Keyword Performance in Category Curves displays all the keywords mapped to a specific category within the selected filters. For example, you can set the filters to show all keywords for all categories in a landscape, but then refine to show keywords that have URLs that resemble ecommerce pages via the ‘website type’ filter.
This page provides essential details about each keyword, including its top-ranking URL, monthly search volume (MSV), and cost per click (CPC). Users can also delve deeper into the search engine results page (SERP) for each keyword to analyze the competition.
The Keyword Performance screen allows you to track how keywords are performing in the chosen category and provides actionable insights to improve visibility and rankings.
How Keyword Performance Works With Category Curves
Keyword Aggregation:
SiteCurve collects and organizes all the keywords associated with the category in view.
The data reflects the category's performance within the selected filters, such as location, device type, or search widget.
Widget-Specific Keyword Data:
SiteCurve defaults to Organic Listings, which are the typical blue links.
Users can switch the widget from Organic Listings to other features like AI Overviews, People Also Ask, or Featured Snippets.
SiteCurve then displays all the keywords found in each widget along with the top-ranking URL for those keywords. The top-ranking URL is always the first URL in the widget, assuming the widget contains a URL.
SERP Overview:
Clicking on the "SERP" button next to a keyword opens a detailed view of the top results SiteCurve found in each widget for the keyword.
For widgets with only one URL (e.g., Featured Snippet), the SERP overview will display just that URL.
For other widgets, the SERP will show all URLs found in the widget.
Trend Filters:
Users can apply filters to refine results by specific criteria such as traffic, rank changes, or CPC.
Results update dynamically based on user selections.
Key Features of Keyword Performance For Category Curves
Keyword Table:
Displays a sortable and exportable table of all keywords within the category.
Includes columns for MSV, CPC, top-ranking URL, and a button to display the SERP SiteCurve saw when viewing the rankings.
Widget-Specific SERP Insights:
Shows the competitive landscape for each keyword in the chosen widget, including ranking change of URLs over a selected period.
Dynamic Updates:
The data reflects daily changes in rankings and keyword trends, giving users the latest insights into the category.
Why Use Keyword Performance in Category Curves?
Understand Keyword Impact:
Identify the most valuable keywords driving traffic within the category.
Evaluate the competitive landscape for targeted search terms.
Monitor Top URLs:
Track which domains dominate specific keywords and analyze their strategies.
Explore Widget-Specific Insights:
Analyze keyword performance across different search widgets, such as AI Overviews or Featured Snippets, to optimize for diverse SERP features.
Discover Opportunities:
Use the SERP overview to spot gaps in the competition where your site can improve its ranking.
Best Practices for Keyword Performance For Category Curves
Leverage the SERP View:
Regularly analyze the SERP to identify patterns in ranking changes and understand how competitors maintain their positions.
Explore Widgets Beyond Organic Listings:
Switch to alternative widgets like People Also Ask or AI Overviews to identify untapped opportunities and optimize for more competitive SERP features.
Focus on High MSV Keywords:
Prioritize optimizing content for keywords with high monthly search volumes to capture significant traffic.
Refine by CPC:
Use CPC data to gauge the commercial value of keywords and adjust your strategy for high-intent search terms.
Track Position Changes:
Monitor changes in ranking positions over time to understand which keywords are improving or declining in performance.
Export Data:
Export keyword lists to share insights with your team or integrate them into external tools for further analysis.
FAQs About Keyword Performance in Category Curves
Can I see all keywords for a category?
Yes, the Keyword Performance page lists all keywords within the category, based on the filters you’ve applied. Y
How is the top-ranking URL determined?
The top-ranking URL is identified as the first URL within the widget where the keyword appears. If a widget does not contain URLs, no top-ranking URL is shown.
What is the "SERP" button for?
Clicking the "SERP" button opens a detailed view of the top results for the keyword, filtered by the selected widget. For example, a Featured Snippet SERP may show only one URL, while Organic Listings may display up to 20 URLs.
Can I export the keyword data?
Yes, you can export the keyword table in Excel or CSV format for further use.
What happens if a keyword’s top-ranking URL changes?
SiteCurve updates the top-ranking URL dynamically as rankings change, ensuring the data always reflects the most recent analysis.
Example Use Case
Imagine you're optimizing content for the Finance category and want to focus on keywords where the People Also Ask (PAA) widget exists. Switching to the PAA widget in the Keyword Performance view, you discover that "best credit card for veterans" frequently shows the PAA widget. You click into the SERP and notice that your competitors has more optimized page that Google prefers for the PAA widget.
Using these insights, you adjust your content to provide a more complete answer to the question, increasing your chances of securing that position. This focused optimization helps you improve visibility and traffic through specific search widgets.