How to configure SEO Rank Tracker
Octoboard SEO Rank tracker allows you to configure keywords and website domains for search engine results page (SERP) monitoring. Octoboard covers Bing and Google search engines with tracking in different languages and regions. Rank Tracker will monitor configured keywords and will distribute automated white label reports, build client portals and online dashboards for multiple websites of your business, clients and competitors.
Marketing agencies use Rank Tracker to offer keywords analytics and competitor monitoring feature for an additional service fee. This helps agencies retain clients and create extra revenue.
Online businesses use this feature to monitor and improve performance of marketing departments and track daily organic keyword rankings for company websites.
Rank Tracker data source is designed as a "native" Octoboard integration. You can use it like you would use a Google or Facebook data source. You can start by adding Rank Tracker widgets to your dashboards or reports but we suggest that you add Rank Tracker templates that we include in your subscription. You can always modify default templates later.
There are two types of templates – for reports and for dashboards. You can add a Rank Tracker report template as a new report section as shown below. Select "Keyword Analytics" or "Rank Tracker" template when adding a new section or use the "Keywords Analytics" switch to turn on default section in the predefined report:
To add a dashboard template, either select "KEYWORDS AND SEO" area in the panel on the left or create a new dashboard and use "ADD TEMPLATE" button as shown on the following image:
When adding a template for the first time, our platform will ask you to define keywords to monitor, select domains to rank (for your business, clients or competitors) and specify locations and languages for the analysis.
The following image shows Rank Tracker configuration panel. It can always be invoked by using RECONNECT button at the top of the screen:
Tracker configuration panel consists of the following 3 Tabs:
- Parameters configures locations, search languages and domains to monitor.
- Keywords configures keywords collection and keyword visibility.
- Widget data configures Rank Tracker display for current dashboard or report.
"Parameters" and "Keywords" tabs define what data should be analyzed by Octoboard platform. "Widget Data" tab configures what is being displayed on the current dashboard or report.
- Region defines all possible regions that we analyze keywords for. Please note that a keyword analyzed in two regions counts as two keywords towards your quota. If you select too many regions, our system will notify you.
- Language specifies which language we should analyze search results in. "Default" language means default language for selected country. In New Zealand it will be English, Dutch in the Netherlands and so on.
- Domains field allows you to specify up to 5 domains to build analytics for. It can be your own business website, or you client’s domains or your competitors’. You can change any time in the future.
- Keywords field will allow you to define keywords for analysis. Enter them one per line or one after another separated by commas. Click UPDATE KEYWORDS button to apply changes. If you select more than you allowed quota of keywords, an error message will be displayed. Please note that a keyword analyzed in two regions counts as two keywords towards your quota.
The list of selected keywords is displayed at the bottom. You can stop data collection for selected keywords by clicking on DELETE icon next to every keyword. It is also possible to hide keywords. If you click HIDE icon, the keyword data will still be collected by our platform, but the keyword will not be shown in any of the widgets in Octoboard reports or dashboards.
First two tabs define Octoboard keywords analysis process. It tells our platform what keywords should be analyzed, in what countries and using what language. Once Parameters and Keywords tabs are configured, Octoboard will start building ranking data at regular intervals for all domains, keywords and locations that you specify.
The last tab called "Widget Data" configures what is being displayed on the current dashboard or report. For example, you can configure Octoboard to analyze 5 domains but choose only one domain to be displayed in the current dashboard.
By clicking APPLY button you limit your current dashboard (or report) display to selected search engine, device type, region and domain.
How often do you update keyword rankings? Octoboard platform will recalculate rankings every day or every 3 days depending on your plan. For more details, please visit Octoboard Pricing Pages for your product.
I configured the Rank Tracker but keywords rankings did not update. Why? Once you configure your data collection, our platform will start analyzing keyword positions. The process takes up to 24 hours. Until then, your keywords will be showing "Calculating..." status.
I configured 30 keywords for my client but Octoboard says that I am over the limit of 50 keywords. What would cause that? A keyword analyzed in two regions counts as two keywords towards your quota. If you select several regions, you will need to multiply the number of regions by the number of defined keywords (hidden and visible). Check "Keywords" and "Parameters" tab to verify your configuration.
How can I display competitor data in the same dashboard? You can always define separate dashboards or reports for individual competitors. It is also possible to display data widgets for different domain rankings next to each other and even track position changes for competitors in the same mashup widget.
To configure individual widget to display data for a separate domain, use widget’s top-left menu > Parameters > Configure Connection button. In the configuration panel, set the new domain for the widget.
The process of configuring mashup data widgets is covered in the following Knowledge Base tutorial.
