WordPress Search Analytics: 2 Easy Ways to Track User Searches

Are you publishing blog posts but not sure what your audience actually wants? It’s one of the most common frustrations for WordPress site owners. You’re putting in the work, but it’s hard to tell if it’s really connecting. 🤷

That’s where search analytics can be a game-changer.

By seeing what people search for, which posts get the most clicks, and where the real opportunities are, you can create content your audience truly cares about. This leads to better engagement and stronger results.

The best part? Setting up WordPress search analytics is easier than you think.

In this guide, we’ll show you 2 easy methods to set it up. By the end, you’ll have the insights you need to create content your visitors will love.

What Is Search Analytics in WordPress?

In short, search analytics in WordPress refers to tracking what users search for, both on your WordPress website and in search engines, to better understand their interests and behavior. It helps you see how people find your content, what they’re looking for once they’re on your site, and where you can improve the user experience.

In this guide, we’ll cover the two main types of search analytics: internal search analytics and external search analytics.

1. Internal Search Analytics

This shows what people search for while they’re on your website. It can help you discover content gaps and better serve your audience.

Here are some examples of internal search analytics:

• Search Terms: Discover precisely what users enter into the search bar. Are they in pursuit of particular products, blog articles, or solutions to frequently asked questions?
• Search Frequency: Monitor how frequently particular search terms are inputted to pinpoint the most sought-after keywords among your readership.
• Search Refined Rate: Monitor the frequency with which users modify their search terms. A significant amount of refinement might point to search results that aren’t adequately fulfilling their requirements.

2. External Search Analytics

This reveals how users locate your website via search engines like Google. These insights are valuable as they aid in comprehending the searches people conduct outside your website. This enables you to enhance your content for improved search engine rankings.

Essential external search analytics metrics encompass:

• Top Performing Pages: Identify which pages are getting the most organic traffic. Are your product pages or blog posts getting the attention you expect?
• Organic Search Keywords: See which keywords are bringing visitors to your site from search engines. Are users finding your blog posts, product pages, or landing pages?
• Ranking Position: Track your keywords’ search engine rankings. Are the rankings of your target keywords improving over time?

Internal and external search analytics combined give a thorough picture of how your audience acts, from what they look for on your site to how they find it in the first place.

You can find content holes, improve your SEO plan, and increase traffic in a planned way with these insights.

Why Do I Need to Track My Search Analytics?

Analyzing your search analytics provides a comprehensive understanding of how visitors interact with your WordPress website or blog, including their search behaviors and how they locate your site. The primary benefit is toimprove the user experience. By identifying prevalent search queries on your site, you can refine navigation and improve content discoverability.

Additional benefits of monitoring your search analytics include:

• Grasping User Intent: By monitoring on-site search terms, you gain insight into users’ needs and objectives. This enables you to offer relevant content or products that fulfill their expectations.

• Optimize Content Strategy: Discover content gaps or potential topics for future posts, allowing you to prioritize content creation that effectively engages your audience.
• Improving SEO: Identifying keywords driving traffic from search engines enables you to optimize your SEO approach, attracting even more visitors.
• Enhancing Engagement: Meeting visitor needs through relevant content and a seamless search functionality increases the likelihood of longer visits, greater page exploration, and future revisits.

Consistent tracking of search trends lets you gauge how well your content changes and WordPress SEO work. You can then refine your approaches accordingly.

With that said, we’ll share how to see internal and external search analytics in WordPress.

Here’s a brief outline of the topics covered in this guide:

Eager to begin? Let’s dive in!

Method 1: How to See Internal Search Analytics in WordPress

This method, leveraging SearchWP, is excellent for understanding what visitors seek on your site.

SearchWP stands out as a leading search plugin for WordPress, known for its ease of use.

Moreover, we’ve integrated SearchWP across our partner brands, noting significant enhancements in search capabilities. Our users now locate content more efficiently, resulting in a more seamless experience and increased engagement.

Interested in further details? Review our comprehensive SearchWP analysis.

Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP

First things first, let’s install and activate SearchWP. Simply click on the ‘Get SearchWP Now’ button on the website.

With that complete, navigate to the ‘Downloads’ section within your SearchWP account.

Then, select the ‘Download SearchWP’ button to download the plugin file onto your device.

As the plugin downloads, remember to copy your license key, as you will require it soon to activate the plugin.

After that, access your WordPress dashboard and upload the SearchWP plugin zip file.

