What is Average Position in SEO?

Average Position (shown in Google Search Console) represents the mean ranking of a URL for a specific query. For example, an average position of 3.5 means the page usually appears between positions 3 and 4.

Understanding Average Position in SEO

Average position used to be a standard metric in Google Search Console that showed where your website appeared in the search results. Although Google retired the old “average position” metric in favor of “average ranking” and “search visibility,” the concept is still widely discussed in SEO.

It helps marketers and business owners understand how well their content is performing. A lower number (like 1 or 2) means you appear near the top, while a higher number (like 20 or 30) means you appear further down or even on later pages.

Average position is not the only indicator of success. Click-through rates, impressions, and conversions also need to be analyzed. However, it remains a useful benchmark for identifying keyword strengths and weaknesses.

Average Position Across CMS Platforms

WordPress

• SEO plugins like Rank Math or Yoast can track keyword rankings through integrations.

• Average position data often comes from tools like Google Search Console or third-party rank trackers.

Shopify

• Store owners monitor product keyword positions using SEO apps or external tools.

• Tracking average position helps optimize product pages for target queries.

Wix

• Wix SEO dashboard provides some ranking insights, but external tools often give better accuracy.

• Average position guides adjustments in meta titles, descriptions, and internal linking.

Webflow

• Marketers rely on integrated SEO tools and Google Search Console to measure average position.

• Useful for optimizing landing pages and blogs for keyword performance.

Custom CMS

• Large businesses often integrate APIs from SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console to measure keyword ranking performance at scale.

• Tracking average position across thousands of keywords helps plan SEO strategies.

Why Average Position Matters Across Industries

• E-commerce: Identifying average product rankings helps refine descriptions, category structures, and internal links.

• Local Businesses: Average position for local search terms like “plumber near me” indicates how well local SEO campaigns are performing.

• SaaS Companies: Tracking rankings for feature-based keywords (like “project management software”) shows competitiveness.

• Blogs and Publishers: Average position reveals which articles attract impressions but may need optimization for higher clicks.

• Agencies: SEO agencies use average position reports to show clients progress and highlight areas of opportunity.

Best Practices: Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Track average position alongside impressions and CTR for context.

• Compare average position across desktop and mobile.

• Use ranking data to refine on-page SEO and content strategy.

• Focus on keyword intent, not just ranking positions.

• Monitor trends over time instead of one-time results.

Don’ts

• Do not obsess over one keyword’s position without considering traffic potential.

• Avoid making decisions based only on average position.

• Do not ignore fluctuations since rankings can change daily.

• Avoid relying only on free tools; supplement with professional rank trackers.

• Do not forget user engagement metrics like bounce rate or conversions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Thinking a #1 average position guarantees high traffic. Click-through rate still matters.

• Ignoring long-tail keywords that bring conversions even if average position is lower.

• Comparing average positions without considering location, device, or language.

• Forgetting that personalized search results may show different rankings to different users.

• Relying only on average position instead of combining it with broader SEO metrics.

FAQs

What is “Average Position” in SEO/Google Search Console?

Average Position is a metric that reflects the mean ranking of your website’s pages in search engine result pages (SERPs) for one or more queries. It’s computed by summing the positions your page appears in, and dividing by the number of times it appears (or across queries/impressions).

How is Average Position calculated?

For example, if a page appears in position 1 for one query, position 5 for another, and position 3 for a third, its Average Position is (1 + 5 + 3) ÷ 3 = 3. In Google Search Console, if multiple URLs from the same site appear for a query, only the topmost URL is counted.

Why is Average Position important?

Because it gives you a sense of how visible your site is overall in search results. A lower average position (closer to 1) means your pages are generally ranking high, which tends to lead to more impressions, clicks, and traffic. It helps you track SEO performance over time.

What are the limitations of using Average Position alone?

• It may be skewed by queries with very low impressions.

• It doesn’t show which queries bring the most traffic or conversions. Some high-volume or high-intent queries might rank lower, but average position looks “good” because of many low-value query rankings.

• Search personalization, location, device type, SERP features (featured snippets, AI overview, etc.) can affect how position is reported or perceived.

What is a “good” Average Position?

There’s no universal number, but generally:

• Positions 1-3 are excellent (top of page).

• Positions 4-10 are good (on first page but maybe not top).

• Positions beyond 10 are less ideal if you want visibility.