This post discusses advanced tactics for the keyword tracking tool STAT. We recommend becoming familiar with STAT, and the basics of dynamic tags and how to set them up if you’re new to this tool.
Early in 2016, our SEO team got an account with STAT, an enterprise keyword tracking tool. As with most tools, it takes time to learn how to use it to its full potential. The good news is that, out of the box, STAT already provides high-quality rank tracking. You can quickly upload keywords for a site, set the device type and location, and you’re done. It’s that easy.
However, after a year of working with the tool, we’ve learned that STAT’s true value isn’t merely tracking keywords. It’s using ranking changes in keyword sets to identify new opportunities.
Enter Dynamic Tags
STAT allows users to tag keywords in two ways:
- Standard tags: Static segments that group keywords in unlimited ways. Very straightforward but include only keywords tagged manually.
- e.g. “tapioca pudding” keywords
- Dynamic tags: Filter-based segments that add or remove keywords automatically if they meet certain criteria.
- e.g. keywords with search volume over 1,000
Using dynamic tags saves time during setup and enhances your ability to analyze ranking data efficiently. Dynamic tags are how to get the most value from STAT.
For example, you can create a dynamic tag to only contain keywords that rank on Page 1 of Google search results for desktop:
Then, using STAT’s (new) dashboard, you can quickly show clients ranking improvements over time for their most important keywords:
This ranking trends chart shows the number of Page 1 keywords over a four-month period. Dynamic tags allow you to see how the site’s rankings improve each week.
Why We Use Dynamic Tags
We started using dynamic tags because we wanted to move beyond just rankings data. We wanted more context about how rankings are impacting client sites. With the help of Frankie at STAT to get us started, we ended up asking ourselves what was most important from ranking data and which questions it could help us answer.
We came up with the following questions:
- Which keywords are driving the most qualified traffic to the site?
- Which keywords are potential top performers but don’t yet rank high enough?
- Which keywords have had major increases or decreases since the last update?
- Which keywords does a website dominate?
- Which keywords generate search results with specific SERP features?
- Which keyword opportunities are we missing out on?
With these questions in mind, we created 18 dynamic tags that provide us with smarter keyword data that we’re able analyze more efficeintly than before.
The Dynamic Tags We Use
Below are the 18 tags dynamic tags that we use. We’ve included how to
- set up filters for each tag
- what that tag tracks and what it means for organic visibility
- which data view we file the tag under
- whether the dynamic tag tracks for desktop and smartphone
For tags that you can track on desktop and smartphones, be sure to set up the tag twice—once filtered for desktop, and once for smartphones only.
The 5 data views and 18 dynamic tags we create:
- Landing Pages
- Local Search Results
- Ranking Changes
- Ranking Positions
- Universal Results (featured snippets, people also ask, AMP)
Landing Pages
Tag 1: /your-url/
What this tag shows you: Keywords that rank for the URL defined in this tag.
How to use this tag: Are you making improvements to a certain section of a site? Monitor rankings in this tag to see if your changes are having an impact.
Suggested filter: Google URL like “/your-url/”
Data view: Landing page
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Local Search Results
Tag 2: Local pack: opportunities
What this tag shows you: Keywords that have the potential to rank in the local pack but currently don’t.
How to use this tag: Check the name, address, and phone number consistency on local listings, review on-page signals and other local SEO ranking factors to make sure you’re properly targeting the local market and following local SEO best practices.
Suggested filter: Google rank > 3, universal results with “placesv3”
Data view: Local
Desktop and smartphone tracking: No, desktop only
Tag 3: Local pack: opportunities + base rank 1
What this tag shows you: Keywords that rank in the first organic position below the local pack and have the potential to rank in the local pack but currently don’t
How to use this tag: If you can’t get in the local pack, ranking in the first organic position right below the pack is the next best thing. Prioritize these keyword opportunities and you should see a lift in organic traffic.
Suggested filter: Google rank > 3, google base rank = 1, universal results with “placesv3”
Data view: Local
Desktop and smartphone tracking: No, desktop only
Tag 4: Local pack: owned
What this tag shows you: Keywords that rank in one of the three local-pack positions.
How to use this tag: Local-pack results are shown even higher in search results than standard organic listings. Monitor your organic traffic and the number of clicks your site receives in Google Search Console. You’ll see these metrics increase when you rank in the local pack.
Suggested filter: Google rank < 4, google rank > 0, universal results with “placesv3”
Data view: Local
Desktop and smartphone tracking: No, desktop only
Tag 5: Local pack: owned + base rank 1
What this tag shows you: Keywords that rank in one of the three local-pack positions and hold the first organic ranking.
How to use this tag: You now have two top-notch rankings in the same search result. Let the traffic runneth over.
Suggested filter: Google rank < 4, google rank > 0, google base rank = 1, universal results with “placesv3”
Data view: Local
Desktop and smartphone tracking: No, desktop only
Ranking Changes
Tag 6: Increased rankings > 4
What this tag shows you: Keywords that have moved up in rankings by five or more positions since the last STAT rankings update.
How to use this tag: Review which keywords rankings increased. Do changes relate to recent optimizations? Maybe a spammy competitor that always outranked you finally got the boot.
Suggested filter: Google move < -4
Data view: Ranking changes
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Tag 7: Decreased rankings > 4
What this tag shows you: Keywords that have moved down in rankings by five or more positions since the last STAT rankings update.
