Where Does My Website Rank on Google? Find Out in Minutes

You just published a new page. You want to see it sitting at the top of Google. It is natural to want to check your progress immediately.

But checking your rankings is not as simple as typing your keyword into the search bar. Google tricks you. It shows you results based on your history. You might see your site at #1 while a customer sees it at #10.

I have spent years tracking rankings for huge websites. I know the methods that give you the truth.

Here is how you can find exactly where your website ranks on Google.

1. Check Your Search Engine Rankings Manually

This is the method 99% of website owners start with. It is the "quick and dirty" approach. It is useful for a general idea, but you must understand its limitations before you trust the data. The problem is "Personalized Search."

Google wants to show you results you like. If you visit your own website every day to check for comments or update content, Google learns this behavior. It assumes your site is highly relevant to you. Consequently, it artificially boosts your site to the top of the results page on your specific device.

This creates a dangerous "false positive." You might think you are ranking #1 for a competitive term like "link building strategies," but a user in a different city might see you on Page 3.

However, manual checking is still useful for understanding the layout of the search results.

Step-by-Step Manual Check

Follow this exact process to get the best possible manual result:

Step 1: Open a standard browser tab. Do not log out of your email just yet.

Step 2: Type in your target keyword. Be specific. Do not just type your brand name.

Step 3: Scan the "SERP" (Search Engine Results Page). Look for your URL.

Step 4: Analyze the features. Is there a map pack? Are there ads at the top? Is there a "People Also Ask" box pushing organic results down?

The "100 Results" Trick

If you are not on Page 1, clicking through to Page 2, 3, 4, and 5 is tedious. You can speed this up.

• Go to your Google Settings (usually a gear icon).
• Select "Search Settings."
• Scroll down to "Results per page."
• Move the slider from 10 to 100.
• Save your settings.

Now, when you search for "manual link building," you will see the top 100 results on a single page. You can use Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F on Mac) and type your domain name. This will instantly jump to your ranking position without clicking "Next" ten times.

Example:

You search for "white hat link building" on your work computer. You see your site at #1. You feel great. But because you visit your own site daily, Google put it there just for you. A real customer likely sees you on Page 2.

2. Google Search Console (Free)

If you want accuracy without paying for software, this is your best option. Google Search Console (GSC) is the only tool that gives you data directly from the source. It does not simulate a search. It tells you exactly where your website appeared for actual human beings who performed searches.

Every serious website owner must have this set up.

Why is GSC Data Superior?

Third-party tools scan Google once a day. They take a "snapshot" of the rankings.

Google Search Console aggregates data over time. It tells you the "Average Position." This is crucial because your ranking is not static. You might be at position #4 in the morning and position #6 in the evening. You might be #1 for a user in New York and #5 for a user in London.

GSC averages all of this into a single, reliable metric.

Step-by-Step Ranking Check in GSC

Here is the precise workflow to find your ranking for specific keywords:

Step 1: Log in to Google Search Console. Ensure you have the right property selected in the top left corner.

Step 2: Navigate to "Performance." This is usually the second option in the left-hand sidebar.

Step 3: Activate the "Average Position" metric. By default, GSC only shows "Total Clicks" and "Total Impressions." Look at the colorful boxes above the graph. Click the orange box labeled "Average Position." You should also click the teal box for "Average CTR" for more context.

Step 4: Scroll to the Data Table. Below the chart, you will see tabs. Ensure you are on the "Queries" tab.

Step 5: Filter for your Keyword.

• Click the filter icon (three horizontal lines) at the top of the table.
• Select "Top queries."
• Choose "Query containing."
• Type your specific keyword (e.g., "backlinks").

Step 6: Analyze the Row. Look at the number in the "Position" column.

Understanding the Data

If GSC says your position is 8.5, it means that across all the searches performed in the selected date range, your site appeared between position 8 and position 9 on average.

Example: 

You filter GSC for "how to get backlinks." The data shows Position 11.2. This tells you that you are sitting at the top of Page 2. You need just a small push to reach the first page.

3. Free Online Rank Checkers

Sometimes you do not need a deep historical analysis. You just want a quick answer: "Where am I right now?"

Logging into Google Search Console can take time. Navigating the filters takes a few minutes. If you are on a call with a client or just curious, free online rank checkers are excellent tools.

These tools work by using a cloud server to perform the search. Because the server has no browsing history and no cookies, the search is neutral. It strips away the personalization bias we discussed in Method #1.

Recommended Tool Types

There are many providers, such as Ahrefs’ Free SERP Checker, SmallSEOTools, or The HOTH’s Rank Checker. They generally function the same way.

Step-by-Step Usage

Step 1: Locate a reliable free tool. A simple search for "free rank checker" will give you options.

Step 2: Input your Keyword. Be precise. Input "broken link building" rather than just "link building."

Step 3: Input your Domain. You can usually enter your root domain (e.g., yoursite.com) and the tool will find the specific page that ranks.

Step 4: Select your Location. This is critical. If you are targeting US customers, do not check rankings from a UK server. Ensure the dropdown is set to "United States."

Step 5: Complete the Captcha. Since these tools are free, they often require verification to prevent bots.

Step 6: Run the Check.

The Limitations of Free Tools

While useful, these tools have limits.

• Throttling: They usually only allow 3 to 5 checks per day.
• Depth: Some only check the top 10 results. If you are on Page 2, they might just say "Not found."
• No History: They do not tell you if you were higher or lower yesterday.

Example:

You check "SEO audit services" using a free tool. It returns Position #7. Since the tool has no browsing history, this confirms you are genuinely on Page 1 for a neutral user.

