You check Google Search Console and see your page has an average position of 8.3. But what does that actually mean? And why does your manual search show different results?
What Is Average Position?
Average position is the mean ranking of your URL across all queries it appeared for during the selected time period. A position of 1 means you were the first organic result.
Why Position Shows Decimals
If your page ranks #5 for one search and #10 for another, your average position would be 7.5. The decimal reflects averaging across many different queries.
Why Your Manual Search Differs
- Personalization: Google customizes results based on your search history
- Location: Rankings vary by geographic location
- Device: Mobile and desktop results can differ
- Time: Rankings fluctuate throughout the day
How to Use Position Data
Track trends: Is your average position improving over time?
Find opportunities: Pages ranking 11-20 are close to page one with some optimization.
Identify problems: Sudden position drops may indicate issues.
Related: Astra Rank vs Moz | Affordable SEO Tools