Google Analytics - Average Position

[Cocoonfxmedia]

Hi

Just trying to get some clarity on Google Analytics Average Positions in "Aquistions/Search Engine Optimisation".

For a very competitive keyword Google Analytics is saying i am on average position of 6.  Is this Page 6?  I am assuming position six would be 1.6?

[Travis_Bailey]

There are a lot of factors that can influence where a page may rank for a given query. One of the largest differences would be a query that seems to have local intent. If I search 'pizza', there's a good chance I don't care about the history of pizza. I want a pizza place near me.

So if we skip over the map pack, I see Pizza Hut, Domino's and Andy's. There's no way Andy's should rank #3 organic for 'pizza' for everyone in the United States. It only has three locations in my home town. So it might rank... maybe 403 for everyone outside of my hometown (just for the sake of argument, and ease of calculation). Perhaps it ranks a little higher for someone just outside the city limits... let's say... #8 organic. But that #8 doesn't matter. It's the highest and the lowest rank.

3+403=406/2=203 So the average position for 'pizza' is #203. If you drop that number in front of Andy after paying you for months, he won't be happy. That's why you'll have to tell Andy that it's a high/low average based upon a complicated algorithm, and that he can easily see he ranks #3 organic when Google knows your approximate location.

As for the average position you see above all of the queries in Google Analytics, that's just an X-bar-bar. X-bar-bar is the average of averages. You simply add up all the average positions and divide by the number of keywords. You'll see the number is pretty close.

It helps if you have a little background in statistics or statistical process control. In case that was clear as mud, here's something on basic SPC that can help you better understand the calculations in GA. I was a machinist, prior to all this internet marketing nonsense. It helps.

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention: If an average position still seems off - set the secondary dimension to Country. I've found instances where sites show up for queries in foreign countries. This is despite explicit national targeting in Google Search Console.

[anthonydnelson]

This is the Average Position for your Search Impressions.

Example: Locally, you got 500 impressions at average position of 6.0. Nationally, you got 0 impressions at 122. It would report 500 impressions at an average position of 6.0.

[Cocoonfxmedia]

What you've put makes sense, and I understand what google are showing now. but the calculation doesn't make much sense.

Great Answer thank you.

[Alick300]

Hi,

I'm not agree with Lawrence on this . Calculation of Average position in Google search console under 'Search analytics' tab or in "Aquistions/Search Engine Optimisation" is complicated. Google changes definition in 2012 and Here is how Google explains it:

Let’s say Nick searched for [bacon] and URLs from your site appeared in positions 3, 6, and 12. Jane also searched for [bacon] and URLs from your site appeared in positions 5 and 9. Previously, we would have averaged all these positions together and shown an Average Position of 7. Going forward, we’ll only average the highest position your site appeared in for each search (3 for Nick’s search and 5 for Jane’s search), for an Average Position of 4.

_Please also check this thread @ http://searchengineland.com/google-changes-definition-of-average-search-ranking-position-109289_

Hope this helps

Thanks

[Cocoonfxmedia]

thought so... but I think it's wrong in Google as we're no way competing nationally or local for the said keyword.

[Laurensvda]

No, pos. 6 is the sixth position on the first page.

Page six would generally be 61-70 depending on the type of SERP