Rank Tracker

When to Use This Skill

• Setting up ranking tracking for new campaigns
• Monitoring keyword position changes
• Analyzing ranking trends over time
• Comparing rankings against competitors
• Tracking SERP feature appearances
• Monitoring AI Overview inclusions
• Creating ranking reports for stakeholders

What This Skill Does

1. Position Tracking: Records and tracks keyword rankings
2. Trend Analysis: Identifies ranking patterns over time
3. Movement Detection: Flags significant position changes
4. Competitor Comparison: Benchmarks against competitors
5. SERP Feature Tracking: Monitors featured snippets, PAA
6. GEO Visibility Tracking: Tracks AI citation appearances
7. Report Generation: Creates ranking performance reports

How to Use

Set Up Tracking

Set up rank tracking for [domain] targeting these keywords: [keyword list]

Analyze Rankings

Analyze ranking changes for [domain] over the past [time period]

Compare to Competitors

Compare my rankings to [competitor] for [keywords]

Generate Reports

Create a ranking report for [domain/campaign]

Data Sources

See CONNECTORS.md for tool category placeholders.

1. Keyword ranking positions (current and historical if available)
2. Target keyword list with search volumes
3. Competitor domains and their ranking positions for key terms
4. SERP feature status (featured snippets, PAA appearances)
5. AI Overview citation data (if tracking GEO metrics)

Instructions

1. Set Up Keyword Tracking
   markdown

   ## Rank Tracking Setup
   
   ### Tracking Configuration
   
   **Domain**: [domain]
   **Tracking Location**: [country/city]
   **Device**: [Mobile/Desktop/Both]
   **Language**: [language]
   **Update Frequency**: [Daily/Weekly/Monthly]
   
   ### Keywords to Track
   
   | Keyword | Volume | Current Rank | Type | Priority |
   |---------|--------|--------------|------|----------|
   | [keyword 1] | [vol] | [rank] | Primary | High |
   | [keyword 2] | [vol] | [rank] | Primary | High |
   | [keyword 3] | [vol] | [rank] | Secondary | Medium |
   | [keyword 4] | [vol] | [rank] | Long-tail | Medium |
   | [keyword 5] | [vol] | [rank] | Brand | High |
   
   ### Competitor Tracking
   
   Track these competitors for benchmark:
   1. [Competitor 1] - [domain]
   2. [Competitor 2] - [domain]
   3. [Competitor 3] - [domain]
   
   ### Tracking Categories
   
   | Category | Keywords | Description |
   |----------|----------|-------------|
   | Brand | [X] | Brand name variations |
   | Product | [X] | Product-related terms |
   | Informational | [X] | Educational queries |
   | Commercial | [X] | Buying intent terms |

2. Record Current Rankings
   markdown

   ## Current Ranking Snapshot
   
   **Date**: [date]
   **Domain**: [domain]
   
   ### Ranking Overview
   
   | Position Range | Keyword Count | % of Total |
   |----------------|---------------|------------|
   | #1 | [X] | [X]% |
   | #2-3 | [X] | [X]% |
   | #4-10 | [X] | [X]% |
   | #11-20 | [X] | [X]% |
   | #21-50 | [X] | [X]% |
   | #51-100 | [X] | [X]% |
   | Not ranking | [X] | [X]% |
   
   ### Position Distribution
   

   Position 1: ████████ [X] keywords Position 2-3: ██████ [X] keywords Position 4-10: ████████████████ [X] keywords Position 11-20: ████████████ [X] keywords Position 21+: ██████████ [X] keywords

   
   ### Detailed Rankings
   
   | Keyword | Position | URL | SERP Features | Change |
   |---------|----------|-----|---------------|--------|
   | [kw 1] | 3 | [url] | Featured Snippet | +2 ↑ |
   | [kw 2] | 7 | [url] | PAA | -1 ↓ |
   | [kw 3] | 12 | [url] | None | New |
   | [kw 4] | 1 | [url] | Featured Snippet | — |

3. Analyze Ranking Changes
   markdown

   ## Ranking Change Analysis
   
   **Period**: [start date] to [end date]
   
   ### Overall Movement
   
   | Metric | Start | End | Change |
   |--------|-------|-----|--------|
   | Avg Position | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
   | Keywords in Top 10 | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
   | Keywords in Top 3 | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
   | Keywords #1 | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
   
   ### Biggest Improvements 📈
   
   | Keyword | Old Rank | New Rank | Change | Est. Traffic Impact |
   |---------|----------|----------|--------|---------------------|
   | [kw 1] | 15 | 4 | +11 | +[X] visits/mo |
   | [kw 2] | 25 | 9 | +16 | +[X] visits/mo |
   | [kw 3] | 8 | 2 | +6 | +[X] visits/mo |
   
