Website Performance

What is Website Performance?

Website Performance helps you understand how your website is performing in Google Search, how quickly its pages load, and whether there are technical issues that need attention.

Instead of checking several different tools, you can review your website's search performance, page speed, indexing status, technical health, and content opportunities in one place.

With Website Performance, you can:

• See which keywords and pages bring visitors to your website from Google Search.
• Check page speed and Core Web Vitals.
• Find pages that Google has or hasn't indexed.
• Review your overall Website score and Domain authority.
• Run technical website audits to find issues such as broken links and missing metadata.
• Compare your website's content with a competitor's to identify missing pages.

Ranksphere also turns technical issues into Smart Tasks so you can see what needs attention.

Important: Ranksphere checks your website and provides recommendations. It doesn't make changes to your website automatically. You or your developer decide which fixes to make.

Where can I find Website Performance?

1. Go to Locations.
2. Open the business you want to review.
3. Select the Performance tab.
4. Open the Website Performance sub-tab.

You'll find the different website performance tools and reports here.

What do I need to connect?

Website Performance uses your website address and, for some information, a Google Search Console connection.

You don't need to connect every tool to start checking your website.

Connect Google Search Console

Google Search Console provides the search performance information shown in Ranksphere.

This includes your website's clicks, impressions, search keywords, and pages appearing in Google Search.

To connect it:

1. Open your location.
2. Go to Performance → Website Performance.
3. Follow the prompt to connect Google Search Console.
4. Connect your Google account.
5. Choose the Search Console property for the website you want to track.

You only need to complete the connection once.

After connecting, Ranksphere can retrieve the website's search performance information from Google Search Console.

Do I need Google Analytics?

No.

Website Performance uses Google Search Console for the search and traffic information shown in this section.

You don't need to connect Google Analytics to use Website Performance.

Can I check my website without Search Console?

Yes.

As long as your website is set on the location, you can use page speed checks, indexing, technical audits, and content gap analysis.

Google Search Console is only required for the search performance information that comes from your connected property.

What does Website Performance check?

Website Performance brings together several ways to review your website.

Each feature looks at a different part of your website, helping you see both how it performs and what may need improvement.

How to review your website's search performance

The Search performance section uses information from your connected Google Search Console property.

It shows how your website is performing in Google's search results.

What search metrics can I see?

You can review these metrics for your entire website or break them down by keyword and by page.

Top keywords and pages

Ranksphere shows the keywords and pages contributing to your Google Search performance.

Top keywords show the search terms people use when your website appears in Google Search.

Top pages show which website pages are receiving clicks and impressions.

For example, a roofing company's roof repair page might receive more search clicks than its homepage.

Reviewing this information helps you understand which pages and topics are attracting visitors from Google Search.

Additional search performance information

You can also review:

• Traffic sources
• Top countries
• Branded and non-branded traffic

Branded traffic relates to searches that include your business or brand name, while non-branded traffic comes from searches that don't use your brand name.

This helps you understand whether people are finding your website through your brand or through other searches.

How to find a specific keyword or page

The search performance view includes filtering and sorting options.

You can use them to focus on a particular keyword or website page instead of reviewing the entire site.

For example, if you want to check how one service page performs, you can find that page and review its search data.

Note: Search performance data requires a connected Google Search Console property.

How to check page speed and Core Web Vitals

The Page speed and Core Web Vitals section helps you understand how your website performs when people visit it.

Ranksphere measures page loading performance and other aspects of page experience.

What scores does Ranksphere show?

Mobile and desktop performance

You can switch between Mobile and Desktop to review your website's results for each device type.

This is useful because a website may perform differently on mobile devices and desktop computers.

For example, a page may load quickly on a desktop computer but perform more slowly on mobile.

Can I see whether my page speed has improved?

Yes.

Ranksphere keeps your page speed performance history.

You can use this history to compare scores over time and check whether they've changed after website improvements.

For example, after your developer makes changes to improve loading speed, you can review the latest results against earlier scores.

How to check which pages Google has indexed

The Indexing section helps you identify which website pages Google has indexed and which it hasn't.

An indexed page is a page Google has included in its search index.

If an important page hasn't been indexed, it may not be available to appear in Google Search results.

How does Ranksphere check indexing?

Ranksphere uses your website's sitemap to identify pages.

It then checks those pages against Google individually to see whether they're indexed.

This helps you identify pages that may need attention.

How to run an indexing check

1. Open your location.
2. Go to Performance → Website Performance.
3. Find the Indexing section.
4. Click Check indexing.

Ranksphere will check your website pages against Google.

You can run another indexing check whenever you want to review the latest results.

Why is indexing information useful?

For example, you may have created a new service page but notice that Google hasn't indexed it yet.

The indexing results help you identify this, so you can review the page and investigate why it hasn't been indexed.

Note: Indexing checks identify the current indexing status. They don't automatically make Google index a page.

How to check your Website score and Domain authority

Ranksphere provides an overall view of your website's technical health based on a full website crawl.

