Tracking keyword rankings for client sites is a different job from finding keywords in the first place, and I used to treat them as the same task. They’re not one is about opportunity, the other is about whether the work is actually paying off, and mixing them up leads to checking the wrong numbers at the wrong time.
Why Rank Checking Isn’t the Same as Research
Keyword research is “What should we write about?,” while rank tracking is “Did it work?” It’s a different question altogether and requires a different kind of tool to answer. I use Mangools to do both keyword research and rank tracking, but I use it for a different purpose each time.
What I Actually Check Monthly When Tracking Keyword Rankings for Client Sites
Once a month is enough to check my rank, because doing it every day makes me nervous about natural fluctuations in algorithms that change back in a few days. What I pay attention to:
Keywords that became top 20 (this requires some effort to bring them up a little higher), keywords that dropped out from top 50 (it’s worth looking into the reason), pages that are ranking by non-targeted keywords – sometimes it’s the most useful information in the whole report. And I personally recommend, as a developer, you must use Mangool.
Why Raw Position Isn’t the Real Signal
Counting keyword rankings based on their numerical ranking is overlooking the whole idea behind it. A keyword that is ranked #8 with negligible search volume is less important than a keyword ranked #15 but with some considerable search volume. The latter may be closer to bringing some traffic despite its poorer ranking compared to the former. I correlate the ranking information with actual clicks data obtained through Search Console to determine whether something is “working” or “not working.”
Setting Realistic Expectations With Clients
And this is where a lot of client relations fail from the get-go. It usually takes two months for the new material on the new website to generate any significant changes in the rankings; hence, if you monitor daily during the first two weeks, you will most certainly be disappointed in what should be considered the natural progression. I have made that clear from the very beginning in writing.
What I Ignore on Purpose
Vanity rankings of a keyword nobody would actually search that happens to rank well get ignored entirely, even when the report technically shows a “win.” Position changes of one or two spots also get ignored month to month, since that’s typically just algorithm noise rather than a signal worth acting on. I focus attention on genuine trend direction over several months, not single-point snapshots.
Final Thoughts for Tracking Keyword Rankings for Client Sites
Tracking keyword rankings for client sites well means checking the right things on the right schedule, and resisting the urge to react to every daily wobble in position. If you want your site’s content strategy actually measured against real progress instead of guesswork, take a look at my WordPress development services or get a free quote.
Recommended Tools & Plugins
Every tool below is something I actually use on client projects, not a random affiliate list.
- Hosting: Cloudways fast, managed WordPress hosting
- Theme: GeneratePress lightweight, built for speed
- Page Builder: Elementor Pro the builder behind most of my client sites
- Forms: WPForms reliable, beginner-friendly form builder
- Directory/Listing Sites: Directorist for business directory or listing projects
- Elementor Add-ons: Crocoblock (JetEngine) for dynamic, database-driven sites
- Keyword Research: Mangools is the SEO tool I use for keyword research
- Backups: UpdraftPlus never launch a site without a backup plan
- Course Platform: Tutor LMS is the LMS plugin
- Free Speed Test: Google PageSpeed Insights is the free tool I use to check real Core Web Vitals data
