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What the Australia rank checker shows you
Type in your website and a keyword and the checker looks up Google's results for that search in Australia, then finds where your site appears among the first 50 organic results. You see your position, the page on your site that ranks, the sites around you and the keyword's estimated monthly searches in Australia.
The check is made for Australia as a whole, in English, and without the personalisation that your own search history or signed-in Google account adds. That is what makes the number comparable from one day to the next. Here is what comes back:
- Your position in Google's Australian results, from 1 to 50
- The page on your site that ranks for the search
- The top 10 results, and every page of results up to position 50, with the sites directly above and below you named
- Roughly how many times a month the keyword is searched in Australia
- Which extras Google shows for the search, such as map results, People also ask or an AI Overview, and whether your site is cited in the AI Overview
Why check your ranking from an Australian location?
Google does not show one list of results to everyone. It tailors results to the searcher's country, language and device and, for many searches, to their suburb or city. A checker that measures from the United States, or a search you run yourself on the office laptop, can paint a very different picture from the one a customer in Parramatta sees on their phone.
It matters for Australian businesses in two ways. The competition is different, because the sites that rank for "real estate agent" in Australia are not the ones that rank for "realtor" in the US. And the words are different, so the keyword you check needs to be the one Australian customers actually type.
Search the way Australians do
Australian and American English use different words for the same thing, and Google treats them as different searches with different results. If you sell to Australian customers, check the Australian wording first. These pairs are a good test of whether your pages use the words your customers do:
| Australian customers search for | US customers search for |
|---|---|
| tradie | contractor or handyman |
| real estate agent | realtor |
| ute | pickup truck |
| petrol station | gas station |
| chemist | drugstore |
| takeaway | takeout |
| holiday rental | vacation rental |
| mobile phone | cell phone |
| skip bin hire | dumpster rental |
| thongs | flip-flops |
Spelling splits searches in the same way ("optimisation" and "optimization", "colour" and "color"), and some searches only make sense in Australia, such as "ABN lookup" or "NDIS provider". Check both versions of an important search and see which one you really rank for.
How to use the checker
- Enter your website, for example yourbusiness.com.au. You don't need https:// or www.
- Enter the search you want to rank for, the way an Australian customer would type it, and choose mobile or desktop. The location is already set to Australia.
- Press Find my rank. Your position, the ranking page and Google's top 10 appear within a few seconds.
Check the same keyword on both devices, and try a few variations: with and without your city, and in Australian and US spellings. A ranking only means something when you know the conditions it was measured under, so keep them the same each time you check.
Reading your result
Where you land tells you what to do next:
- Positions 1 to 3: the results at the top get far more clicks than the rest. Keep the page fresh and its title compelling to hold your place.
- Positions 4 to 10: you are on page one. Moving up means a more complete answer than the sites above you and a title people want to click.
- Positions 11 to 20: page two is usually the quickest win. Improving the page and linking to it from your other pages often lifts it onto page one.
- Positions 21 to 50: Google knows the page but prefers stronger ones. You probably need a page focused on this search and a few good links.
- Not in the top 50: either there is no page for this search or the page is too weak for it. Creating or rewriting a focused page is the first step.
Google also mixes other results into the page: maps, shopping results, videos, People also ask and AI Overviews. The checker lists which ones appear for your search, because they take space and attention away from the plain blue links you are competing for.
Local searches: your city matters
For searches with a local angle, such as "plumber", "dentist" or "chemist near me", Google leans heavily on map results and on where the searcher is. This checker measures Australia as a whole, so for a local business the most useful checks are the ones with your city or suburb in them: "plumber sydney", "dentist adelaide", "real estate agent perth". Those are also the searches people type when they are ready to ring someone.
To rank for local searches, claim and complete your Google Business Profile, keep your business name, address and phone number identical wherever they appear, ask happy customers for Google reviews, and give each service and each area you cover its own page with real details, not the same text with a different suburb dropped in. If you travel to your customers, list the areas you serve on your profile.
If you sell in Australia and elsewhere
When one website serves customers in several countries, tell Google which version is meant for whom. Use hreflang annotations such as en-AU for Australia and en-US for the US, show prices in Australian dollars and say whether they include GST, put an Australian phone number and your ABN on the Australian pages, and consider a .com.au domain (which needs an Australian presence) or a clearly separate Australian section.
Then check the same keyword with the location set to Australia and to your other markets. The location picker in the tool lets you switch country, so you can confirm that the right page appears in each market.
From a one-off check to tracking
A one-off check tells you where you stand today. Rankings move every day as competitors publish, Google updates its systems and your own site changes, so the question that matters is how your position is changing.
With a free SEOLOK account you can add your site, connect Google Search Console and have your first keywords measured every week, from Australia if you choose that location. Paid plans measure every day, e-mail you when a keyword drops and give you unlimited PDF reports you can send to a client or your boss.
Australia rank checker: frequently asked questions
Is this Google rank checker really for Australia?
Yes. It asks for the results Google shows to someone searching in Australia, in English, and looks for your site in them. The location is preset to Australia. You can change it if you want to compare another country.
Does it use google.com.au?
It measures Google's results for Australia, which are the results people searching from Australia see on google.com.au. The check does not run from your own device or IP address, so your location, history and signed-in account don't affect it.
Why does my ranking look different when I search myself?
When you search yourself, Google adjusts the results to your location, your search history, whether you are signed in and the device you use. Visiting your own site often can make it seem to sit higher than it does for other people. The checker removes that personalisation, so use its number as your reference and re-check under the same conditions.
Is the rank checker free, and how many checks do I get?
It is free. You get a few checks a day without an account and more with a free account; the counter under the form shows how many you have left today. If you need more, paid plans include a larger daily allowance and automatic tracking.
Does it cover every state and territory?
The check covers Australia as a whole. For searches without a local angle the results are usually very similar across the country. Local searches such as plumbers, dentists and "near me" vary from city to city, so include your city or suburb in the keyword.
Can I see which competitors rank above me?
Yes. The result lists Google's top 10 sites for the search and you can page through to position 50, with your own site marked and the sites directly above and below you named. To compare two websites across a whole set of keywords, use our free competitor analysis tool.
How often should I check my rankings?
For a keyword that matters, automatic tracking beats checking by hand: rankings change daily and you want the trend rather than a single day. After you change a page, give Google days or weeks to crawl and reassess it before judging the result.
Can I track my Australian rankings automatically?
Yes. Add your site to a free SEOLOK account, add your keywords and choose Australia as the location. Free accounts measure weekly; paid plans measure every day and e-mail you when a keyword drops.
What happens to the searches I enter?
Searches are stored to improve the service and to apply the daily limit. Your IP address is kept only in a scrambled form that can't be reversed. Results come from Google's real search results.
More on checking and tracking rankings
- Google rank checker (worldwide)Compare the same keyword in another country.
- Google rank trackingMeasure your keywords automatically and see how your position changes.
- Competitor analysis toolCompare your site with a competitor's.
- How to check your website's ranking on GoogleWhy your own search misleads and how to measure properly.
- Local SEO rank tracking by cityWhat can and can't be measured for a business that serves one city.
- Moving from page two to page oneA practical guide to lifting a page that is stuck just off page one.
Rank checker by country
- Google rank checker UKCheck where your website ranks in Google's UK results. Free: enter a keyword, pick mobile or desktop and see your position, ranking page and top 10.
- Google rank checker CanadaCheck where your site ranks in Google's Canadian results. Free: enter a keyword, pick mobile or desktop and see your position, ranking page and top 10.