   **Why improved**:
   - [kw 1]: [reason - e.g., content update, new backlinks]
   - [kw 2]: [reason]
   
   ### Biggest Declines 📉
   
   | Keyword | Old Rank | New Rank | Change | Est. Traffic Impact |
   |---------|----------|----------|--------|---------------------|
   | [kw 1] | 3 | 12 | -9 | -[X] visits/mo |
   | [kw 2] | 7 | 18 | -11 | -[X] visits/mo |
   
   **Why declined**:
   - [kw 1]: [reason - e.g., competitor update, algo change]
   - [kw 2]: [reason]
   
   **Recommended actions**:
   - [kw 1]: [action to recover]
   - [kw 2]: [action to recover]
   
   ### Stable Keywords
   
   [X] keywords remained within ±3 positions (stable)
   
   ### New Rankings
   
   | Keyword | Position | URL | Notes |
   |---------|----------|-----|-------|
   | [kw 1] | [pos] | [url] | [notes] |
   
   ### Lost Rankings
   
   | Keyword | Last Position | URL | Action |
   |---------|---------------|-----|--------|
   | [kw 1] | [pos] | [url] | [investigate/refresh] |

4. Track SERP Features
   markdown

   ## SERP Feature Tracking
   
   ### Feature Ownership
   
   | Feature | Your Count | Competitor Avg | Opportunity |
   |---------|------------|----------------|-------------|
   | Featured Snippets | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
   | People Also Ask | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
   | Image Pack | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
   | Video Results | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
   | Local Pack | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
   
   ### Featured Snippet Status
   
   | Keyword | You Own? | Current Owner | Winnable? |
   |---------|----------|---------------|-----------|
   | [kw 1] | ✅ Yes | You | Maintain |
   | [kw 2] | ❌ No | [Competitor] | High |
   | [kw 3] | ❌ No | [Competitor] | Medium |
   
   ### PAA Appearances
   
   | Question | Your Answer? | Position | Action |
   |----------|--------------|----------|--------|
   | [Question 1] | ✅/❌ | [pos] | [action] |
   | [Question 2] | ✅/❌ | [pos] | [action] |

5. Track GEO/AI Visibility
   markdown

   ## AI/GEO Visibility Tracking
   
   ### AI Overview Presence
   
   | Keyword | AI Overview | You Cited? | Citation Position |
   |---------|-------------|------------|-------------------|
   | [kw 1] | Yes | ✅ | 1st source |
   | [kw 2] | Yes | ✅ | 3rd source |
   | [kw 3] | Yes | ❌ | Not cited |
   | [kw 4] | No | N/A | N/A |
   
   ### AI Citation Rate
   
   | Metric | Value |
   |--------|-------|
   | Keywords with AI Overview | [X]/[Total] ([Y]%) |
   | Your citations in AI Overview | [X]/[Y] ([Z]%) |
   | Avg citation position | [X] |
   
   ### GEO Performance Trend
   
   | Period | AI Overviews Tracked | Your Citations | Rate |
   |--------|---------------------|----------------|------|
   | Last week | [X] | [Y] | [Z]% |
   | 2 weeks ago | [X] | [Y] | [Z]% |
   | Month ago | [X] | [Y] | [Z]% |
   
   ### GEO Improvement Opportunities
   
   | Keyword | Has AI Overview | You Cited? | Content Gap |
   |---------|-----------------|------------|-------------|
   | [kw 1] | Yes | No | Need clearer definition |
   | [kw 2] | Yes | No | Missing quotable stats |

6. Compare Against Competitors
   markdown

   ## Competitor Ranking Comparison
   
   ### Share of Voice
   
   | Domain | Keywords Ranked | Avg Position | Visibility |
   |--------|-----------------|--------------|------------|
   | [Your site] | [X] | [Y] | [Z]% |
   | [Competitor 1] | [X] | [Y] | [Z]% |
   | [Competitor 2] | [X] | [Y] | [Z]% |
   | [Competitor 3] | [X] | [Y] | [Z]% |
   
   ### Head-to-Head Comparison
   
   **You vs [Competitor 1]**:
   
   | Keyword | Your Rank | Their Rank | Winner |
   |---------|-----------|------------|--------|
   | [kw 1] | 3 | 7 | You ✅ |
   | [kw 2] | 12 | 5 | Them ❌ |
   | [kw 3] | 1 | 4 | You ✅ |
   
   **Summary**: You win [X]/[Y] keywords vs [Competitor 1]
   
   ### Competitor Movement Alerts
   
   | Competitor | Keyword | Their Change | Threat Level |
   |------------|---------|--------------|--------------|
   | [Comp 1] | [kw] | +15 positions | 🔴 High |
   | [Comp 2] | [kw] | +8 positions | 🟡 Medium |

