What it is
Rank movement alerts notify you when a tracked keyword changes position in Google search results.
A movement can be:
Upward (ranking improves)
Downward (ranking drops)
Any change (up or down)
Alerts run automatically in the background and trigger notifications based on the rules you define
Why it matters
Alerts help you:
Detect ranking drops early and react quickly
Track SEO progress without manual checks
Monitor high-impact keywords or client KPIs
Stay informed during algorithm updates or site changes
Instead of manually reviewing every project, Alerts surfaces movement automatically.
Alerts are event-based, not analytical. They tell you that something changed, not why it changed.
How alerts work
The system follows this logic:
Keyword.com tracks keyword rankings in Google based on your subscription (daily or weekly).
Each time rankings refresh, the system checks for position changes.
Your alert rules are evaluated (direction, threshold, keyword scope).
If conditions are met, a notification is sent.
‼️ Important:
Alerts only trigger when a new ranking change occurs.
Historical movements do not trigger alerts retroactively.
If rankings have not refreshed yet, alerts will not fire.
Where to find alerts
Go to the Top Navigation.
Click the Alerts icon.
You’ll see a real-time feed showing:
Keyword
URL
Previous rank
New rank
Search volume
Time of change
You can filter by:
All
Positive
Negative
Project
You can also toggle: Group Alerts by Project
How to set up email notifications
To configure email alerts:
Go to Top Navigation → Alerts icon
Click the Setup (gear) icon
Select the email address notifications should be sent to
Set the Alert frequency
If you select “10 alerts,” only the first 10 alerts will be sent in the email.
Set the Number of alerts per page
Click Save
Emails will include:
Keyword name
Previous ranking position
New ranking position
Direction and size of movement
Date and time
Interpreting alerts correctly
Keep in mind:
Small ranking fluctuations are normal.
A single alert does not indicate a long-term trend.
SERP volatility can cause temporary movement.
Alerts are signals, use dashboards and historical charts to confirm patterns.
Alerts are designed for awareness, not analysis.
Common reasons alerts don’t trigger
Alerts may not fire if:
The keyword did not move enough to meet the threshold
The keyword is not ranking yet
Rankings have not been refreshed
The alert is paused or deleted
If you expect an alert but didn’t receive one, first confirm that the ranking update has completed.
Best practices
Use alerts for high-priority or revenue-driving keywords.
Combine alerts with On-Demand Refresh if you want immediate verification.
Use weekly email updates for broader portfolio-level monitoring.
Always validate repeated alerts using Historical Charts before drawing conclusions.