Think you’re ranking for the right keywords? You might be surprised. It’s time to check your ranking on Google and see what’s actually driving traffic to your site. Here’s how to do it—for free.

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If you’re investing time or money in Search Engine Optimization, learning how to measure the outcomes of that investment is a no-brainer.
And among the many metrics that contribute to understanding your SEO performance, keyword search rankings are often top of mind. After all, they directly reflect how well your website aligns with the keywords your audience is actually searching for.
Now, a little SEO tough-love:
Most businesses aren’t ranking for the keywords they think (or hope) they are.
Chances are? Unless you’ve put some work into your SEO already, you’re not either.
And this equates to money left on the table.
And of course, if you don’t know how to check your Google rankings, you can’t improve them.
So, let’s teach you how!
Are you with me?
The good news is that this won’t require expensive tools or advanced technical skills.
With the following free SEO tools and simple methods, you can easily research the keywords your website is performing for and use that information to focus your SEO efforts moving forward.
Manual Search
One of the simplest ways to check your keyword rankings is to simply take a look.
Type your target keyword into Google’s search bar and scan the results to see where your website appears.
While this method is quick and might seems straightforward, manual searches come with a couple of caveats:
- Search engine results are personalized. Google tailors search results based on your browsing history. This means the search engine results page you see might not accurately reflect what others see.
- Search results are localized. Even when using incognito mode, your location can influence search results. Google adjusts rankings based on geographic relevance, so your local view might differ from what someone in another location sees.
- Manual searching a long list of keywords is time prohibitive. Manually searching for multiple keywords and recording the results doesn’t make sense if you’re tracking a large number of keywords.
To minimize some of these issues, you can search in Incognito Mode. This disables some personalization tied to your browsing history but it is still impacted by localization.
For a more accurate understanding of your rankings, it’s worth your while to learn how to use an SEO tool to check.
Ahrefs Keyword Rank Checker
If you’re looking for a free, super-simple way to check your rankings, the Ahrefs Keyword Rank Checker is a fantastic option. This tool provides a simple report of your rank for any specific keyword on your domain. No paid tiers, no hidden fees, and no account required.

Here’s how it works:
- Head to Ahrefs Keyword Rank Checker.
- Enter your domain name and the keyword you want to check.
- Run the search, and you’ll get a clear, unbiased ranking for that keyword.
Unlike manual checks, this tool avoids common issues like search personalization or location tracking making it a more reliable option for pinpointing where your website stands.
While it doesn’t offer ranking history or bulk keyword tracking, it’s a reasonable solution for quickly checking a few specific keywords.
Ubersuggest
If you’re ready to try a more fully-equipped SEO tool, Ubersuggest is a really great free option for small businesses.
This tool can look up all the SEO keywords your website is ranking for.
Here’s some of what you can do with Ubersuggest:
- View Indexed Keywords: See a list of the SEO keywords your website is ranking for in search engines.
- Analyze Estimated Traffic: Get an idea of how much traffic each keyword is driving to your site.
To get started:
- Go to Ubersuggest.
- Navigate to Keyword Research > Keywords By Traffic, enter your website URL, select your language and country and hit “Search”.
- Check out the keywords your website ranks for, their positions, and estimated search traffic.

Keep in mind that Ubersuggest has a limited number of free searches per day.
For casual users, this is plenty to analyze performance, but those wanting deeper insights might want to pay their surprisingly reasonable lifetime subscription fee.
This tool is a great step up from manual searches or single-keyword tools like Ahrefs Keyword Rank Checker, offering a more comprehensive look at your website’s organic search visibility.
That said, while Ubersuggest is a great SEO tool for small businesses, it has limitations.
Of note, it provides its best estimate of your indexed keywords and web traffic, using keyword volume and ranking as a guide. It does not provide data about the actual clicks and traffic your website receives.
If you want to know exactly what keywords your website visitors are typing in, and how much traffic those words are generating, your next stop should be Google Search Console.
Google Search Console
For the most accurate insights into your website’s search performance, Google Search Console (GSC) is your best option.
This free Google tool provides detailed data on the exact keywords people are using to find your website. It also provides data that show how those keywords are performing.
WIth GSC, you have access to:
- Actual Search Queries: Unlike tools that estimate keywords and traffic, GSC tells you exactly what people are typing into Google before landing on your site.
- Click and Impression Data: Learn how often your site appears in search results (impressions) and how many people actually click through to visit your pages.
- Performance by Page: See which pages on your site are ranking for specific queries and how well they’re performing.

To get started:
- Log in to Google Search Console with your Google account.
- Add and verify your website (if you haven’t already).
- Navigate to Performance > Search Results, where you’ll find oodles of data.
- Filter by “Queries” or “Pages” to view the search terms bringing traffic to your site.
- Sort by impressions, clicks, or average position to identify high-performing and underperforming keywords.
Unlike other tools, GSC provides real data, not just estimates, making it essential for understanding how your website truly performs in search engine results.
While it might seem a bit intimidating at first, spending a little time exploring GSC can reveal insights unavailable with any other tool.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Checking Rankings
Tracking your website’s keyword search rankings is essential for tracking your website’s overall SEO performance, but beware of these virtual sandtraps:
Mistaking Estimated Traffic for Actual Clicks
Tools like Ubersuggest provide estimates of traffic based on search volume and ranking position, but these numbers don’t always reflect reality. For actual click data, Google Search Console is a better tool.
Checking Rankings Too Frequently
Google rankings can fluctuate due to algorithm updates, seasonal trends, or other factors. Obsessively monitoring your rankings every day can lead to unnecessary stress and distract you from your more important work. A monthly check-in is plenty for most small businesses.
Overlooking Mobile Rankings
Search results can vary between desktop and mobile. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, you might rank well on desktop but struggle on mobile devices, where the majority of searches happen today.
Relying Solely on One Tool
Each SEO tool has its strengths and limitations. For a well-rounded view of your SEO performance, combine data from a few different sources like Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, and Google Search Console.
Rankings Are A Starting Point, Not The Finish Line
Knowing how to check your website’s search engine rankings puts you in control of your SEO, but what you do with that information is what really matters.
If you’re ranking where you want to be—great. Keep an eye on things and focus on maintaining that visibility.
If you’re not? Now you know, and now you can fix it.
The key is tracking keyword rankings without getting caught up in every wiggle.
SEO isn’t static, and rankings will shift.
What matters is looking at the long-term trends, making smart adjustments, and continually updating your website so that it stays relevant and valuable to your people.
Want to rank for the right keywords—and actually get found?
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