How to use this tag: Review the Share of Voice report to see who has pushed you out in organic search. Is it related to links? On-page optimizations? New site?
Suggested filter: Google move > 4
Data view: Ranking changes
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Tag 8: Non-ranking keywords
What this tag shows you: Keywords that a site does not rank for in search results.
How to use this tag: This is a great tag for sites that are invisible in search results. As you execute a strategy, you should see the number of keywords in this tag decline. If it spikes, it could indicate that the site has been penalized.
Suggested filter: Google rank is non-ranking
Data view: Ranking changes
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Ranking Positions
Tag 9: Page 1
What this tag shows you: Keywords that rank on the first page of search results
How to use this tag: When keywords fall into this tag, you should see a positive impact on organic traffic.
Suggested filter: Google rank < 11, google rank > 0
Data view: Ranking positions
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Tag 10: Page 2
What this tag shows you: Keywords that rank on the second page of search results
How to use this tag: While organic traffic in Google Analytics may not show growth yet, use this tag to show how the site is working its way toward Page 1. This tag is useful for client reporting to show how your work is impacting their rankings, even if they can’t see it yet in Analytics.
Suggested filter: Google rank < 21, google rank > 10
Data view: Ranking positions
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Tag 11: Positions 1–3
What this tag shows you: Keywords that rank in one of the top-three positions.
How to use this tag: Earning a top-three position in organic search is not easy. Keywords pulled into this tag reflect the value of your hard work.
Suggested filter: Google rank < 4, google rank > 0
Data view: Ranking positions
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Universal Results
Tag 12: Featured snippets: opportunities
What this tag shows you: Keywords that rank on Page 1 of search results with a featured snippet owned by another site.
How to use this tag: Re-optimize your content to see if you can earn the featured snippet. Analyze the page that currently has the featured snippet to understand how you can make your content better. Maybe your content isn’t structured in a way Google prefers. Look to see if the existing featured snippet is formatted as a list, paragraph, or table, then adjust your content according.
Suggested filter: Google rank > 1, google rank < 11, google base rank > 0, universal results with “answers,” or “answers list,” or “answers paragraph,” or “answers table”
Data view: Universal results
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Tag 13: Featured snippets: opportunities + base rank 1
What this tag shows you: Keywords that rank on Page 1 of search results with a featured snippet, you don’t have the featured snippet, but you do have the first organic ranking below the featured snippet.
How to use this tag: If you can’t have the featured snippet, having the first organic ranking is the next best thing. Use the keywords in this tag to create a strategy to claim those featured snippets for your site—and still own the top blue link.
Suggested filter: Google rank > 1, google rank < 11, google base rank = 1, universal results with “answers,” or “answers list,” or “answers paragraph,” or “answers table”
Data view: Universal results
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Tag 14: Featured snippets: owned
What this tag shows you: Keywords that own a featured snippet
How to use this tag: You now have the featured snippet for these queries. Keep an eye on your competitors to see if they’re testing new on-page optimizations to try and take the featured snippet from you.
Suggested filter: Google rank = 1, universal results with “answers,” or “answers list,” or “answers paragraph,” or “answers table”
Data view: Universal results
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Tag 15: Featured snippets: owned + base rank 1
What this tag shows you: Keywords that own a featured snippet and have the first organic ranking.
How to use this tag: Ranking in position zero and position one can have a huge impact for your site. Do whatever you can to continue to dominate these keywords!
Suggested filter: Google rank = 1, google base rank = 1, universal results with “answers,” or “answers list,” or “answers paragraph,” or “answers table”
Data view: Universal results
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Tag 16: People also ask
What this tag shows you: Keywords that generate a search result with the “People also ask” section.
How to use this tag: Find inspiration for new content in the “People also ask” sections of search results. Consider creating well-structured content on these questions to answer users’ queries directly and potentially earn a new snippet in these expandable answers.
Suggested filter: Universal results with “People also ask”
Data view: Universal results
Desktop and smartphone tracking: Yes
Tag 17: AMP – organic
What this tag shows you: Search results that display sites using AMP.
How to use this tag: Unsure if you should make the move to AMP? Use this tag to keep an eye on how many competitors are using AMP—and which searches return AMP results—so you aren’t left behind.
Suggested filter: Universal results with “amp (organic)”
Data view: Universal results
Desktop and smartphone tracking: No, smartphone only
Tag 18: AMP – news
What this tag shows you: Search results that display media sites using AMP.
How to use this tag: Are you a media site that’s unsure if you should make the move to AMP? Use this tag to keep an eye on how many competitors are using AMP—and which searches return AMP results—so you aren’t left behind.
Suggested filter: Universal results with “amp (news)”
Data view: Universal results
Desktop and smartphone tracking: No, smartphone only
How it All Looks When You’re Done
Once you’ve added the 18 tags and data views into your STAT account, you’ll have something that looks like this when all the data views are collapsed:
And like this when they’re expanded:
We’re Only Scratching the Surface
We know there will be even more tags added to the list as we think of new questions we want our keyword data to answer, and as Google releases new features in search results. While these 18 tags are a great start, we know that we haven’t exhausted all possible uses.
Are there dynamic tags that you use in your STAT account not in our list? Let us know in the comments or tweet us @kellyjw514 or @WorkshopMktg.