The results include:

• Website score
• Domain authority

Understanding your Website score

Your Website score is shown on a scale from 0 to 100.

Ranksphere also gives it one of three ratings.

The score gives you a general view of your website's technical condition.

You can review the audit results to understand which issues were found.

What is Domain authority?

The Domain authority figure is another measurement shown alongside your website's technical audit results.

You can use it as an additional reference when reviewing your website.

How to run a website crawl

1. Open your business location.
2. Go to Performance → Website Performance.
3. Find the website audit section.
4. Select Crawl now.
5. Review the available crawl pages and choose how much of the website to check.
6. Run the crawl.

Ranksphere will check your website pages and provide the results.

How to check your website again

If you've made improvements to your website and want to review the updated results, select Re-crawl.

This lets you run another technical check to see what's changed.

How to find technical website issues

The technical audit checks your website for problems that may affect its health and performance.

For example, Ranksphere can identify:

• Broken links
• Redirects
• Missing metadata
• Other technical issues that need attention

Rather than leaving you with only a technical report, Ranksphere turns issues into Smart Tasks.

How are technical issues prioritized?

Website issues are organized into three categories.

This helps you decide which problems to investigate first.

How do website issues become Smart Tasks?

When Ranksphere identifies an issue during a crawl, it creates a task so you can keep track of the work.

For example, if a page has a broken link or missing metadata, the issue can appear as a task to review.

You can use these tasks to organize the fixes you or your developer need to make.

Ranksphere does not fix these issues automatically. It identifies them and helps you track what needs attention.

For more information, see Smart Tasks.

How to find content gaps between your website and a competitor

Website Performance also includes Content gaps vs competitor.

This feature compares your website with a competitor's website to identify pages they have that you may be missing.

For example, a competitor might have a dedicated page for a service you offer, while your website doesn't have a page specifically about that service.

Ranksphere can identify that difference and suggest a page you may want to create.

Where can I find Content gaps vs competitor?

You'll find the feature at the bottom of the Website Performance tab.

You can also start the analysis from the website crawl step or the Google Search Console connection step.

How to run a content gap analysis

1. Open your location.
2. Go to Performance → Website Performance.
3. Find Content gaps vs competitor.
4. Enter the competitor's website URL.
5. Start the analysis.

You don't need to enter your own website address again.

Ranksphere uses your connected Google Search Console property or the website saved for your location to identify your own site.

It then reads the sitemaps of both websites and runs an AI comparison.

What information will I get?

Ranksphere organizes the results into two categories.

Money-page gaps appear first.

For each identified gap, Ranksphere provides:

• A short recommendation for a page you could create.
• A link to the competitor page the recommendation is based on.

The analysis can identify up to 20 content gaps.

Do content gaps create Smart Tasks?

Yes.

The most important missing money pages are also turned into Smart Tasks.

This helps you keep track of content opportunities that may need attention.

You can return to the Performance tab to review the content gap details.

How long does content gap analysis take?

A content gap analysis usually takes about 30 seconds.

The exact experience depends on the websites being compared.

How many credits does content gap analysis use?

Each analysis uses 15 AI credits.

It doesn't use your website crawl-page allowance because it reads the websites' sitemaps rather than crawling their pages as part of a technical audit.

For more information, see AI Credits and Identifying Competitors.

Understanding website crawl-page allowances

Every Ranksphere plan includes a monthly allowance for website crawl pages.

This is the number of individual website pages Ranksphere can check through its technical crawling feature.

What counts as a crawl page?

Each page checked during a technical website crawl uses one page from your available allowance.

For example, if Ranksphere crawls 100 pages, it uses 100 crawl pages.

How to check your available crawl pages

You can see how many crawl pages are available before starting a technical audit.

When you select Crawl now, Ranksphere shows your remaining monthly allowance.

You can choose how much of a larger website you want to crawl.

You can also check your crawl-page balance under:

Settings → Credit Usage

What happens if I reach my crawl-page limit?

Ranksphere stops before exceeding your available allowance.

If you need to check more pages, you can purchase an additional crawl-page pack.

How to buy additional crawl pages

Additional crawl-page packs are available for:

To purchase additional pages:

1. Go to Settings → Billing.
2. Open Add-ons.
3. Find the crawl-page pack.
4. Purchase the additional pages.

Purchased crawl-page packs are valid for 30 days from the purchase date.

Unused crawl pages from these packs don't roll over when the 30-day period ends.

This applies to every plan, including Growth and Agency.

How to manage crawl pages across locations

You can review your available crawl pages and manage their allocation across locations from:

Settings → Credit Usage

The number of crawl pages included each month depends on your plan.

You can check your included allowance in Credit Usage or on the Ranksphere pricing page.

For more information, see Saved Reports, Schema Builds & Crawl Pages.

How to export a Website Performance report

You can export your website performance information as a PDF report.

This is useful when you want to share findings with a client or keep a copy for your records.

How to export a report

1. Open your location.
2. Go to Performance → Website Performance.
3. Review the information you want to report on.
4. Click Export PDF.

