SERP trackers are the best way to properly monitor your website’s rankings, SEO campaigns and keep an eye on your competition. But let’s take a step back. What are SERP trackers and why are they important?
A SERP, a search engine results page, is a collection of the results that show up after you make a query with a search engine, such as Google.
With 81% of online purchases beginning with research on search engines, it is imperative that you focus on search engine marketing. Monitoring and improving your website’s SEO (search engine optimisation) can help increase the probability that your website is shown in the top of the results page, which in turn can allow your business to reach more potential readers and customers.
If you are still monitoring your rankings by typing your keywords in Google and then writing down your calculated results, you’re missing out on the huge opportunity that SERP tracking tools have to offer. These trackers can accurately monitor your SERP campaigns and your competition, so you can stay one step ahead.
In this SERP guide, you’ll learn:
- What are SERP trackers, and why are they important
- How to choose the right SERP tracking tools for your business
- What are the five best SERP trackers in 2022
Let’s get down to business!
What are SERP trackers, and why are they important
Think of it like this. When organising a holiday, you can spend hours planning, budgeting, and preparing, or you can go to a travel agency and let someone else sort the details out for you.
Similarly, SERP trackers are the go-to tools that gather all the information about your rankings in one place and allow you to monitor them quickly and efficiently. Yes, you might need to add a little extra to your budget, but you’ll have the professional results your business needs in less time, which can ultimately save you money in the long run.
SERP ranking tools guide you every step of the way. Not just by providing stats about your rankings but also warning you when competitors start getting their rankings up. They can even congratulate you when you’re doing excellent SERP work. In addition, they provide a detailed analysis of your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses so you can immediately set up new strategies and stay ahead.
Although 61% of marketers say they prioritise SEO marketing campaigns, only a few make actual progress with their rankings. So it is no surprise that the lack of proper tools leads to a lack of growth. As discussed in previous posts, SERP tracking software is a one-way street for accurate SEO keyword mapping and global SEO strategies.
How to choose the right SERP tracking tools for your business
Let’s break the bad news! No tool does it all. Each tool comes with its pros and cons, and the goal of this article is to help you identify which one is best suited to your needs and end goals.
When examining SERP tracking tools, it’s essential to consider one of the following criteria based on your goals:
- The number of keywords tracked. You want your SERP tool to keep track of all of your keywords simultaneously. The more, the merrier! Just keep in mind that no SERP tracker has direct access to Google results, except for the Search Console and tools that connect to it. Instead, they use search volume estimations, theirtheir algorithms and tracking methods to track keywords and keyphrases.
- The number of search engines monitored. You want to consider whether your target audience uses just Google or other search engines, such as Bing, Yahoo, or Yandex. Don’t forget that Google captures 92.3% of the global market, but if your users are from Russia or China, you might want to reconsider your needs carefully. Some SERP monitoring tools charge extra for tracking on different search engines. Hence, you want to ensure that the tool you choose offers holistic tracking for a single keyword credit.
- The detailed reports you’ll need. SERP tracking tools should offer a detailed account not only on your rankings but also on competitors. Some SERP trackers charge extra for competitor tracking and limit you to 1-2 domains. The best SERP tracking software generates detailed reports with all the information needed to monitor SEO campaigns efficiently.
- The local or global results you’ll generate. Some SERP tools are better for specialised local SEO results, so if you need countrywide tracking, you might want to consider the tools that offer those services.
- The pricing options. Price is, of course, an essential factor when considering your SERP tracking tool options. Some tools are free, offering basic features; others have structured prices, with each package offering different tracking options. It all comes down to your budget and needs.
The 5 Best SERP Trackers In 2022
We gathered the five best free and paid SERP monitors for 2022 to help you decide on the best one for your business goals.
Free SERP Trackers
1. Google Search Console
Let’s start with a SERP tracking free tool to sweeten things up a little bit! Google Search Console helps you measure your search clicks, provides accurate search volume figures via impressions, and gives you a clear image of how Google sees your website.
And who better to tell you how Google thinks you are performing than Google! This suite can be a great start to SERP monitoring from crawling errors to inspecting and adjusting URL parameters.
