If you have been trying to do a google ranking keyword check for your website, you are asking exactly the right question. Most small business owners have no idea which keywords their website ranks for on Google, or whether it ranks for anything useful at all. This guide explains exactly how to do a google ranking keyword check, what the results mean and how to use that information to improve your search visibility.
What Is a Google Ranking Keyword Check?
A google ranking keyword check is the process of finding out which search terms your website appears for in Google search results and what position it holds for each of those terms.
When someone searches on Google, your website either appears in the results or it does not. A google ranking keyword check tells you which searches are currently showing your site, how high up you appear and how many people are actually seeing your listing. Without doing a google keyword check you are essentially flying blind, spending time and money on a website without knowing whether it is actually being found by anyone.
Why a Google Ranking Keyword Check Matters
Before understanding how to do a google ranking keyword check, it is worth understanding why it matters so much for small businesses.
Google drives the vast majority of website traffic for most small businesses. Someone searching for your service is actively looking to buy. They have a need and they are ready to act. A google ranking keyword check tells you whether your business is visible at that crucial moment or whether potential customers are finding competitors instead.
A google ranking keyword check also shows you which keywords you are already ranking for that you might not be actively targeting. Sometimes websites rank for unexpected search terms that reveal new content opportunities or audience segments worth pursuing.
How to Do a Free Google Ranking Keyword Check
The best free tool for a google ranking keyword check is Google Search Console. It is provided by Google itself, is completely free and gives you the most accurate data available for your specific website.
Setting up Google Search Console
If you have not already set up Google Search Console, go to search.google.com/search-console and add your website. You will need to verify ownership by adding a piece of code to your site or connecting through Google Analytics. Once verified, Google will start collecting data on your search performance.
Running Your Google Ranking Keyword Check
Once your site is connected, here is how to run your google ranking keyword check in Search Console:
Go to the Performance section in the left menu. This is where your google ranking keyword check data lives. You will see four key metrics at the top including total clicks, total impressions, average click through rate and average position.
Click on the Queries tab beneath the graph. This shows every keyword your website has appeared for in Google search results over the selected time period. This is the core of your google ranking keyword check.
For each keyword in your google ranking keyword check you can see the number of clicks, impressions, click through rate and average position. The position number is how far down the Google results your site typically appears for that search term.
Understanding Your Google Ranking Keyword Check Results
When reviewing your google ranking keyword check results, position 1 to 3 means you are appearing in the top three results and getting a significant share of clicks. Position 4 to 10 means you are on page one but getting fewer clicks than the top three. Position 11 to 20 means you are on page two and getting very few clicks. Position 21 and beyond means you are on page three or lower and getting almost no organic traffic from those searches.
A google keyword check typically reveals a mix of positions. Most websites rank on pages two, three and four for most of their target keywords, which explains why organic traffic feels low even when the site appears to be doing everything right.
What to do if there is no data on Google Search Console yet?
If your website is new and Google Search Console has no data yet, keyword research tools are your starting point. Free options like Ubersuggest allow you to type in your service and location to find what your potential customers are actually searching for, including search volume and how competitive each term is. Start by searching for your main service combined with your location, for example web designer Norfolk or plumber Norwich, and look for keywords with decent search volume and lower difficulty scores. These become the target keywords for your homepage and service pages before Google has had the chance to show you what you are already ranking for.
What to Look for in Your Google Ranking Keyword Check
When reviewing your google ranking keyword check results, these are the most valuable things to focus on.
High impression, low click keywords
If your google ranking keyword check shows keywords with many impressions but very few clicks, your page is being shown but people are not clicking through. This usually means your page title or meta description is not compelling enough to attract clicks. Improving these can significantly increase traffic without changing your position.
Keywords ranking on page two
A google ranking keyword check that reveals keywords where you rank between position 11 and 20 is particularly valuable. These are searches where you are close to page one but not quite there. Improving content, adding internal links and building a few relevant backlinks to those specific pages can push them onto page one and generate significant additional traffic.
Unexpected keyword rankings
Your google ranking keyword check will often reveal searches you never specifically targeted. These unexpected rankings show you what Google thinks your content is about and can reveal new opportunities to create dedicated pages targeting those terms more deliberately.
Local keyword rankings
For local businesses, a google keyword check for location-specific terms is particularly important. If your google ranking keyword check shows you ranking for searches like your service plus your town or county, that is your most valuable traffic. If you are not appearing for those searches, local SEO work is the priority.
How Often Should You Run a Google Ranking Keyword Check?
A google ranking keyword check is most useful when done consistently over time rather than as a one-off. Monthly is a good frequency for most small businesses.
Running a google keyword check monthly lets you track whether rankings are improving, identify any rankings that have dropped and assess whether your SEO efforts are having the intended effect.
Google Search Console keeps data for 16 months by default, allowing you to compare your current google ranking keyword check results against the same period in a previous year.
What to Do After Your Google Ranking Keyword Check
Understanding your google ranking keyword check results is only useful if you act on them. Here is what to do with what you find.
Optimise pages ranking on page two
The highest return on investment from a google ranking keyword check is improving pages already ranking between position 11 and 20. Add more comprehensive content, improve the page title to include the target keyword, add internal links from other pages and ensure the page loads quickly on mobile.
Create new content for missing keywords
If your google keyword check reveals that you have no ranking for important search terms your customers use, creating dedicated pages or blog posts targeting those terms is the next step.
Improve meta titles and descriptions for high impression keywords
If your google keyword check shows keywords with many impressions but low click through rates, rewriting the page title and meta description to be more compelling and include a clear reason to click can improve traffic without any change in position.
How byoliver Uses Google Ranking Keyword Checks
byoliver runs a google ranking keyword check for every client site every month as part of the ongoing retainer. The results inform which pages need improvement, which keywords are climbing and which new opportunities are worth targeting.
This monthly google ranking keyword check is what keeps byoliver clients’ websites improving consistently rather than stagnating after launch. Rankings are monitored, trends are spotted early and the right actions are taken before a small ranking drop becomes a significant one.
Clients like Scott’s Mobile Valeting now rank on the first page of Google for competitive local search terms as a direct result of consistent monthly monitoring and action taken on the results of each google ranking keyword check.
byoliver provides ongoing SEO including monthly google ranking keyword check monitoring for small businesses across Norfolk and the UK from £79 per month with no upfront costs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Google Ranking Keyword Check
What is the best free tool for a google ranking keyword check?
Google Search Console is the best free tool for a google ranking keyword check. It is provided by Google directly and gives the most accurate data on which keywords your site ranks for and at what position.
How do I check what keywords my website ranks for?
Set up Google Search Console at search.google.com/search-console, verify your website and go to the Performance section. The Queries tab shows every keyword your site has appeared for in Google search results.
How often should I do a google ranking keyword check?
Monthly is the recommended frequency for most small businesses. This gives you enough data to spot trends without checking so frequently that short-term fluctuations cause unnecessary concern.
What is a good position in a google ranking keyword check?
Positions 1 to 3 receive the most clicks. Position 1 to 10 means you are on page one. Positions 11 to 20 mean you are on page two where very few people click. The goal of any SEO work is to move keywords from page two and three onto page one.
Can byoliver help improve my google ranking keyword check results?
Yes. byoliver includes monthly google ranking keyword check monitoring and ongoing SEO as standard in every retainer from £79 per month. Rankings are tracked, improvements are made and clients can see their positions climbing over time.
How long does it take to see improvement in a google ranking keyword check?
Initial improvements typically become visible within four to eight weeks of targeted SEO work. Significant ranking improvements take three to six months of consistent monthly effort.
