Why rankings are a bad first test
Rankings change by city, by device and by the person searching. A report can show you ranking first for a phrase while customers across town see someone else. Rankings also move last. Google has to find your changes, re-read the page, compare it to everyone else and decide, and Google tells business owners to expect four months to a year for an SEO’s work to pay off.
So start with signs that come earlier and are harder to fake.
The nine signs, in order
1. You can see the work
Week one. You should be able to name what changed: pages fixed, tracking installed, your Business Profile updated. If your SEO cannot show you, nothing else on this list matters.
2. Your calls and forms actually work
Day one. Tap your phone number on a phone. Send yourself a test from every form. Many sites lose leads here before SEO ever gets a chance. Fixing it can help the same day.
3. Google has your pages
Weeks one to four. In Search Console, the Pages report should show your important pages as indexed. A page Google has not indexed cannot rank.
4. Impressions are rising
Month one to three. In the Search Console Performance report, impressions count how often your pages appeared in results. They usually rise before clicks do. Rising impressions mean Google is starting to show you.
5. You show up for more searches
Months two to four. In the same report, the Queries tab lists the searches you appeared for. A healthy campaign grows that list, especially with phrases that name your service and your city.
6. Average position is creeping up on the right phrases
Months two to six. Google explains how position is counted. Look at the phrases that bring customers, not the average for everything, which can drop when you start appearing for many new searches.
7. Clicks follow
Months three to six. Clicks rise once you reach the top of page one or the map pack. Better titles and descriptions can raise clicks from impressions you already have.
8. Your Business Profile gets more actions
Often within weeks for local businesses. Google’s Business Profile performance screen shows calls, website clicks and direction requests from Search and Maps.
9. Calls and form leads from search climb
Months four to twelve. This is the one that pays the bills. In Google Analytics, mark form sends and phone clicks as key events, then look at how many come from organic search each month. Ask every new caller how they found you, too.
Where to check, for free
| Sign | Where to look | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Pages indexed | Search Console, Pages | Your money pages listed as indexed |
| Impressions and searches | Search Console, Performance | Both trending up over three months |
| Clicks | Search Console, Performance | Rising on service and city phrases |
| Calls and directions | Business Profile, Performance | More actions month over month |
| Leads | Google Analytics, key events by channel | Organic search key events rising |
Compare the same months year over year if your business is seasonal. A roofer’s December will never look like May.
A monthly 10-minute check
- Open Search Console. Set the date to the last three months and compare to the three months before.
- Note total impressions and clicks. Are they up?
- Open Queries. Find five phrases a real customer would type. Are they gaining?
- Open your Business Profile performance. Note calls and website clicks.
- Open Google Analytics. Note key events from organic search.
- Write the five numbers down. Next month, compare.
Ten minutes, five numbers. It is the simplest way to stay in charge of what you pay for.
When to worry
- Month one: you cannot see any work, or nobody can tell you what was done.
- Month three: impressions are flat and pages are not indexed.
- Month six: impressions are up but calls and leads are not, and nobody is looking at why.
- Any month: you are told rankings are great, but you cannot find yourself and the phone is quiet.
Also be wary of anyone who promised you a ranking by a date. We explain why in guaranteed SEO is a red flag.
Questions to ask your SEO
- What did you do this month, and where can I see it?
- Which of these nine signs are moving, and which are not?
- How many calls and form leads came from search?
- What are you changing next, and why?
Good SEOs like these questions. If yours does not, that is a sign too. Our SEO packages show what each piece of work can do and roughly when, so you know what to look for from the start.
Not sure if your SEO is working?
Our free audit checks where you stand today and what is holding you back, in plain English.
Get a free SEO audit → Call 1-800-481-8638Questions readers ask
How long before I know if SEO is working?
You should see the work in week one and rising impressions in Search Console within one to three months. Calls and leads from search usually take four months to a year, which matches what Google tells business owners to expect.
Why are my impressions up but clicks are not?
Impressions usually rise first, while pages sit lower on page one or on page two. Clicks follow as pages climb. Better titles and descriptions can also raise clicks from the impressions you already have.
Why did my average position drop?
Average position can fall when you start appearing for many new searches at low positions. Check the position for the phrases that bring customers instead of the overall average.
What is the best sign SEO is working?
More calls and form leads from organic search and your Google Business Profile, measured month over month or year over year.