How to Find Average Position in Google Analytics

If you're looking for the "Average Position" metric in Google Analytics 4 and feel like you're hitting a wall, you're not alone. This once-familiar metric from Universal Analytics is no longer a standard part of the GA4 interface. This article will show you exactly where to find this critical ranking data - in Google Search Console - and, more importantly, how to integrate it with GA4 for a complete picture of your search performance and on-site user behavior.

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So, Where Did Average Position Go in GA4?

The short answer is that the average position metric wasn’t just moved, it was removed from Google Analytics entirely during the shift from Universal Analytics (UA) to Google Analytics 4. This change was part of a broader philosophical shift in how GA4 measures user interaction. GA4 was redesigned from the ground up to focus on user-centric events and engagement behavior - what people do after they land on your website.

Metrics connected to discoverability on Google Search, like impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and average position, now live exclusively in Google Search Console (GSC). Think of it this way:

• Google Search Console (GSC) tells you how your site performs in Google Search. It covers everything that happens before a user clicks on your link, such as which queries they used, how many times your site appeared (impressions), and its average ranking (position).
• Google Analytics 4 tells you what happens after the user clicks that link. It tracks their engagement, the events they trigger, the pages they visit, and whether they complete goals like signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.

While this separation makes sense, it creates a new challenge: how do you connect pre-click search data with post-click website behavior? The best solution is to use both tools together, starting by finding your average position directly in GSC.

How to Find Your Average Position in Google Search Console

Google Search Console is the definitive source for your website's organic search performance data. Finding your average position here is straightforward. If you haven't set up GSC yet, you'll need to do that first by verifying ownership of your site.

Here’s how to access the report:

1. Log in to your Google Search Console account.
2. Navigate to the Performance report in the left-hand menu.
3. At the top of the report, you'll see four metric boxes: Total clicks, Total impressions, Average CTR, and Average position. Make sure the Average position box is checked to display its data in the chart and table below.

Once enabled, the chart will visualize your site's average ranking position over the selected time frame. Below the chart is a detailed table where the real insights are hiding.

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Analyzing the GSC Performance Report

The table below the chart lets you slice and dice your performance data in several useful ways. You can analyze your average position by:

• Queries: See the average position for specific keywords and phrases users typed into Google to find your site. This is great for understanding your ranking for target keywords.
• Pages: View the average ranking position for each of your website's URLs. This helps identify which specific pages are performing best in search results.
• Countries: See how your site ranks on average in different geographic locations.
• Devices: Compare your average position on desktop, mobile, and tablet. Significant differences here might point to mobile optimization issues.
• Search appearance: Check rankings for rich results like video results or review snippets.
• Dates: Analyze rankings by day, week, or month to identify trends or the impact of algorithm updates.

For example, you might look at the ‘Queries’ tab and find that your query "how to make cold brew coffee" has an average position of 3.2. This means it's consistently appearing in the third position on the search results page - a fantastic spot to be in! Or, by switching to the 'Pages' tab, you might find that your /blog/cold-brew-guide page has an average overall position of 6.8 across all the keywords it ranks for.

The Best of Both Worlds: Bringing Search Console Data into GA4

Finding your average position in GSC is helpful, but the real power comes from connecting GSC to GA4. When you link these two services, you can overlay your search performance data (like impressions and position) with your on-site behavior data (like engaged sessions and conversions), all in a single interface.

This integration lets you answer more sophisticated questions, such as:

• Which high-ranking pages are failing to engage users?
• Which search queries are driving the most conversions on my site?
• Which of my low-ranking pages have the highest engagement potential if I improve their SEO?

Connecting the two platforms allows you to see the full funnel, from search discovery to on-site action.

Step-by-Step Guide to Linking GSC and GA4

Linking a GA4 property to a GSC property is a simple, one-time setup process. Just make sure you have "Editor" level permissions in GA4 and are a verified site owner in GSC.

