- The distribution splits queries by band: 1 to 3, 4 to 10, 11 to 20, beyond.
- It advantageously replaces average position, which blends everything into a single misleading figure.
- The movement between bands month over month tells the story better than any average.
Definition
The position distribution is the breakdown of a site's queries by ranking band.
Worked example
A site shows 42 queries in 1 to 3, 268 in 4 to 10, 390 in 11 to 20 and 1,100 beyond. Three months later: 58, 310, 420, 1,480. Average position has degraded, and yet every band has grown: the site gains everywhere, it simply gains faster at the bottom than at the top.
Orders of magnitude
The usual shape is a pyramid: few queries in the top 3, many beyond the twentieth place. An abnormal bulge in 11 to 20 signals pages stuck at the first-page threshold.
The most common mistakes
- Tracking average position instead. It punishes broadening visibility.
- Not removing the brand. Brand queries all sit in band 1 to 3 and bias the reading.
- Looking at the distribution without volumes. A well-filled band on queries with no search is worth nothing.
Where to find the metric
In Search Console, by successive filtering on position in the Performance report, or by export and calculation. No native report offers this view.
Frequently asked questions
The Adwise team connects Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, GA4 and Search Console so agencies and freelancers can run their campaigns from a single place.