Average position
Search Console's mean of the highest position a site achieved for each impression of a query, averaged across those impressions.
AnalyticsPosition trackingRank monitoring
Rank tracking
Regularly querying search engines from defined locations and devices to record where specific URLs rank for a keyword set.
In full
Tracked positions are samples from a specific location, language, device and time, and will not match Search Console's averages, which aggregate real impressions. Good practice is to track a stable, representative keyword set segmented by intent and funnel stage, alongside share of voice for the set, rather than chasing individual positions. Personalisation, localisation and continual testing all inject noise, so short-term movement is rarely meaningful.
Example
A tracker configured for mobile in Manchester reports position four, while Search Console shows an average of 7.8 across all UK locations.
Related terms
Share of voice
The proportion of available search visibility a site captures across a defined keyword set, weighting positions by expected click-through…
Algorithm volatility
Day-to-day fluctuation in rankings caused by continuous algorithm changes, index updates and testing, distinct from confirmed named updates.
Local grid rank tracking
Measuring local pack rankings from many simulated points across a map to reveal how visibility varies by searcher location.
Keyword research
Identifying and prioritising the queries a business should target, using volume, difficulty, intent, business value and current visibility.