Index Curves are one of the most powerful tools within SiteCurve, offering custom, dynamic views of specific sets of keywords and websites in your landscape. Think of an Index like a tailored category, but with unparalleled flexibility to specify both the keywords and domains it includes.
While SiteCurve’s built-in AI segmentation (e.g., niches, categories, and website types) offers high-level insights, Indexes allow you to go deeper, giving you the control to focus on specific areas of your data. Whether you’re isolating competitors in a niche or focusing on a subset of your keywords, Index Curves empower you to analyze performance trends with precision.
Why Use Index Curves?
Indexes are perfect for creating a focused, tailored view of your data that goes beyond built-in segmentation options.
Key Benefits:
Custom Views: Focus on specific keyword and domain combinations, filtering out noise.
Precise Insights: See who’s winning and losing for the exact data points that matter to you.
Tailored Metrics: Metrics like Share of Voice (SoV) update to reflect only the domains and keywords included in your index.
Example Use Case:
Imagine you’re managing a horizontal landscape with 1,000 keywords spanning VPN software, espresso machines, and credit cards. You only care about credit card keywords and 15 specific competitors.
Create an index selecting 100 credit card keywords and the 15 domains you want to monitor.
Your metrics recalculate to show Share of Voice, rankings, traffic, and other KPIs just for those domains and keywords—ignoring irrelevant competitors.
How Indexes Work
Step 1: Build Your Index
Select a subset of keywords in your landscape using filters:
Keyword: Focus on specific terms.
Device: Filter by mobile or desktop rankings.
Language: Target keywords in a specific language.
Location: Refine based on geographic region.
Monthly Search Volume (MSV): Prioritize high or low-traffic keywords.
Cost Per Click (CPC): Narrow down based on commercial value.
From these keywords, select a subset of domains based on:
Domain Name: Specify exact competitors or sites of interest.
Domain Authority: Focus on competitors with a certain authority level.
Keywords Ranked: Filter domains by how many keywords they rank for.
Share of Voice: Focus on domains with a certain visibility percentage.
SiteCurve Scores: Target domains based on CS/GS/VS scores.
Step 2: Analyze with Index Curves
Once your Index is built, all metrics adjust dynamically to reflect only the keywords and domains in your selection. These metrics include:
Traffic Trends: Estimated traffic for included domains.
Share of Voice: Visibility percentage recalculated for your custom view.
Winners and Losers: Changes in rankings or visibility over time.
SERP Widget Ownership: Visibility for features like AI Overviews or Featured Snippets.
When to Use an Index
Indexes are invaluable for creating laser-focused views of your data.
Example Scenario
You’re managing SEO for a pest control company in a landscape of 10,000 keywords covering “Home Services,” “Finance,” and “Auto.” Instead of analyzing all keywords in “Home Services,” create an Index for:
Keywords like “pest control cost” and “how to get rid of bed bugs.”
Competitors such as orkin.com and terminix.com, along with your client’s domain.
With this Index, you get a clear view of the client’s market position and actionable insights for outperforming competitors on high-priority keywords.
FAQs About Index Curves
How are Index Curves different from Location or Category Curves?
Location Curves aggregate data for keywords in specific geographic locations.
Category Curves focus on niches or industries predefined by SiteCurve’s AI.
Index Curves are fully customizable, allowing you to group specific keywords and domains for tailored analysis.
Can I drill down further within an Index?
Yes! Use filters to refine your Index by device, location, keyword volume, CPC, and more.
How are winners and losers calculated?
Winners and losers are determined by changes in metrics like Share of Voice, traffic, or SERP ownership over time, based on your Index's keywords and domains. The winners and losers in an index will be different than the overall landscape.
Can I use Indexes for specific campaigns?
Absolutely. For example, if you’re running a seasonal campaign, you can create an Index focused on keywords and competitors relevant to that campaign.
Can I follow an Index?
Yes. Following an Index adds it to your portfolio, making it easily accessible from your dashboard.
How do Indexes differ from Portfolios?
Indexes are data views that adjust metrics for specific keywords and domains. Portfolios are collections of domains or keywords you want to monitor but don’t affect metrics calculations.
How often is Index data updated?
Data updates daily at or around 1 AM EST to provide the latest metrics.
Best Practices for Index Curves
Create Focused Views: Use Indexes to zero in on critical keywords and competitors for specific clients or campaigns.
Save and Follow Indexes: Make frequently used Indexes part of your portfolio for quick access.
Combine with Built-In Segments: Start with high-level insights from built-in segments, then use Indexes for deeper, more targeted analysis.
Track Performance Over Time: Monitor changes in Share of Voice, traffic, and SERP ownership to stay ahead of competitors.