor enters your top-3 keywords

Competitive Position Matrix

Ranking Volatility Analysis

Google Update Detection

• Track average position across all keywords daily
• Normal fluctuation: ±2-3 positions day-to-day
• Potential update: ±5+ positions across multiple keywords simultaneously
• Cross-reference with known Google update dates (MozCast, Semrush Sensor)

Volatility Scoring

Recovery Playbook

If rankings drop significantly:

1. Check GSC for manual actions or security issues
2. Check timing against known Google updates
3. Analyze pattern: All keywords affected → site-wide issue. Specific cluster → topical issue
4. Compare content against new top-ranking pages — what changed?
5. Review technical: Any recent site changes? (migration, redesign, server issues)
6. Cross-reference CrUX: Did CWV degrade simultaneously?

GSC Cross-Validation

Data Reconciliation

Compare rank tracker data with GSC:

• Rank tracker shows exact position for a single geo/device
• GSC shows average position across all impressions
• Discrepancies are normal — investigate only when directionally different (rank tracker says #3, GSC says #25)

Anomaly Detection Rules

Automated Monitoring Integration

Monitoring Frequency Configuration

Alert Rule Templates

Rule: Core Keyword Drop
  Trigger: position drops ≥5 from 7-day average
  Severity: HIGH
  Action: Investigate → check competitor changes → check technical issues

Rule: Batch Drop
  Trigger: 3+ tracked keywords drop simultaneously
  Severity: HIGH
  Action: Check Google update timeline → compare with SEMrush Sensor

Rule: SERP Feature Loss
  Trigger: Lost Featured Snippet or AI Overview citation
  Severity: MEDIUM
  Action: Compare content with new feature holder → update content

Rule: Competitor Entry
  Trigger: New competitor enters top 3 for core keyword
  Severity: MEDIUM
  Action: Analyze competitor page → identify advantages → plan response

Notification Templates

Slack Alert Format

🔴 [HIGH] Ranking Alert — {domain}
Keyword: "{keyword}"
Position: {old_pos} → {new_pos} (↓{drop})
URL: {page_url}
Possible cause: {analysis}
Action: {recommendation}

Weekly Digest Format

📊 Weekly Rank Report — {domain} — Week of {date}
Summary: {total_tracked} keywords | ↑{improved} | ↓{declined} | →{stable}
Top Movers: [table of top 5 up/down]
Alerts Triggered: {count} ({critical}/{high}/{medium})
SOV Change: {your_sov}% (was {last_week}%)
Action Items: [prioritized list]

Cross-reference: seo-monitor skill for comprehensive monitoring beyond rankings. Cross-reference: seo-report skill for full report generation.

Scoring

Output Format

Generate RANK-TRACKING-REPORT.md with:

1. Ranking Health Score (0-100)
2. Position Distribution (buckets: #1-3, #4-10, #11-20, #21-50, #50+)
3. Striking Distance Opportunities (keywords #4-20 sorted by opportunity)
4. SERP Feature Status (which features you own vs competitors)
5. Share of Voice (your SOV vs top competitors)
6. Volatility Analysis (recent ranking stability)
7. Recommendations (prioritized by expected traffic impact)