1. In your Google Analytics 4 property, click the Admin gear icon in the bottom-left corner.
2. In the Property column, scroll down to the Product Links section and click on Search Console Links.
3. Click the blue Link button in the upper right.
4. If you are a verified owner in GSC, a new screen will appear. Click Choose accounts and select the Search Console property you want to link. Click Confirm.
5. Click Next. Now, you need to select the web data stream from your GA4 property to link. Select your website's stream and click Next.
6. Review the configuration and click Submit.

And that’s it! The link is created. It can take up to 48 hours for data to start flowing from Search Console into your GA4 reports, so be patient.

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How to View GSC Reports in Your GA4 Property

After you link the platforms and wait for data to populate, you won't see the new reports in your main navigation right away. You'll need to publish them from GA4's report "Library" first. This step customizes your reporting interface, ensuring you only see what's relevant to you.

Step 1: Adding the Search Console Collection to Your Library

1. In GA4, go to the Reports section (the chart icon on the left menu).
2. At the very bottom of the report navigation menu, click Library.
3. Inside the library, you will see a preset reports collection named Search Console in a card.
4. Click the three dots on the "Search Console" card and select Publish.

Once you hit publish, a new "Search Console" section will instantly appear in your main reporting sidebar menu, usually under the "Life Cycle" or "User" collections.

Step 2: Exploring the New Search Console Reports in GA4

Now, click on the new "Search Console" section in your left navigation to access two valuable new reports:

• Queries Report: This report shows which search queries users used to find your website. It displays the Search Console metrics (Clicks, Impressions, CTR, Average position) alongside GA4 user metrics (Users, Engaged sessions, Conversions) for each query.
• Google Organic Search Traffic Report: This report is similar, but it’s organized by landing pages instead of queries. You can see how each of your pages performs in search and how users behave after they land there.

These reports allow you to seamlessly connect user intent (the query) with on-site action. For example, in the Queries report, you can finally prove which exact keywords are not just driving traffic, but are driving valuable goal completions.

Making Average Position Data Actionable

Having access to this data is one thing, using it to make smart decisions is another. Here are a few practical ways to leverage your average position data once you have it integrated into GA4:

1. Find and Prioritize "Striking Distance" Pages

Go to your GSC organic traffic report in GA4 and filter for pages with an average position between 11 and 20. These are your "striking distance" pages - they are already ranking on the second page of Google and are prime candidates for a push to page one, where click-through rates soar. Analyze a few of them and ask:

• Can I optimize the page title and meta description?
• Could I refresh the content with updated information or new media?
• Can I build more internal links from other relevant, high-authority pages on my site?

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2. Optimize Pages with High Position but Low CTR

Sort your organic traffic report by 'Average position' from best to worst. Look for pages that have a great position (1-5) but an unusually low click-through rate (CTR). This is a strong signal that your page is ranking but your "snippet" appearing in search results isn't compelling enough to earn the click. Test new title tags and meta descriptions to make them more attractive and relevant to the user query.

3. Bridge Ranking with On-Site Engagement

This is where the GA4 integration becomes invaluable. Sort your reports to find pages with a high average position but low on-site engagement (e.g., low 'Average engagement time' or a low 'Conversion' count). This mismatch indicates that the content on the page isn't delivering on the promise made in the search results. People are clicking, but they're not finding what they expected. This is a clear signal to revisit and improve the content and user experience on that page to better align with the searcher's intent.

Final Thoughts

So, while you can no longer find average position in the same way you did in Universal Analytics, the new method is ultimately more powerful. By connecting Google Search Console with GA4, you not only regain access to all your search ranking data but can also analyze it in the same place as your on-site user behavior metrics. This creates a much more complete and actionable view of how your content truly performs, from search result to conversion.

Manually connecting the dots between GSC and GA4 is a great step forward, but scaling this analysis across all your channels can still be a challenge. That’s why we built Graphed. We centralize your data from not just GA4 and GSC, but also your paid media platforms and CRM, all without complex setups. You can ask simple questions in plain English - like "show me landing pages with an average position in the top 10 that have low engagement" - and get back an interactive dashboard in seconds. It frees you from the task of manual report pulling so you can focus on making data-driven decisions that actually grow your business.