Why? Recent statistics show that over 90% of web traffic is directed to the first page of search results, with the top three results receiving the most clicks. By tracking keyword rankings, you can determine which keywords are driving organic traffic and optimize your content accordingly.
Another important benefit of keyword analysis is gaining a better understanding of how your competitors are performing. Researching specific keywords that your competitors are ranking for can help you plan your SEO strategy and outperform them.
However, there are some common mistakes that people make when analyzing their keywords. In this blog, we highlight some of these mistakes and why they should be avoided.
Ready to get a more accurate picture of your site's performance and develop a more effective SEO content strategy? Let's get started.
10 Mistakes to Avoid When Analyzing Your Website's Keyword Rankings
Analyzing your website’s keyword rankings is crucial to search engine optimization success georgia mobile phone numbers database but it’s easy to make mistakes that can misdirect your efforts.
Here are the top 10 mistakes you should avoid when analyzing your website's keyword rankings.
#1. Ignoring Long-Tailed Keywords
A common mistake when analyzing your website’s keyword rankings is to ignore long-tail keywords — these are longer, more relevant keywords that people use when they’re actively searching for what you offer.
For example, instead of targeting the short-tail keyword "sportswear," you could target the long-tail keyword "sportswear for men." This keyword is more specific and tells you more about the searcher's intent.
You may also see that the keyword “gym wear” has a difficulty rating of 69, or “hard.” This means that it’s quite difficult to rank for this particular keyword.
Keyword Difficulty for Gym Wear
By the way, the keyword difficulty "sportswear for men" has a difficulty rating of 30 or "medium". Of the two keywords, this is the easier keyword to rank for.
Keyword Difficulty for gym wear for men
In short, keyword difficulty for long-tail keywords is less than short-tail keywords.
The result? Targeting long-tail keywords makes it easier to get a coveted spot on the first few pages of Google and increases conversion rates.
#2. Ignoring Local SEO Rankings
Local SEO ranking is your website's position in search engines for queries that include a location.
For example, if you search for "hair salon near me," Google will show you results based on your location.
Google my business for Local SEO ranking
It’s important to track local SEO rankings when analyzing your website’s keyword rankings . Why? Because it can help you attract more customers who are actively searching for what you have to offer.
For example, if a person searches for “best hair salon in the USA” and your business’s ranking position is higher in the search results, they are more likely to visit your website and book an appointment.
You can use tools like Google Analytics to track your local SEO rankings . Google Analytics can help you track your local SEO rankings by providing insights into your website traffic from local searches.
For example, you can use Google Analytics to track:
Search volume from local searches
Target the keywords people use to find your website
Location of your website visitors
#3. Over-reliance on Single Data Points
Don't rely on a single data point to analyze your website's keyword rankings.
People often panic and make drastic changes to their SEO strategy when they see a drop in rankings for a single keyword. We know it’s tempting, but give it some time before making any drastic changes.
Keyword rankings fluctuate due to algorithm updates, competitor activity, and user behavior (may take weeks to fully roll out).
Additionally, a data point may not be representative of your overall performance. For example, a drop in rankings for an unimportant keyword may not be significant if your rankings are stable or increasing for more relevant keywords.
Therefore, track your keyword rankings over a longer period of time and look for trends to avoid relying on single data points. Waiting a few weeks before making any decisions will help you identify significant changes in your performance and take corrective action if necessary.
#4. Ignoring Personalized Search Results
Personalized search results are tailored to each user based on search history, location, and other factors. This means that two users may see different results for the same search query.
Here's a look at what a user sees when searching for the keyword "how do I rank my website on Google":
How to rank my website on google
And here's what the other user saw:
How to rank my website on google
Ignoring personalized search results can lead to incorrect conclusions when analyzing your website’s keyword rankings, because without personalized search results, you’ll see an average ranking for a particular keyword across all users.
However, this average ranking may not be accurate for your target audience as it includes rankings from users who are not interested in what you have to offer.
Here are some tips to avoid this mistake:
Use a tool that lets you see search results for a specific keyword for different users. Google Analytics, Google Search Console , Semrush, and Moz offer this feature.
Focus on long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are more specific and less competitive than short-tail keywords, so they are less likely to be affected by personalized search results.
#5. Neglecting Mobile and Desktop Ranking
Ignoring mobile rankings can lead to missed opportunities as more and more people use these devices to search the web. By 2023, over 55% of all web traffic will come from mobile devices.
Track your keyword rankings on mobile and desktop to ensure your website is visible to potential customers no matter how they search.
For example, if you sell running shoes and are tracking your search engine rankings for the keyword "running shoes," you may notice that your website ranks in the top 10 results for desktop devices, but only in the top 20 results for mobile devices.
Running Shoes - Google search result
This means you’re missing out on a significant amount of traffic from mobile users. To improve your mobile rankings, make sure your site is mobile-friendly and optimized for mobile search.
#6. Not Analyzing SERP Features
Not analyzing SERP features for your website's keyword rankings could cost you valuable traffic.
SERP features appear in search results beyond traditional organic listings, such as code snippets, infographics, image packs, and local packs.
SERP Featured Snippet
By analyzing SERP features, you can identify opportunities to optimize your content for those features, thereby increasing your visibility and click-through rate (CTR).
For example, if you're ranking for a keyword with a featured snippet, you can optimize your content to match the featured snippet. This may include adding a similar piece of text to your site or making other changes to your content.
Here are some tips for analyzing SERP features:
Use a keyword research tool to identify SERP features that appear for your target keywords.
Analyze the content of SERP features to see what information Google provides.
Consider how you can optimize your content to match SERP features.
#7. Reacting to Fluctuations Too Hastily
When analyzing your website’s keyword rankings, it’s a common mistake to react too quickly to fluctuations. Not every fluctuation is significant. A one-day drop is usually temporary.
However, this can be a problem if search engine rankings are consistently declining over time.
Track your keyword rankings over time using a tool like Google Search Console. If you see a consistent decline, you may need to change your website’s SEO strategy.
But avoid being too hasty. Investigate the cause of the decline and then develop a plan to fix the problem.
#8. Over-Emphasizing Vanity Metrics
When analyzing your website's keyword rankings, stop focusing solely on vanity metrics like rankings.