With its search results report, you get a 16-month data analysis of your website in terms of SERP performance. Google Search Console also helps you determine your top-performing pages, the impressions, clicks per keyword, and your low click-through rate web pages, so you know where to improve.
Pros:
- Your best SERP tracking tool for SEO
- Accurate figures for search volume and clicks
- Easy to use free tool with a clean interface
- The suite comes with performance, enhancement, and URL inspection reports
Cons:
- It doesn’t include competitor analysis
- It limits your reports to Google’s search results but doesn’t cover other search engines like Bing, Yahoo, or Yandex
- Does not show insights into how your ranking performance may be affected by other factors (e.g., inbound links, content optimisation, etc).
2. SERP Surf
One of the most significant SERP tracking free options is SERP Surf. You can enter up to one domain and five keywords; hit the button and get your SERP results free of charge in seconds. You also get the option to check up to 3 of your competitors and compare their rankings to yours.
Pros:
- An agreeable option for SERP tracking free tools to transition from your spreadsheet
- It allows you to choose the region and device for your report
Cons:
- Only accepts 5 keywords per search compared to other free tools that allow at least 10
- Doesn’t offer tracking for your ranking performance overtime. You’ll have to monitor it manually
- No available pricing options to upgrade to a more organised workflow
Paid SERP Trackers
3. SEO Scout
With this SERP tracking tool, you get the big picture of all the keywords that bring traffic to your website, and you’re able to group them based on relevance. By connecting it to your Search Console, you get daily updates on your performance and actionable insights on your position in rankings.
You can opt for a 7-day free trial to test all the features and then upgrade to a $49 monthly plan that offers up to 20 reports per day and more than 250 keywords per report.
Pros:
- Complete insights into your rankings
- Affordable packages compared to other SERP monitors
- Offers PPC (pay-per-click) keyword tracking options
Cons:
- Focuses only on Google search results
- It does not provide insights on competition keywords
43. Semrush
Semrush is a great tool that’s been fighting with Ahrefs to dominate the SERP tool marketplace. With more than 1.8 billion users worldwide, I’m sure you’ve heard about this tool or even tested it for yourself.
Semrush is unique because it hosts a variety of features, with SERP tracking being one of them. Notably, it can connect with GSC and Google Analytics for additional insights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8CzoZ-_akU&ab_channel=Semrush
it offers detailed competitor analysis, local SEO reports, SEO site auditing, and even social media tracking. It also facilitates monitoring different devices and locations in one project, making it your go-to mobile SERP monitor.
Of course, all of these features come with a hefty price tag, with Semrush prices ranging from $119 to $449 monthly.
Pros:
- Excellent for tracking competitor performance
- Connects to GSC and GA
- Additional SEO tools
- Regular updates and immediate signals with changes in rankings
Cons:
- Like Google Search Console, it focuses on Google search results, which is not a deal-breaker for most people, but you need to keep an eye on it if your audience changes
- A pricey option for a SERP tracker. It doesn’t allow you to opt only for the ranking features; you must purchase the whole package
5. Ahrefs
Ahrefs SEO suite is one of the best SERP rank trackers out there. There is not much it can’t do! This is the ultimate SEO tool for site audits, keyword research, content exploration, and rank tracking.
You can opt for a seven days trial for only $7 and then proceed to a paid version of the tool to have a more structured working method.
However, keep in mind that Ahrefs is on the pricey side of SERP trackers, with prices starting from $99 monthly for lite packages, $179 for standard packages and going up to $999 monthly for agency packages.
Pros:
- Fully equipped SEO suite that covers pretty much most of your needs
- Fast and easy-to-use interface
Cons:
- Does not connect to GSC, so rank tracking only extends to their estimations
- It doesn’t support multiple keyword ranking entries
- It’s a pricey option amongst SERP monitoring tools
- It only updates its data analysis every seven days
Summary
So, now you have a clear idea of the best SERP trackers on the market in 2022 and maybe you have chosen which SERP tracking tool to try. However, this can be an important choice as 75% of users scrolling through the web never make it past the first page of the search results. Therefore, investing in a SERP tracking tool is necessary if you want to scale your business organically.
When deciding on your preferred SERP tool, always keep in mind the criteria we listed and ensure your tool is accurate and efficient for your SEO efforts.