Ranksphere will generate a PDF report of the current view.

How many credits does a report use?

Each PDF export uses one saved report credit.

If you choose to include AI Insights, the report also uses 100 AI credits.

For more information about report allowances, see Reporting.

How to schedule Website Performance reports

You can also schedule Website Performance reports to generate automatically.

This means you don't need to export a new report manually each time.

How to schedule a report

1. Open your business location.
2. Go to Performance → Website Performance.
3. Find the Schedule control, shown as a gear icon.
4. Open the scheduling settings.
5. Choose how often the report should run.
6. Set the schedule and save it.

What happens when a scheduled report runs?

Each scheduled report is:

• Generated automatically.
• Emailed to you.
• Saved to the location's Reports tab.

Each scheduled run uses one saved report credit.

For more information about scheduling, saved reports, and report credits, see Reporting.

Who can view and use Website Performance?

Your workspace role and permissions determine which Website Performance features you can access.

Website Performance permissions

Can Guests view Website Performance?

Guests don't have access to the Performance tab by default. The Workspace Owner can grant them viewing access from Settings → Permissions.

However, viewing access doesn't allow Guests to run crawls, perform content gap analyses, or generate reports.

Can Members connect Google Search Console?

Yes, if the Workspace Owner grants them the Connect Google accounts permission.

This is separate from the permission to run website checks and crawls.

For more information, see Users, Roles & Permissions.

Quick guide to Website Performance

Frequently asked questions

What is Website Performance in Ranksphere?

Website Performance brings together information about your website's Google Search results, page speed, indexing, technical health, and content gaps. It helps you understand how your site is performing and identify issues that may need attention.

What do I need to connect to use Website Performance?

You need to connect Google Search Console to access your website's search performance data. Page speed, indexing, technical audits, and content gap analysis work as soon as your website is set on the location.

Do I need Google Analytics?

No. Ranksphere uses Google Search Console for the search and traffic information shown in Website Performance. Google Analytics isn't required.

Why can't I see my search performance data?

Search performance data requires Google Search Console. If you haven't connected it yet, you'll see a prompt to connect your account and choose the correct website property. Page speed, indexing, technical audits, and content gap analysis can still be used without that connection.

Can I see which keywords bring visitors to my website?

Yes. Once Google Search Console is connected, you can review the keywords your website appears for, along with clicks, impressions, CTR, and average position. You can also review the performance of individual pages.

Can I compare mobile and desktop page speed?

Yes. The page speed section includes a Mobile/Desktop toggle so you can review performance on both device types. Ranksphere also keeps performance history so you can see how scores change over time.

How do I check whether Google has indexed my pages?

Open the Indexing section and select Check indexing. Ranksphere uses your website's sitemap to identify pages and checks their indexing status against Google. You can run the check again whenever needed.

What's the difference between Website Performance and a website audit?

The technical website audit is one part of Website Performance. Alongside the audit, Website Performance also includes search data, page speed, indexing, Website score, Domain authority, and content gap analysis.

What technical issues can Ranksphere find?

A website crawl can identify issues such as broken links, redirects, missing metadata, and other technical problems. Ranksphere organizes issues into Errors, Warnings, and Notices and creates Smart Tasks to help you track the work.

Will Ranksphere automatically fix my website?

No. Ranksphere checks your website and provides information and recommendations. It doesn't edit your website or apply technical fixes automatically. You or your developer decide what changes to make.

What is the crawl-page pool?

It's the number of website pages Ranksphere can check through technical crawls during your monthly allowance. You can see how many pages remain before running a crawl.

What happens when I run out of crawl pages?

Ranksphere stops before exceeding your available allowance. You can purchase another pack of 500 crawl pages for $5 or use your next monthly allowance. Purchased packs expire after 30 days and don't roll over.

Does content gap analysis use crawl pages?

No. Content gap analysis reads your website's sitemap and the competitor's sitemap. It uses 15 AI credits per analysis but doesn't use your crawl-page allowance.

How many content gaps can Ranksphere identify?

The analysis can return up to 20 content gaps, including missing money pages and blog posts. Each result includes a recommendation and a link to the competitor page it is based on.

Do content gaps become Smart Tasks?

The biggest missing money-page opportunities are turned into Smart Tasks. This helps you keep track of important content you may want to create.

Does exporting a Website Performance PDF use credits?

Yes. Each PDF export uses one saved report credit. If you include AI Insights, it also uses 100 AI credits.

Can I schedule Website Performance reports?

Yes. Use the Schedule control in the Website Performance tab to create recurring reports. Each scheduled report is emailed to you, saved to the location's Reports tab, and uses one saved report credit.

Can I use Website Performance for client websites?

Yes. You can review websites associated with the locations you manage and use the results to discuss search performance, technical issues, and potential improvements with clients or your team.

Can Guests view Website Performance?

Not by default. The Workspace Owner can grant Guests viewing access to the Performance tab from Settings → Permissions. Guests cannot run crawls, perform content gap analyses, or generate reports.