how accurate are SERP checkers?

[jasonindus]

how accurate are SERP checkers? even i in my site name as a key word the results say 'not found' for google

...but if i put in google it'll come up as the first result.

does anyone know of a SERP check that is accurate?

 

[Foamcow]

Obviously the one you are using isn't at all accurate.

Are the SERP checker and you checking the same Google site?
i.e. Are you checking a regional site whereas the checker is working with the .com site?

<honk>*:O)</honk>

Tyres: Mine's a pint of the black stuff.
Mike: You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

 

[jasonindus]

I had used this one with both .com and .co.uk (i'm .co.uk)

http://www.seocase.net/search-engine-position-checker.php

this one seemed a little more accurate i guess, but there wasn't an option to determine regionality...

http://www.marketleap.com/siteindex/default.htm

 

[ChrisHirst]

You can't say with any certainty that any of them would give "accurate" results. Even your manual searches could yeild different results each time. Two machines side by side in the same office can show different SERPs.

You could be looking at one DC and the "tool" at a different one each time you check.

If the "tool" is using one of Googles APIs it will be looking at a DC that is not part of the public rotation.

"Rank checking" is a truly futile exercise. You do a "ranking report" send it to the client, they do the same searches, get different results. Hey Presto, Instant irate phonecall.

Check your stats and the conversions for the phrases you are being found for, odds on you aren't checking rank on the phrases real people use.

Have a read at post #2 in Why Rankings Don't Matter


Chris.

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