So, the other day, a client of mine asked me a question that really got me thinking: “Should we rely on Google Search Console or Rank Tracking Tools to monitor our website’s rankings?”
Now, you know how important search engine rankings are. They’re basically the lifeblood of any SEO strategy. Higher rankings mean more visibility, more traffic, and ultimately, more conversions. But how do we accurately track these rankings to see what’s working and what’s not?
Putting Them to the Test
To find out which one really reigns supreme, I decided to do a little experiment. I picked 10 keywords related to a specific niche (let’s say, “AI voice technology”) and tracked their rankings using GSC and a few popular tools like Semrush, SERanking, and Ahrefs. The following filters were applied to ensure consistency:
- Data collection date: 2nd January 2025
- Geographical filter: US searches
- Device filter: Desktop rankings only
- Tools used for comparison: Google Search Console, Semrush, SERanking, and Ahrefs
Here is a summary of the keyword rankings from each tool:
| Keyword | Semrush | SERanking | Ahrefs | Google Search Console |
| text to speech | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8.0 |
| ai text to speech | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4.4 |
| text to speech ai | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4.5 |
| ai voice generator | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 |
| ai voice | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.1 |
| ai voices | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3.8 |
| ai voiceover | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2.0 |
| ai voice over | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2.4 |
| ai voice changer | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8.0 |
| voice changer ai | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8.0 |
And guess what? While Google Search Console provides valuable data, the comparison table shows that in most cases, third-party tools such as Semrush, SERanking, and Ahrefs reported more consistent and similar rankings.
So, while Google Search Console is a fantastic resource for overall website health and performance, if you’re serious about precise ranking tracking, especially for competitive keywords, those third-party tools are probably your best bet.
- Ranking Tools’ Accuracy: The data suggests that ranking tools better reflect real-time SERP positions for most keywords. GSC rankings showed more variation, possibly due to regional or localized ranking shifts.
- Google Search Console Limitations: Google Search Console is still useful for tracking broader performance trends, but its ranking data should be cross-referenced with other tools for more precise tracking.
- Recommendation: For SEO professionals focused on precise ranking data, especially for competitive keywords, third-party tools provide more reliable insights than Google Search Console.
What do other SEOs think?
To get a broader perspective, I conducted a quick poll on LinkedIn asking fellow SEOs which they prefer: Google Search Console or dedicated rank tracking tools.
The results were clear: a resounding 69% of respondents favored dedicated rank tracking tools.
This sentiment was echoed by several prominent SEO professionals who participated in the poll, including [mention names of respected SEOs like Mihir Naik, Zack Notes, and Mark Williams-Cooks. Their expertise and experience lend further weight to the argument that dedicated rank tracking tools offer a more reliable and comprehensive view of search engine rankings.
The Writer’s Thoughts
I lean towards relying more heavily on dedicated rank tracking tools. Here’s why:
- Ranking tools offer a wealth of data beyond just simple position tracking. You can analyze SERP features like featured snippets, knowledge panels, people also ask boxes, and more – all crucial for understanding your website’s visibility and identifying optimization opportunities.
- Tracking rankings in Google Search Console can be a bit cumbersome. You need to meticulously map URLs to keywords, apply location and date filters, and potentially create custom dashboards. Rank tracking tools streamline this process, saving you valuable time.
- While Google Search Console provides valuable data, its accuracy can be a bit of a gray area. It often averages rankings across different locations and considers various factors like sitelinks and SERP features, which can sometimes lead to discrepancies. Rank tracking tools tend to provide a more straightforward and consistent view of your rankings.
- When presenting findings to clients, especially those less familiar with the intricacies of SEO, discrepancies between GSC and SERP observations can lead to confusion. Rank tracking tools help avoid these awkward situations by providing a more consistent and easily understandable dataset.
Ultimately, the best approach likely involves a combination of both tools. Use GSC for its valuable insights into website health and broader performance trends, while relying on dedicated rank tracking tools for precise and consistent ranking data.
