Why Keyword Tracking Should Extend Beyond Primary Targets: Maximizing Traffic with Long-Tail and Secondary Keywords

Keyword tracking should go beyond just a few target keywords, as each page can rank for many keywords, and changes in ranking for secondary or long-tail keywords can significantly impact traffic.

To track keyword gains, losses, and trends daily, using Google Search Console (GSC) is a good starting point. You can export keyword data from GSC to analyze which keywords are losing rankings and identify new ones being ranked. Additionally, tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can help automate and provide daily updates on keyword movement.

Regarding optimization frequency, it really depends on the data you collect. If you see significant fluctuations or opportunities with trending keywords, optimization should be done promptly to capitalize on them. A general rule of thumb is to review keyword performance weekly or biweekly, but major shifts in traffic may require more immediate action.

Here’s a step-by-step approach to set up an automated system for tracking keyword fluctuations and optimizing accordingly:

1. Set Up Google Search Console (GSC) Exports:

  • Daily/Weekly Keyword Data Exports: Use GSC to monitor keywords that are gaining or losing ranking. You can automate this by connecting GSC to Google Sheets using Google Data Studio or a script to pull data regularly.
  • Track Performance Metrics: Focus on impressions, clicks, and ranking positions. Create separate tabs for tracking keywords per page, their trends, and average position changes.

2. Use SEO Tools for Advanced Tracking:

  • Ahrefs/SEMrush: Both tools can track the keywords your site ranks for daily, including new keywords and those losing position. Set up notifications for ranking drops or keyword movements.
  • Create Alerts: Set daily or weekly alerts for keyword fluctuations. You can group the keywords based on the pages they rank for to make it easier to track performance page-wise.

3. Monitor Keyword Trends:

  • Identify Trending Keywords: Use tools like Google Trends and SEMrush’s Keyword Difficulty/Trends report to spot new keywords gaining popularity in your niche.
  • Cross-reference GSC Data: Identify the new keywords GSC shows and compare them with overall market trends to spot opportunities.

4. Optimization Plan:

  • Focus on Underperforming Keywords: If certain keywords are losing ranking, refresh content, optimize meta descriptions, and improve page relevance with updated internal links or multimedia.
  • Capitalize on New Keywords: For new keywords, consider creating targeted landing pages or updating existing content to better address search intent.

5. Automation of Insights and Tasks:

  • Set up an SEO Dashboard: Use Google Data Studio or Excel to automate visual reports, pulling in data from GSC, Ahrefs, and SEMrush for easy monitoring.
  • Regular Audits: Schedule weekly or biweekly checks to identify high-priority pages or keywords that need immediate attention.

6. Long-term Optimization Cycle:

  • Content Optimization: Plan to refresh and optimize your key pages based on data, at least monthly, or sooner if there’s a significant drop in traffic or ranking.
  • Competitor Monitoring: Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to keep an eye on how your competitors are performing for shared keywords and adapt your strategy accordingly.

How to set up Google Data Studio dashboards, automate the exports, or connect third-party tools to give you a seamless tracking system.

Here’s how we can proceed step-by-step:

Step 1: Set Up Google Search Console (GSC) with Google Sheets

We’ll begin by automating the export of your keyword performance data into Google Sheets. Once in Sheets, we can build a dashboard or use it for further analysis.

Instructions for Automating GSC Data Exports:

  1. Access Google Search Console:
    • Log in to your GSC account and navigate to the Performance section.
  2. Google Search Console + Google Sheets Integration:
    • You can connect GSC to Google Sheets through the official Search Console API or using an add-on like Search Analytics for Sheets.
    • Install the add-on in your Google Sheets, then:
      • Go to Add-ons > Search Analytics for Sheets > Open Sidebar.
      • Select the relevant website property.
      • Choose the performance data you want (queries, page, countries, devices, etc.).
      • Set filters for specific dates, clicks, impressions, or average position, and create your reports.
  3. Automating Daily/Weekly Exports:
    • You can schedule this to pull data daily/weekly by using Google Sheets’ built-in triggers:
      • Go to Extensions > Macros > Record Macro to automate repetitive tasks.
      • Use Google Apps Script to set triggers for daily/weekly automatic exports.

Step 2: Create a Keyword Tracking Dashboard

Once the data is in Google Sheets, we can use Google Data Studio to visualize and monitor the keyword performance across different pages.