4. Manual Incognito Search

If you do not want to use an external tool but want to avoid the "Personalization Trap," Incognito mode is your best friend.

Every modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) has a private browsing mode. This mode isolates your session. It does not access your cookies, your cache, or your logged-in Google account history.

However, there is a nuance here that most people miss: Location. Even in Incognito mode, Google knows your IP address. If you are sitting in Chicago, Google will show you Chicago-biased results. This is fine if you are a local business. It is bad if you are a national brand.

How to Perform a "Clean" Incognito Search?

Step 1: Launch the Window.

• Chrome/Edge: Press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + N (Mac).
• Firefox: Press Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + P (Mac).

Step 2: Navigate to the correct Google version. If you want to check rankings for the UK, go to Google.co.uk. For the US, go to Google.com.

Step 3: Handle the Location (Advanced Step).

• At the bottom of the Google search page, look at the footer. It will show a location (e.g., "Austin, TX").
• If you want to see national results, you cannot easily change this in Incognito without a VPN.
• Pro Tip: To get a truly neutral result, type your keyword followed by &gl=us in the URL bar after the search executes to force US-wide results, though this is technical.

Step 4: Execute the Search. Type your keyword and hit enter.

Step 5: Count the Position. Do not count Ads (marked with "Sponsored"). Start counting from the first organic result.

The "Map Pack" Confusion

When searching for terms like "link building agency," you might see a map with three businesses at the top. This is called the "Local Pack."

Ranking in the Local Pack is different from ranking in the Organic results below it. When counting your position, usually, SEOs count the organic text links separately from the map links. If you are #1 in the Map and #4 in organic, you have two distinct rankings.

Example:

You open Incognito and search "guest posting outreach." You ignore the ads. You count down to the third blue link. That is your site. You are Organic #3. This is exactly what a new user sees.

5. Third-Party SEO Software

If you are serious about SEO, you cannot rely on manual checks.

Imagine you are trying to rank for 50 different keywords related to "link building" and "content marketing." Checking these manually in Incognito mode would take an hour every single day. It is inefficient.

Professional SEO software automates this process. This is what agencies and experts use.

Why Pay for Rank Tracking?

Tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, SE Ranking, and Moz offer capabilities that free tools cannot match:

• Daily Automation: They check your rankings automatically while you sleep.
• Trend Analysis: They show you a graph. Are you going up or down over the last 30 days?
• Competitor Intelligence: They do not just track you; they track your enemies. You can see when a competitor overtakes you.
• SERP Features: They tell you if you have a Featured Snippet, a Video result, or an Image result.

How to Set Up a Rank Tracker?

The process is generally similar across all major platforms:

Step 1: Create a Project. Enter your domain name.

Step 2: Add Keywords. You can paste a list of keywords you want to target. For example: "buy backlinks," "high authority backlinks," "backlink checker."

Step 3: Specify Location. You can get granular. You can track "SEO services" specifically in "New York, NY" and separately in "Los Angeles, CA."

Step 4: Specify Device. You can track Desktop rankings separately from Mobile rankings. (This is important because Google uses Mobile-First Indexing).

Step 5: Wait for the Crawl. The software will send bots to Google to check these positions.

Interpreting the Report

The software will give you a dashboard.

• Visibility Score: An overall metric of how visible you are.
• Top 3 / Top 10: How many of your keywords are on Page 1.
• Winners and Losers: Which keywords jumped up today, and which ones dropped.

Example: 

Your automated report arrives. It shows "technical SEO audit" jumped to Position 8, but "site speed" dropped to Position 5. You now know exactly which page needs updates without spending hours searching manually.

Conclusion

Knowing your rank helps you improve your content. You do not need to guess. You have options. Start with Google Search Console. It is free and accurate. It shows you what is already working.

You can use Incognito Mode for a quick sanity check. It helps you see what the user sees right now. If your site grows large, look into Third-Party Software. It automates the boring work so you can focus on creating content.

Check your rankings today. Then take steps to climb higher.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I see my website at #1, but my client sees it on Page 2?

This is caused by Personalized Search. Google tracks your browsing history. Because you visit your own website frequently, Google assumes you like it and artificially boosts its position on your device. Your client, who does not visit your site often, sees the "unbiased" organic ranking. Always use Incognito Mode or Google Search Console to see the true data.

Why can't I find my website on Google even when I type the exact title?

If your site does not appear at all, it is likely an indexing issue, not a ranking issue. Google may not know your page exists yet. Go to Google Search Console and use the "URL Inspection" tool to see if the page is indexed. If it is not, request indexing. If it is a brand new site, it can take days or weeks to appear.

Is Google Search Console accurate?

Yes, it is the most accurate source of data available because it comes directly from Google's internal logs. However, it displays an Average Position. If you rank #1 in the morning and #5 in the evening, GSC will report your rank as #3. It shows you the average experience of all users, not just a single snapshot in time.

Does Incognito Mode show the absolute truth?

It is better than a standard search, but it is not perfect. Incognito removes your browsing history, but it cannot hide your physical location (IP address). If you search for "SEO services" while sitting in New York, Google will still show you New York-focused results. To see results for a different city, you need a tool that simulates local searches.

Why are my rankings different on mobile vs. desktop?

Google uses Mobile-First Indexing. It primarily looks at the mobile version of your site to decide where to rank you. If your desktop site is fast but your mobile site is slow or hard to read, your rankings will suffer. Most rank tracking tools allow you to track mobile and desktop positions separately to spot these gaps.