If you need guidance, this straightforward guide explains how to install a WordPress plugin.

Once SearchWP is installed and activated, it’s time to enter your license key.

To accomplish this, go to SearchWP » Settings and find the ‘License Key’ input. Next, paste your SearchWP Pro license key into the designated field, then press the activation button.

With SearchWP active, you are ready for the next step.

Step 2: Install and Activate the Metrics Extension

While SearchWP automatically gathers search data, the Metrics extension enhances this functionality by providing deeper insights into your visitors’ search activity.

To begin, go to the SearchWP » Extensions from your WordPress admin area. Then click the ‘Install’ button beneath the Metrics extension.

This action will initiate the Metrics extension’s installation and activation.

Step 3: Check Out Your Site Search Terms Data

With the Metrics extension active, let’s examine the search analytics information.

First, you need to head to Navigate to SearchWP » Metrics..

Here, you’ll find all search data gathered from your site’s users. Initially, there will be no data, as the plugin was just installed. Going forward, every search performed on your site will be recorded here.

To see it in action, conduct a search on your live site.

Afterward, return to the ‘Metrics’ tab to verify if your search query is displayed in real-time.

That’s all there is to it! You should now observe your search term displayed in this manner.

The right side displays your site’s most frequently used search terms.

The left-hand panel offers detailed reports on your site’s search analytics, encompassing these metrics:

• Total searches: This indicates the total number of times the search bar has been used on your site.
• Total results viewed: This shows the total count of search results that users have clicked on.
• Clicks per search: This reflects the average number of results users click on during a search session.
• No results search: This metric reveals how often searches yield no results.
• Searches per user: This calculates the average number of searches each user performs on your site.
• Average click rank: This displays the average position of clicked search results, offering insights into the most popular results.

You are now prepared to monitor and analyze search activity on your website. If you encounter any problems, consult our guide on enhancing WordPress search using SearchWP.

Method 2: How to See External Search Analytics in WordPress

All in One SEO (AIOSEO), a leading WordPress SEO plugin, offers a Search Statistics dashboard that delivers a comprehensive overview of your site’s Google performance.

It provides crucial insights—from impression and click tracking to detailed keyword and content analysis—empowering you to enhance your site’s overall visibility.

At CanadaCreate, we leverage AIOSEO for diverse SEO activities, including the optimization of meta descriptions, title tags, and OpenGraph configurations for platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). Explore our in-depth AIOSEO review for a more thorough examination of its capabilities!

Step 1: Install and Activate AIOSEO

Begin by registering on the All in One SEO website. Locate and select the ‘Get All in One SEO for WordPress’ button on the main page.

After registration, navigate to your WordPress admin area to install and activate the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin. Refer to our comprehensive guide on WordPress plugin installation if needed.

After activation, the plugin will initiate a setup wizard to guide you.

To set it up, click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the on-screen instructions. 

Refer to our comprehensive guide on setting up All in One SEO for WordPress for complete setup instructions.

Step 2: Get Started with the SEO Overview

With AIOSEO active on your site, an All in One SEO option will now appear in your WordPress admin menu.

To access the Search Statistics analytics, you can go to All in One SEO » Search Statistics.

You’ll then be directed to the Search Statistics dashboard.

This section provides an overview of your site’s performance in search results, starting with the SEO Statistics and Keyword Positions widgets.

The SEO Statistics widget displays critical metrics to gauge your site’s search performance, including:

• Search impressions
• Total clicks
• Average click-through rates (CTR)
• Average keyword positions

On the other hand, the Keyword Positions diagram shows your content rankings across the search engine results pages (SERPs), whether it’s in the top 3, positions 4-10, 11-50, or 50-100.

As you scroll down this page, you’ll see more overviews presented as widgets. Each widget offers a brief summary, and clicking it will take you to the complete reports.

Now that you’re familiar with the dashboard, let’s explore the analytics in each tab: ‘SEO Statistics,’ ‘Keyword Rank Tracker,’ and ‘Content Rankings.’

Step 3: Explore the SEO Statistics Reports

In the ‘SEO Statistics’ tab, you can explore key metrics like search impressions, total clicks, average CTR, and average search position.

The following describes what each metric signifies:

• Search Impressions: This indicates the frequency your site appears in search engine results.
• Total Clicks: This represents the count of user clicks on your site from search engine results pages.
• Average CTR (Click-Through Rate): This is the percentage of impressions that led to clicks on your website.
• Average Search Position: This reflects the typical ranking of your website in search engine results.