7. Generate Ranking Report
   markdown

   # Ranking Performance Report
   
   **Domain**: [domain]
   **Report Period**: [start] to [end]
   **Generated**: [date]
   
   ## Executive Summary
   
   **Overall Trend**: [Improving/Stable/Declining]
   
   | Metric | Value | vs Last Period | Status |
   |--------|-------|----------------|--------|
   | Total keywords tracked | [X] | [+/-Y] | [status] |
   | Keywords in top 10 | [X] | [+/-Y] | [status] |
   | Keywords in top 3 | [X] | [+/-Y] | [status] |
   | Average position | [X] | [+/-Y] | [status] |
   | Estimated traffic | [X] | [+/-Y]% | [status] |
   
   ## Position Distribution
   

   Position 1: ████████████ [X]% Position 2-3: ████████ [X]% Position 4-10: ████████████████ [X]% Position 11-20: ██████████ [X]% Position 21+: ████ [X]%

   
   ## Key Highlights
   
   ### Wins 🎉
   - [Achievement 1]
   - [Achievement 2]
   - [Achievement 3]
   
   ### Concerns ⚠️
   - [Issue 1]
   - [Issue 2]
   
   ### Opportunities 💡
   - [Opportunity 1]
   - [Opportunity 2]
   
   ## Detailed Analysis
   
   ### Top Performing Keywords
   
   | Keyword | Position | Change | Traffic | Notes |
   |---------|----------|--------|---------|-------|
   | [kw 1] | 1 | — | [X] | Stable leader |
   | [kw 2] | 2 | +3 | [X] | Growing |
   | [kw 3] | 3 | +5 | [X] | Big improvement |
   
   ### Keywords Needing Attention
   
   | Keyword | Position | Change | Issue | Recommended Action |
   |---------|----------|--------|-------|-------------------|
   | [kw 1] | 15 | -8 | Dropped | Refresh content |
   | [kw 2] | 22 | -5 | Competitor surge | Analyze competitor |
   
   ## SERP Feature Report
   
   | Feature | Count | Change | Competitor Avg |
   |---------|-------|--------|----------------|
   | Featured Snippets | [X] | [+/-Y] | [Z] |
   | PAA | [X] | [+/-Y] | [Z] |
   
   ## GEO/AI Visibility Report
   
   | Metric | This Period | Last Period | Trend |
   |--------|-------------|-------------|-------|
   | AI Overview appearances | [X] | [Y] | [↑/↓] |
   | Your citations | [X] | [Y] | [↑/↓] |
   | Citation rate | [X]% | [Y]% | [↑/↓] |
   
   ## Competitive Position
   
   **Share of Voice Ranking**: #[X] of [Y] competitors
   
   | Rank | Domain | Visibility |
   |------|--------|------------|
   | 1 | [domain] | [X]% |
   | 2 | [domain] | [X]% |
   | 3 | [domain] | [X]% |
   
   ## Recommendations
   
   ### Immediate Actions
   1. [Action] for [keyword] - [expected impact]
   2. [Action] for [keyword] - [expected impact]
   
   ### This Month
   1. [Action]
   2. [Action]
   
   ### Next Quarter
   1. [Strategic action]
   2. [Strategic action]
   
   ## Next Report
   
   Scheduled: [date]
   Focus areas: [areas to monitor]

Validation Checkpoints

Input Validation

• Keywords list is complete with search volumes
• Target domain and tracking location are specified
• Competitor domains identified for comparison
• Historical baseline data available or initial tracking period set

Output Validation

• Every metric cites its data source and collection date
• Ranking changes include context (vs. previous period)
• Significant movements have explanations or investigation notes
• Source of each data point clearly stated (~~SEO tool data, ~~search console data, user-provided, or estimated)

Example

# Ranking Analysis: December 2024

## Summary

Your average position improved from 15.3 to 12.8 (-2.5 positions = better)
Keywords in top 10 increased from 12 to 17 (+5)

## Biggest Wins

| Keyword | Old | New | Change | Why |
|---------|-----|-----|--------|-----|
| email marketing tips | 18 | 5 | +13 | Content refresh worked |
| best crm software | 24 | 11 | +13 | New backlinks acquired |
| sales automation | 15 | 7 | +8 | Schema markup added |

## Needs Attention

| Keyword | Old | New | Change | Action |
|---------|-----|-----|--------|--------|
| marketing automation | 4 | 12 | -8 | Competitor HubSpot published new guide |

**Recommended**: Update your marketing automation guide with 2024 statistics and examples.

Tips for Success

1. Track consistently - Same time, same device, same location
2. Include enough keywords - 50-200 for meaningful data
3. Segment by intent - Track brand, commercial, informational separately
4. Monitor competitors - Context makes your data meaningful
5. Track SERP features - Position 1 without snippet may lose to position 4 with snippet
6. Include GEO metrics - AI visibility increasingly important

Related Skills

• keyword-research - Find keywords to track
• serp-analysis - Understand SERP composition
• alert-manager - Set up ranking alerts
• performance-reporter - Comprehensive reporting
• memory-management - Store ranking history in project memory