what is rank tracking

Rank tracking is the practice of monitoring where URLs rank on search engine results pages (SERPs) for selected keywords. It is an essential part of the SEO workflow and helps to measure the effectiveness of optimization efforts once keywords start to rank and deliver traffic, revenue, and conversions over time. Rank tracking is based on current rankings and historical data, allowing for the analysis of progress and its impact on organic traffic. There are many third-party rank tracking tools, platforms, and processes available to monitor website performance and assess how it responds to changes in SEO strategy. Some of the key metrics that rank tracking tools track include visibility, traffic, top keywords, and ranking positions segmented via groups. Rank tracking software is designed to cross-reference data obtained from a webpage and compare it to the latest data received by search engine algorithms, allowing it to determine the exact rank, traffic, visibility, and top keywords at a given moment based on real-time ranking data.