Plain-language questions
Ask for average search position per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · Marketing
Average search position: formula and example.
Average search position is the average place at which your website appears in the organic search results, weighted by impressions. Position 1 is the top result, so the lower the number, the better. Google Search Console reports this position per query and per page.
Average search position formula
Sum of (position × impressions) ÷ total impressions
Worked example
Acme Groothandel appears for three queries: one with 6,000 impressions at position 2, one with 1,000 impressions at position 15 and one with 3,000 impressions at position 10. Average position is (6,000 × 2 + 1,000 × 15 + 3,000 × 10) ÷ 10,000 = 57,000 ÷ 10,000 = 5.7. An unweighted average would give (2 + 15 + 10) ÷ 3 = 9.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A lower average position means you rank higher in the search results, and higher positions get far more clicks. The average can mislead: if you start appearing for new queries at a low position, the number rises even though your visibility is growing. So also track the position for a fixed set of important queries.
Pitfalls with average search position
- Averaging query positions without weighting, so queries with few impressions count just as much.
- Reading a rise in the average as a decline when you have become visible for more queries.
- Including searches for your own brand name, which almost always rank first and flatter the average.
SQL & DAX
Calculating average search position in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
SELECT date_trunc('month', query_date) AS month,
SUM(impressions) AS impressions,
SUM(clicks) AS clicks,
ROUND(SUM(position * impressions) / NULLIF(SUM(impressions), 0), 1) AS avg_position
FROM search_queries
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;Average Search Position =
DIVIDE(
SUMX(SearchQueries, SearchQueries[Position] * SearchQueries[Impressions]),
SUM(SearchQueries[Impressions])
)In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How is average position calculated in Google Search Console?
Average position is the average of your site's highest position per impression, weighted by impressions. To combine positions for several queries yourself, multiply each position by its impressions and divide the sum by total impressions. In the Acme Groothandel example, that gives 5.7.
Why is my average position getting worse while traffic grows?
This usually happens because you have become visible for new queries but still rank low for them. Those extra impressions pull the average up. So also look at impressions, clicks and position per query.
What is the difference between average position and impression share?
Average position is about where you rank in the organic search results, while impression share is usually about how often your ads are shown. You measure the first in Google Search Console and the second in Google Ads. They therefore relate to different channels.
Further reading
- KPI libraryMarketing KPIs: formulas and examplesMarketing KPIs set reach, cost and conversion side by side. They become truly useful once you link ad and web data to leads and revenue from your CRM and accounting system.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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