Identify Gained & Lost Keyword Rankings: Google Update Guide

I. Introduction: Why Keyword Ranking Fluctuations Matter in 2025

It’s 8:30 AM. You sip your coffee, scroll through Twitter, and see buzz about a new Google algorithm update. You check your Google Analytics and notice your traffic has dropped. A sinking feeling sets in. You open your keyword tracking tool—it shows no major changes. But something is clearly off.

This is the moment when understanding your keyword rankings becomes crucial. You need to know which keywords gained visibility and which lost keyword rankings—and fast. The ability to target the right keywords in the aftermath of a core update can make or break your recovery strategy.

In 2025, with constant SERP shifts, volatility, and AI-enhanced search behaviors, keyword tracking has become less about vanity metrics and more about action-oriented insight.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through a practical, repeatable process using Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Semrush to uncover the keywords you’ve gained or lost due to an algorithm update—so you can adapt your SEO strategy with clarity and confidence.

II. Step 1: Use Google Analytics to Track Keyword Ranking Drops or Gains

Before diving into individual keyword rankings, we need to identify which pages gained or lost organic traffic.

🔍 Accessing the All Pages Report:

Open Google Analytics

Navigate to: Behavior > Site Content > All Pages

Set your segment to Organic Traffic

Adjust your date range to reflect traffic post-update

If your business is seasonal, compare year-over-year. Otherwise, compare with the previous week.

📊 Why Focus on Entrances?

Choose Entrances over Sessions or Pageviews. Entrances reflect the number of visitors who entered your site through specific pages from search—directly tied to ranking changes. Unlike sessions, which can include internal navigation, entrances offer cleaner attribution to SEO performance.

Sort your report by entrances in descending order and export data to identify the pages most affected by the Google algorithm update.

III. Step 2: Analyze Keyword Movements Using Semrush

With your impacted pages identified, it’s time to dig into the gained keywords and lost keyword rankings associated with each page.

📌 Using Semrush Organic Research:

Go to Semrush > Organic Research > Positions

Enter your domain or URL

Apply filters for data prior to the update

🧠 Convert “Last Updated” Timestamps:

Export your data to Excel, and use this formula to convert timestamps to readable dates:

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=(((M2/60)/60)/24)+DATE(1970,1,1)

Format the result as a Date and label the column “Last Checked.”

🗂 Create Keyword Tabs:

PRE ALGO tab: All keywords ranked before the update

POST ALGO tab: All keywords ranked after the update

📈 Calculate Rank Changes:

In POST ALGO, use a formula:

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=Previous Position – Current Position

Use conditional formatting to highlight:

Keywords that jumped to Page 1

High-volume terms that moved up or down

This step provides a clear picture of how keyword rankings shifted after the Google update.

IV. Step 3: Use Semrush Position Tracking for Live Keyword Ranking Comparison

To get real-time clarity on SEO tracking, add your PRE ALGO keywords to the Semrush Position Tracker.

📊 Steps:

Create a new Project in Semrush
Add your keywords under Position Tracking
Export updated rankings into Excel

🔗 Compare Using Excel:

Rename the original position column to “Previous Position”

Use VLOOKUP to pull the new rankings from Semrush into a “Position” column

Highlight changes using logic and formatting

This comparison provides insight into which keywords improved and which ones dropped, post-update.

V. Bonus Step: Add Google Search Console for Click-Level Insights

While Search Console has data limitations, it can offer helpful click-level keyword insights that Semrush might miss.

🧭 How to Use GSC for Deeper Insight:

Open Google Search Console
Navigate to Performance > Search Results
Apply filters:
Date range: Before or after update
Page URL: Specific URL from GA or Semrush

📥 Export and Analyze:

Export all available queries (up to 500)

Paste into a new Excel tab called GSC

Use VLOOKUP to match GSC click data with Semrush keywords

This helps you spot high-traffic keywords missing in Semrush’s database—crucial for a complete keyword research picture.

VI. Build a Smarter SEO Recovery or Growth Plan

Now that you’ve identified ranking changes, it’s time to turn that into strategy.

🔧 Actions to Take:

Double down on gained keywords that are high-volume or recently hit Page 1

Re-optimize pages with lost keyword rankings (update content, improve internal linking)

Check for content decay or competitors outperforming your content

Refresh titles, meta descriptions, and content structure based on SERP intent

The key is not just reacting—but rebuilding with insight.

VII. Upgrade Your Keyword Tracking for Ongoing Success

After every Google algorithm update, there’s a window of opportunity to upgrade your SEO tracking strategy.

💡 Why Expand Your Tracking Setup:

Most tools miss long-tail or new queries

Daily tracking gives better SERP volatility insights

Bigger datasets = more strategic content decisions

Use ranking fluctuation data to build an ROI case for more budget

With smarter keyword monitoring, you’ll always stay one step ahead of the next update.

VIII. Conclusion: Keyword Rankings Aren’t Just Metrics—They’re Strategy Signals

No single tool gives you 100% complete data—but using Google Analytics, Semrush, and Search Console together gives you enough to act intelligently.

Don’t chase numbers—chase intent, context, and user needs.

Keyword research is an ongoing process. The ability to continuously target the right keywords ensures you stay resilient and adaptable with every algorithm shift.

IX. FAQs: SEO Keyword Tracking After Google Updates (250 words)

1. How to Check Which Keyword is Ranking

To see which keywords your site is ranking for, use tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, or Ahrefs. These platforms provide a detailed list of keywords, along with their positions and click-through rates.

2. How to Find Out SEO Ranking

Check your overall SEO ranking using Google Search Console, where you can view impressions, clicks, and average position data. Third-party tools also help you track visibility trends across keywords over time.

3. How to Check Keyword Difficulty

Use tools like Moz’s Keyword Explorer, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to determine keyword difficulty. These tools analyze the competition level based on domain authority, backlinks, and current top-ranking content.

4. How to Check Keyword Ranking in Google Analytics

Google Analytics doesn’t directly show keyword rankings. However, you can integrate Google Search Console to view search queries and landing page performance within Analytics.

5. How Do I Check the Ranking of a Page?

Use the “Performance” report in Google Search Console. Enter a specific page URL and view all the keywords it ranks for, including their positions.

6. How to Track Keyword Ranking in Google Sheets

Connect your SEO tools (like Google Search Console API or third-party tools via add-ons) with Google Sheets. Automate reports and monitor changes in keyword positions over time