Average position is a Search Console metric. It averages the highest position the URL achieved for each impression, so the number is influenced by SERP features, personalised results, and geographic variation.
Interpretation
A change in average position can reflect real ranking movement or a change in the mix of queries generating impressions. Always inspect the underlying queries before concluding a page is moving up or down.
Example
A URL with average position 4.2 that drops to 6.7 might have lost its top rank, or Google may have started counting it for a broader set of long-tail queries where it ranks further down.
How SEM Optimiser reports it
Average position is displayed alongside the tracked-rank time series so drift between the two can be spotted immediately.
Related terms
- Rank Tracking
Rank tracking is the practice of monitoring a website's position in search engine results for a defined set of keywords over time.
- Impressions
An impression is recorded every time a link to your website appears in a user's search results, regardless of whether the user scrolls to see it.
- CTR (Click-Through Rate)
Click-through rate is the percentage of impressions that result in a click, calculated as clicks divided by impressions.
- GSC (Google Search Console)
Google Search Console is a free tool from Google that reports how a site appears in Google Search, including impressions, clicks, position, and indexing state.