How to Track Your Website’s Search Rankings in Different Countries

To see how your website performs in Google Search across countries, start with Google Search Console (GSC). Its Search results Performance report lets you review reported clicks, impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and average position by country, query, page, and date. To check where a deliberate list of keywords ranks in specific markets on a recurring schedule, use a rank tracker configured for each target location.

These methods answer different questions. GSC reports observed performance for searches that surfaced your site and are available in its reporting data. A rank tracker checks selected keywords under chosen search settings. Neither provides one fixed position that every searcher in a country will see.

1. Review Google Search Console data by country

Verify your site’s property in Google Search Console and open the Search results Performance report.
Select a date range. Use a consistent range when comparing markets or periods.
Enable the metrics you need: clicks, impressions, CTR, and average position.
Open the Countries dimension and select a target country. Review the Queries and Pages dimensions to see which searches and landing pages are associated with that market.
Compare countries or date ranges. Check whether a change is concentrated in certain queries, pages, or markets before drawing conclusions.

Google describes average position as the position of the topmost result from your site for the selected grouping. It is an aggregate report metric, not a promise of a stable live rank. Google’s guidance also explains that a query can appear in the report even when you do not see your site by manually running that same search. See Google’s Performance report documentation and guide to filtering and limits in Search Console data.

2. Use a rank tracker for selected keywords

Use a rank tracker when the question is: “Where does this chosen keyword rank in each target market?” Set up a separate target for each country or supported location, and keep the tracking settings consistent when comparing results.

Choose the search engine and the keywords you want to monitor.
Set the target country. If the tool supports it and your question requires it, choose a more specific region, city, or postal code.
Set language, device, and local or national targeting where available. These settings change the scope of the check.
Schedule recurring checks and review trends over time. Avoid treating a one-off check as a definitive market-wide rank.
Use the tool’s history, reports, or exports to compare the same keywords and settings across dates and locations.

For example, if you want to compare a keyword in the United States and Canada, use the same search engine, language, device, keyword, and tracking schedule, changing only the country. If you also change from desktop to mobile or national to city-level targeting, record that change because the results no longer have the same scope.

Semrush documents Position Tracking for daily monitoring of chosen keywords, with country and finer location options as well as device, language, and search-engine settings. Consult its ranking setup guide, configuration instructions, and Position Tracking overview for its current capabilities. Check current plan limits and pricing directly with the provider before choosing a paid service.

3. Choose the right method for the question

Need	Best starting point	What it tells you
Which countries send clicks and impressions from Google Search?	Google Search Console	Reported Google Search performance for your site, with available country, query, page, and date dimensions.
How does a chosen keyword rank in a target country over time?	Rank tracker	Scheduled checks of the selected keyword list under configured search settings.
Which pages or queries changed in a market?	Google Search Console	Observed changes in reported performance for the selected country and dates.
How do rankings vary by city, region, device, or language?	Rank tracker that supports those settings	Checks scoped to the locations and search settings the service offers.

GSC is free to use for site owners and is a first-party source for reported Google Search performance. A commercial tracker is useful when you need repeatable checks of a chosen keyword set, specific locations, and history or reporting. Compare coverage, location granularity, supported search engines, device and language controls, tracking frequency, exports, and current cost before selecting one.

4. Keep comparisons meaningful

Match the date scope: compare equivalent date ranges in GSC, and use consistent schedules for tracker data.
Match the location scope: country-level results and city-level results answer different questions.
Match the search settings: keep search engine, language, and device stable when comparing markets or periods.
Match the keyword scope: GSC includes eligible reported searches; a tracker covers the keywords you chose.
Separate visibility from traffic: a position check does not tell you how many clicks or impressions your site received.
Look for patterns: use trends and related pages or queries to investigate a change instead of inferring a cause from one observation.

5. Troubleshooting

A query appears in Search Console, but I cannot find my site manually

This can happen because the report summarizes observed performance while a manual search is a separate check. Google explicitly notes that seeing a query in the report does not guarantee that you will see your site when you run that query. Review the report’s country, date, and other filters before comparing.

A country has little or no data

Check the selected date range, property, and country filter. GSC reports performance data available in its reporting system, not every possible search. A rank tracker can check a selected keyword list in that market, but it answers a different question.

Two country reports do not seem comparable

Confirm that the date range and filters match, then check whether the reports use different queries, pages, or devices. For rank tracking, verify the search engine, location granularity, language, device, and keyword list.

A tracker’s result differs from GSC average position

The tracker checks selected keywords under its configured settings; GSC reports an aggregate average position for the selected report scope. These are different measurements. Compare their scopes and trends rather than expecting identical values.

The tracker does not offer my exact location or language

Check the provider’s supported location and language options. Use the closest available target only if it still answers your question, and label the scope clearly in reports.

6. Performance, reliability, and cost

For a small keyword set or an initial investigation, start with GSC: it provides observed Google Search performance without requiring a separate scheduled keyword campaign. If you need recurring checks across many keywords, locations, or devices, estimate the campaign size and reporting needs before choosing a tracker. Check current limits, plan pricing, and available history with the provider; commercial terms can change.

For reliable comparisons, record the keyword list and tracking settings, use a consistent schedule, and interpret short-term movement cautiously. GSC data and rank-tracker checks have different scopes, so keep their metrics separate in dashboards and reports.

Or skip the browser setup

For screenshot evidence of country-specific pages or search results, ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. A single request returns an image or PDF; you can also provide location-related settings such as timezone and geolocation. Screenshots can help document what a page looked like, but they do not replace Search Console performance data or a configured rank-tracking campaign.

Cookie banners, popups, and chat widgets are removed before the shot. Bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed. An MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots. One thousand screenshots a month are free with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for options.

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp

import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)

const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);

FAQ

Does Google Search Console show my exact current rank in another country?

No. It reports average position for the selected scope, based on reported Search performance. It is not a universal live position for every searcher.

Can I check rankings without paying for a tracker?

Use GSC to review available Google Search performance by country. For scheduled checks of selected keywords, compare tracker services and their current plans.

Should I track every keyword in every country?

Start with the markets and queries that matter to your site’s goals. Expand the set when you have a clear reporting need and can keep the tracking scope consistent.