Beneath the summary, a graph visually compares search impressions and clicks. Analyzing these metrics can help evaluate your content’s effectiveness in attracting visitors.

Consider this:

• Impressions reflect your site’s visibility in search results, but they don’t ensure user engagement via clicks.
• Clicks demonstrate the number of users who visited your site after seeing it in search results.

Comparing these metrics reveals the effectiveness of your titles and meta descriptions in driving traffic. A poor CTR may suggest the need to revise your content for better appeal or relevance.

The ‘Content Performance’ area is located at the bottom of the tab.

This section offers a comprehensive report on the performance of individual posts and pages.

Dedicated columns also show your content’s performance regarding AIOSEO’s TruSEO scores and its indexing status on Google.

The ‘Diff’ column shows if your content’s search ranking has improved or declined, aiding in spotting changes and guiding improvements.

Step 4: Check Your Keyword Insights

Monitoring keyword performance enables you to track rankings, recognize trends, and optimize content for enhanced results.

Begin with the Search Statistics dashboard to gain insights into your keywords’ performance.

In addition to the ‘Keyword Positions’ widget displaying keyword ranking distribution, the ‘Keyword Rankings’ widget is also quite helpful.

This widget offers two immediate insights:Top Keywords and Winning / Losing keywords.

The ‘Top Keywords’ tab gives you valuable information about which keywords are driving the most clicks to your website.

Then, there’s the ‘Winning / Losing’ tab.

• Winning keywordsrepresent well-performing keywords and are prime opportunities for content optimization.
• Losing keywordsmay require attention, like further optimization or replacement.

These insights quickly highlight where you should concentrate your efforts.

Now, navigate to the ‘Keyword Rank Tracker’ tab to find additional tabs.

First, go toRank Tracker » Keywordsto view the total keywords tracked, search impressions, clicks, and average CTR.

Underneath that, you’ll see a pair of graphs illustrating the distribution of keyword rankings.

At the base of the ‘Keywords’ tab, there’s a table.

This table presents all the keywords monitored on your site, along with their performance metrics like clicks, CTR, impressions, SERP positions, and position history.

Now, let’s explore the features of the ‘Groups’ tab.

Beyond keywords, impressions, clicks, and CTR, you can also observe the overall count ofkeyword groupsbeing monitored on your site.

The two graphs presented below display the estimated traffic and top ranking for each of your keyword groups.

For deeper insights, consult the table at the bottom of this tab.

For example, we have 3 keyword groups: ‘Blog Pages Group,’ ‘Low Performance Group,’ and ‘High Performance Group.’

Then, you have the data on their clicks, CTR, impressions, and average positions.

Now, proceed to the ‘All Keywords’ tab.

In this tab, you’ll find 2 sections: ‘Keyword Positions’ and ‘Keyword Performance.’

The ‘Keyword Positions’ section tells you the total number of keywords that your site ranks for in the search results. You can also see the search impressions and average positions.

You’ll also observe visual cues like green up arrows and red down arrows that indicate whether metrics are trending upward or downward over time.

For a more granular view, scroll to the ‘Keyword Performance’ section.

This section enables you to monitor individual keyword metrics, including clicks, average CTR, impressions, and positions.

Step 5: Take a Closer Look at Content Performance

In the Search Statistics dashboard, you’ll find the ‘Content Rankings’ section at the very bottom of the page.

This area lets you see your ‘Top Pages,’ ‘Top Winning,’ and ‘Top Losing’ content. Key metrics you’ll see include:

• Clicks: The number of times your content was clicked from the search results.
• Impressions: How many times has your content appeared in the search results?
• Position: The content ranking in the SERPs.
• Ranking Differences: Changes in your content’s ranking over time.

In the ‘Content Rankings’ tab, you’ll also find several important data points:

• TruSEO Score: This is a score reflecting how well your content is optimized for SEO.
• Indexed: This shows whether Google has indexed the page or not.
• Last Updated On: The most recent date when the content was updated.
• Loss Drop (%): The percentage decrease in rankings or performance.
• Performance Score: This score indicates the overall performance of your content based on its ranking and engagement.

Sometimes, you may notice a little snippet in the ‘Performance Score’ column, such as ‘Slowly Recovering.’

This indicates that while the page isn’t yet back to its previous performance, it is gradually improving in rankings, and you might see positive results soon.