Instructions for Building the Dashboard:

  1. Connect Google Sheets to Data Studio:
    • Open Google Data Studio, click on Create, and select Data Source.
    • Connect your Google Sheet containing the GSC data to Data Studio.
  2. Create Interactive Reports:
    • Build reports that track impressions, clicks, average position, and CTR for each keyword.
    • Use filters to track specific pages, countries, or devices.
    • Set up trend charts to monitor keyword gains and losses over time.
  3. Set Alerts for Keyword Movement:
    • Use conditional formatting in Google Sheets or use a Data Studio alert feature (e.g., when a keyword falls below a certain ranking, trigger an email alert).

Step 3: Set Up SEMrush/Ahrefs Keyword Tracking

To supplement GSC data, SEMrush or Ahrefs will provide more detailed insights into keyword movement and competitor performance.

Instructions:

  1. Create a Project in SEMrush or Ahrefs:
    • Add your website as a project in either tool.
    • Enable Rank Tracking to monitor your target keywords, see new keyword rankings, and track competitor positions.
  2. Set Daily Alerts:
    • Configure daily alerts to notify you of ranking drops, new keywords, or top gainers.
    • You can also track which pages are ranking for which keywords.

Step 4: Monitor and Optimize Regularly

With the data pulled from GSC and the tracking in place via SEMrush/Ahrefs, you’ll want to review and optimize content regularly:

Optimization Plan:

  • Weekly/Biweekly Reviews: Identify keywords that are trending up/down and pages that need optimization.
  • Content Updates: Refresh content based on the new keywords discovered, focus on improving metadata, adding relevant internal links, and updating any outdated information.

How to set up the GSC-Sheets integration or create the Google Data Studio dashboard through SEMrush or Ahrefs:

Here’s how to set up the Google Search Console (GSC) to Google Sheets integration and automate the process:

Step 1: Install the “Search Analytics for Sheets” Add-on

  1. Open Google Sheets: Go to https://sheets.google.com and create a new spreadsheet.
  2. Install the Add-on:
    • Click on Extensions > Add-ons > Get Add-ons.
    • Search for Search Analytics for Sheets in the G Suite Marketplace and install it.

Step 2: Set Up Google Search Console Data Export to Google Sheets

  1. Open the Add-on:
    • Once installed, go to Extensions > Search Analytics for Sheets > Open Sidebar.
  2. Connect to Google Search Console:
    • In the sidebar, select the Google account connected to your Search Console property.
    • Choose the website you want to track.
  3. Select Metrics and Dimensions:
    • In the sidebar, choose the metrics you want to pull into the sheet. The key ones to track are:
      • Queries (keywords).
      • Pages.
      • Impressions.
      • Clicks.
      • Average Position.
    • You can also filter by country, device, or specific pages if needed.
  4. Select Date Range:
    • Choose the date range you want the data for (e.g., last 7 days, last 28 days).
    • You can also set it to last day or create a custom range based on your needs.
  5. Run the Report:
    • Click on Request Data. This will generate the report in your Google Sheet.

Step 3: Automate the Process

  1. Enable Google Sheets Triggers for Automation:
    • Go to Extensions > Apps Script.
    • In the Apps Script editor, use the following code to set up daily exports:
javascript
function autoPullGSCData() {
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var searchAnalytics = SearchAnalyticsForSheets;// Set up your query here: choose date range, dimensions, metrics, etc.
var request = searchAnalytics.requestData(
{
“website”: “https://your-website-url.com”, // Change this to your website
“startDate”: “today-1d”,
“endDate”: “today”,
“dimensions”: [“query”, “page”], // Add other dimensions as needed
“metrics”: [“impressions”, “clicks”, “position”],
“rowLimit”: 1000 // Set your row limit for the query
},
sheet
);
}
  1. Set the Trigger:
    • In the Apps Script editor, click on the clock icon on the left sidebar (called Triggers).
    • Add a new trigger:
      • Select autoPullGSCData as the function.
      • Set the time-based trigger to run daily (or whatever frequency you prefer).

Step 4: Monitor & Adjust

  1. Review Data:
    • Once the automation is set, check the Google Sheet daily or weekly to ensure the data is being pulled correctly.
  2. Adjust Filters:
    • If needed, adjust your date range or filters in the Search Analytics for Sheets sidebar to refine the data further.

Step 5: Optional – Build Google Data Studio Dashboard

Once your data is flowing into Google Sheets, you can connect it to Google Data Studio for visualization:

  1. In Google Data Studio, click on Create > Data Source.
  2. Select Google Sheets as the data source.
  3. Choose your Google Sheet and specify the worksheet containing the GSC data.
  4. Build visualizations and set up automated reports to monitor keyword trends and page performance.

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