Average Position

Average position is a Google Search Console metric showing the average ranking of your site’s highest result across all the searches where it appeared. It is averaged over impressions, so it reflects many different queries, locations and devices rather than one fixed ranking.

Written by Paul Hoda, SEO consultant since 2005. Last updated 8 November 2026.

How it is calculated

Each time your site appears in search results, Search Console records the position of your topmost result for that search. Average position is the mean of those positions across all impressions in the period you are viewing.

A few details from Google’s documentation are worth knowing:

  • Position 1 is the topmost element on the page, which may be a feature rather than a standard blue link.
  • When a result appears inside a feature such as a carousel or a People Also Ask box, it usually takes the position of the feature as a whole.
  • Only the highest-ranking result from your site counts when several of your pages appear for the same search.
  • An impression is generally recorded when the result appears on a page the user loads, even if they do not scroll down to it.

Why it can be misleading

Because it blends many searches, average position can move for reasons that have nothing to do with ranking changes:

  • New low rankings: if your site starts appearing on page five for hundreds of new queries, average position gets worse, even though nothing was lost.
  • Query mix: a rise in impressions for one high-ranking keyword can improve the average overall.
  • Personalisation and location: the same query can rank differently for different users.

For example, a page might rank third for its main keyword and 40th for dozens of loosely related terms. Its average position could look poor, even though the visits come almost entirely from the strong ranking.

How it differs from rank tracking

Rank tracking tools check a fixed keyword from a set location, often once a day. Search Console’s average position reflects real searches from real users. Neither is wrong, but they measure different things, so figures rarely match exactly.

How to use it well

  1. Filter by a specific query or page instead of reading the site-wide average.
  2. Look at position together with impressions, clicks and click-through rate.
  3. Filter by country and device to remove noise.
  4. Look for pages averaging roughly positions 8 to 20. These are often the quickest wins, as small improvements can move them onto page one or higher up it.
  5. Compare periods of equal length and account for seasonality.

Common mistakes

  • Treating a falling site-wide average as proof of lost rankings.
  • Comparing Search Console figures directly with a third-party tool’s rankings.
  • Ignoring SERP layout: position 3 below an AI Overview and ads may still get few clicks.

Key Takeaways

  • Average position is the mean ranking of your topmost result across all impressions.
  • It blends many queries, devices and locations into one number.
  • Site-wide averages can fall when you start ranking for many new terms.
  • Always filter by query or page for useful insight.
  • It measures something different from daily rank tracking tools.

Related Terms

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