Step 6: Take Action on Post Optimizations

Finally, there’s the ‘Post Optimization’ widget in the ‘Dashboard’ tab.

This section offers insights and suggestions to improve your posts’ TrueSEO scores.

Here, you’ll find 4 post categories: Needs Improvement, Okay, Good, and Without a Focus Keyphrase.

If you click on any of these categories, you’ll be taken to the ‘Posts’ section, where the blog posts are filtered according to the selected category.

If you want to see how your other content types perform, then you can use the dropdown menu to select a content type.

AIOSEO works with various content types, including pages, memberships, courses, and more!

Once you’ve looked at all this data, you may be wondering how to improve your content and rankings. The articles below can help you out:

• The Ultimate WordPress SEO Guide for Beginners
• 13-Point WordPress SEO Checklist for Beginners
• How to Check if Your Website is SEO Optimized
• How to Do Keyword Research for Your WordPress Blog
• How to Rank New WordPress Content Faster
• How Long Does Website SEO Take to Show Results?

3 Pro Tips for Using Your Search Analytics

Once you’ve got your search analytics up and running, you’re already ahead of the game. But if you want to get even more out of your data, here are a few tips we’ve found super helpful:

1. Refresh Content That’s Almost Performing

If you notice a page with lots of impressions but few clicks, it’s often the headline or meta description that’s falling flat.

You can start by updating your title to better match what people are actually searching for. We recommend using the CanadaCreate Headline Analyzer to craft stronger, more click-worthy headlines that align with search intent.

Next, take a look at your meta description. Is it clear, relevant, and compelling? You can try adding a benefit, a question, or a subtle call to action.

You can also use more of the available character limit to make it more informative and persuasive.

At CanadaCreate, we carefully craft these elements for every post we publish, and we’ve seen how these quick tweaks can make a big difference. Plus, it’s often all you need to turn an underperforming post into a traffic magnet.

2. Make Popular Content Easier to Find

Does your internal search data show that people keep searching for the same thing? That’s a clue. It might be too hard to find through your menu or site layout.

A quick fix for this is to add those topics to your main navigation menu or create a dedicated page for them. It makes your site easier to use and helps your visitors find what they need faster.

At CanadaCreate, we have a “Start Here” menu item in our navigation to guide new readers to our most helpful tutorials and tools. It’s a simple way to surface high-demand content and improve the user experience from the first click.

3. Turn “No Results” Into New Ideas

Every time someone searches your site and finds no results, that’s a missed opportunity. But also a golden one.

Instead of ignoring those failed searches, you can use them as inspiration.

They’re telling you exactly what your audience wants that you haven’t covered yet. That next blog post, product, or tutorial idea might already be waiting in your search data.

FAQs: How to See Search Analytics in WordPress

Search analytics can be a bit confusing at first, so here are some of the top questions we hear, along with simple answers to guide you.

Which is more important: internal or external search analytics?

In short, both matter, but for different reasons.

• Internal analytics (from tools like SearchWP) show what visitors are searching for after they land on your site. This helps you spot content gaps and give your audience exactly what they’re looking for.
• External analytics (like the ones from AIOSEO) show how people find your site on Google. That’s super helpful for improving your SEO and bringing in more traffic.

Can I see WordPress search analytics for free?

Yes, at least for external search data. You can use Google Search Console, it’s free, and connect it to WordPress using the free version of All in One SEO (AIOSEO).

However, features like advanced keyword reports or internal search tracking are often part of premium tools. If you need those deeper insights directly in your WordPress dashboard, you may need to explore a paid option.

How is search analytics different from Google Analytics?

Search analytics zooms in on the keywords people use to find and navigate your site. In contrast, Google Analytics gives you a wider view of your traffic, like where visitors come from, which pages they visit, and how long they stay.

If you’re using WordPress, we recommend MonsterInsights to make viewing that data easier right from your dashboard. To learn more about the plugin, you can check out our full MonsterInsights review.

More WordPress Analytics Guides

We hope this article has helped you learn how to see search analytics in WordPress. Next up, you might want to check out our guides on:

• How to Add Scroll Depth Tracking with Google Analytics
• How to Enable Author Tracking in WordPress
• WordPress Post Analytics – How to Easily See Your Blog Stats
• How to Set Up WordPress Form Tracking in Google Analytics
• How to Track User Journey on WordPress Lead Forms
• How to Track Third-Party Domain Requests in WordPress
• Website Marketing Data Every Site Owner Must Track

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