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A search query is what someone typed into Google. A tracked keyword is a phrase you choose to monitor. They are often the same, but not always. Start with 10-20 phrases. For each one, choose the page that should rank and write why you want to track it. A connected rank-check provider runs the check. In Bisibility, this is called a SERP provider. Search Console helps you find Google queries, while GA4 and Plausible help you judge which pages and outcomes matter most.

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Prepare before tracking

Start with:
  • your preferred site domain;
  • a list of the pages that should attract search traffic;
  • the country or city where customers search;
  • the device type that matters most;
  • a connected provider for rank checks.
You do not need a finished keyword strategy. The first set is a baseline that you can revise once rank data arrives.

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Existing site: begin with Search Console

If the site already receives Google impressions, connect Google Search Console and start from queries people have actually used to find it. Prefer queries that clearly match an important page or business outcome. Keep the first import selective. Merge spelling and wording variants that express the same intent instead of tracking hundreds of near-duplicates. Add a few brand terms even when you already rank for them; they provide a defensive signal when a competitor, directory, or review site starts moving. Search Console’s average position is useful context, but it is not the same as a rank check. After you choose a phrase, run a rank check for the market and device you want to monitor. If Search Console is unavailable, a connected DataForSEO account can suggest queries the project domain already ranks for. The lookup is opt-in, and the app shows the current estimate from its provider rates table before each request. Results are cached for 12 hours across onboarding, the REST API, and MCP. Suggestions already tracked by the project are marked so you can avoid duplicates.

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New site: start with page-based ideas

A new site may have no Search Console evidence yet. Start with the pages that matter most. Write one or two phrases a potential visitor might search for each page type. These are starting ideas, not guarantees. Write phrases the intended visitor would search, not internal product labels. Broader queries can be useful, but balance them with page-aligned terms that have a realistic path to a useful visit.

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Choose the page that should rank

Every tracked keyword should have a page that should rank, such as /pricing or /use-cases/agencies. SEO teams often call this the target URL. It lets bisibility show when Google chooses a different page. If the right page does not exist yet, write down why and what should be created. Do not leave the relationship implicit. A short content backlog is more useful than a list of unowned keywords.

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Turn a broad idea into a useful phrase

A broad topic is a useful place to start. Make it more useful by connecting it to a clear audience, need, and page. For example: The phrase becomes more useful because it points to a visitor and a page, not simply because it is longer. Use the same pattern when you turn any first idea into a phrase to track.

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Choose market and device deliberately

Use the country or city where the intended customer searches. Local businesses often need a city-level market; international products may need separate country variants. Choose mobile when mobile discovery or local results matter, and desktop when that better represents the buying workflow. Track a second device only when you intend to compare it.

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Build a 10-20 phrase starter set

Aim for 10-20 phrases. That is enough variety to expose gaps without burying the first review in noise. For a 12-phrase set, start with:
  • 4 phrases your site already appears for;
  • 4 phrases tied to valuable pages;
  • 2 brand phrases you want to protect;
  • 2 useful long-term opportunities.
This is a starting recipe, not an algorithm. Use tags to record why you are tracking a phrase: improve a page, protect a ranking, monitor a launch, investigate a problem, or pursue a long-term goal. Every phrase should have a page that should rank or a written reason that the page does not exist yet.

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Treat no ranking as a baseline

Not found in the top 100 is a starting point, not a failed check. It can mean:
  • the page or site is new;
  • the page is not indexed yet;
  • no page matches the query intent;
  • the query is too broad for the current authority;
  • the selected market or device is wrong;
  • the phrase is a long-term goal.
Record the first result, verify indexing and intent, then compare later checks. Do not remove a useful phrase only because its first position is missing.

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Pick a check frequency

Use daily checks for active launches, campaigns, migrations, and pages where a fast ranking change affects a decision. Weekly checks are usually enough for a new starter set, slower-moving content, or a larger portfolio. The best cadence is the one that matches how often you can act on a change.

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Common mistakes

  • importing hundreds of Search Console variants without grouping intent;
  • tracking only broad head terms;
  • adding a phrase without knowing which page should rank;
  • mixing markets or devices without a reason;
  • treating Search Console data as a replacement for a rank check;
  • treating the first not found result as an integration failure;
  • expanding the list before reviewing the initial baseline.

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Your starter set is ready

You are ready to run a first check when you have:
  • 10-20 phrases, rather than a large unreviewed export;
  • one page that should rank for every phrase, or a written plan for a new page;
  • the market and device you want to monitor; and
  • a reason for every phrase, such as improving a page or protecting a ranking.
That is a useful starting point. Your first results will show which phrases to keep, remap, or investigate next. When the set is ready, follow Quickstart to add it manually, import a CSV, or begin from Search Console.